Jurors exposed to graphic evidence through lengthy court cases need more psychological support during and after trials.
Research from the James Cook and Macquarie universities found exposure to content such as crime scene images, emergency call recordings and child abuse testimonies can cause "genuine psychological harm", requiring tailored support services.
While the jury system is often hailed as the "cornerstone of democratic justice", the paper's authors argue that "beneath that ideal lies an uncomfortable truth".
"Ordinary, untrained citizens, are routinely exposed to some of the most disturbing evidence imaginable without adequate warning, psychological preparation, or systemic support," they wrote.
"They witness horror."
Author Rebecca Ward, a student at James Cook University, called for a range of supports to be ramped up to introduce "trauma-informed jury procedures".
"Mandatory psychological briefings, in-trial check-ins, post-trial debriefings, access to counselling and protected therapeutic disclosure are not optional extras; they are structural necessities," she said.
"There is a clear need for systemic reform to acknowledge juror wellbeing as a necessary component of a fair and ethical justice system."
Symptoms shown by jurors after trials included intrusive memories, sleep disturbance, heightened anxiety and other trauma responses, Ms Ward said.
NSW and Victorian courts offer jurors a support program including counselling for when a case has finished.
Both states said potential jurors who were concerned about what they might see during a case could ask for an exemption before being empanelled.
NSW sheriff Tracey Hall said a number of supports were available during trials as well.
"On some occasions, jurors in NSW have also been given psychological support during a trial, or have been kept at the court after the trial's conclusion to be provided with an in-person debriefing," she told AAP.
"Jurors who feel uncomfortable during a trial have the opportunity to write a note about their discomfort to the trial judge (which) may result in support being offered or the juror being discharged."
A spokesman for Victoria's Supreme and County courts said its support program offered six sessions with a registered psychologist specifically briefed about jury processes.
"While most jurors find their service to be a rewarding experience, (we) recognise the different impacts that jury service can have on jurors," they told AAP.
"Courts continue to look for ways to improve the juror experience."
Ms Ward acknowledged both states had post-trial counselling services but said more were needed to prevent the justice system depending on "unacknowledged emotional labour".
