Lecture 3: Eyewitness Identification

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Questions and Answers

What is the primary purpose of a lineup in an investigation?

To match the suspect's physical appearance with the witness's description

To intimidate the suspect into confessing

To gather verbal descriptions of the suspect

To uncover information not available from verbal description (correct)

What is a key consideration when selecting a lineup member?

Selecting individuals with a similar profession

Selecting individuals with a similar height and weight

Matching the suspect's verbal description

Matching the suspect's race and gender (correct)

What is the primary difference between a photo-lineup and a mugshot search?

The purpose of the identification process (correct)

The type of photos used in the lineup

The number of photos used in the lineup

The location of the lineup

What is the recommended format for a lineup in the UK?

Live or video lineups Signup and view all the answers

What did a meta-analysis by Cutler et al. (1994) find regarding the differences between live, photo, and video lineups?

There is no evidence of any differences between live, photo, and video lineups Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary characteristic of a good foil in a lineup?

The foil differs from the suspect in ways not mentioned in the verbal description Signup and view all the answers

What is a common outcome of false identification evidenced by eyewitnesses?

The guilty person goes free and the innocent person may end up in jail Signup and view all the answers

According to surveyed US justice officials, what percentage of cases do they believe result in erroneous convictions?

Less than 1% Signup and view all the answers

What percentage of convictions result from approximately 3 million arrests for serious crimes per year in the US?

50% Signup and view all the answers

What is the approximate number of wrongful convictions per year in the US, assuming a 0.5% error rate?

7,500 Signup and view all the answers

What percentage of DNA exoneration cases were due to mistaken identification?

72% Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary factor leading to wrongful conviction in the first 70 DNA exoneration cases?

Mistaken identification Signup and view all the answers

What is the purpose of DNA analysis in investigations?

To link a person to a crime with a high degree of certainty Signup and view all the answers

What is the name of the organization that has used DNA analysis to prove the innocence of convicted inmates?

The Innocence Project Signup and view all the answers

Why are eyewitnesses often convincing, despite being incorrect?

They are confident in their identification Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary concern with relying on identification evidence from eyewitnesses?

It is often inaccurate Signup and view all the answers

What is a characteristic of field studies on ID evidence?

High ecological validity Signup and view all the answers

In the field studies by Piggott et al. (1990), what was the purpose of having confederates perform unusual transactions?

To observe the accuracy of ID by store clerks and bank clerks Signup and view all the answers

What is a limitation of laboratory studies on ID evidence?

They are not designed to estimate overall level of accuracy Signup and view all the answers

According to Wells (1993), what is often associated with false IDs?

High witness confidence Signup and view all the answers

What is a common practice in laboratory studies on ID evidence?

Manipulating task difficulty to avoid floor and ceiling effects Signup and view all the answers

What is the range of false ID rates reported in laboratory studies?

0% to 100% Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary reason for conducting a thorough pre-lineup interview of the eyewitness?

To assess the eyewitness's ability to identify the suspect Signup and view all the answers

What is the purpose of taking a confidence statement from an eyewitness immediately after an identification decision?

To record the eyewitness's initial confidence in their identification Signup and view all the answers

Why should repeated identification procedures with the same witness and suspect be avoided?

To reduce the risk of biased identifications Signup and view all the answers

What is a potential problem with eyewitness identification evidence?

It is often influenced by system variables Signup and view all the answers

Why should jurors be educated about the potential problems with eyewitness identification evidence?

To help them make more informed decisions about the evidence Signup and view all the answers

What is the recommended alternative to 'showups' when possible?

Lineups with multiple suspects Signup and view all the answers

What is the main difference between sequential and simultaneous lineups in terms of suspect identification?

Sequential lineups are less likely to identify any suspect type than simultaneous lineups Signup and view all the answers

What is the relationship between confidence and accuracy of eyewitness testimony in properly conducted lineups?

Confidence is strongly related to accuracy Signup and view all the answers

What is the percentage of conviction votes when there is no eyewitness testimony?

40% Signup and view all the answers

What happens to the accuracy of a high-confidence suspect identification under less favourable ID conditions?

It becomes less accurate Signup and view all the answers

Who solicited a review paper to examine ID evidence and issue recommendations?

The American Psychology–Law Society Signup and view all the answers

What is the main reason why jurors are likely to believe confident witnesses?

Because jurors are biased towards confident witnesses Signup and view all the answers

What is the difference in suspect identification between sequential and simultaneous lineups?

8% in favour of simultaneous lineups Signup and view all the answers

What is the purpose of the review paper solicited by the American Psychology–Law Society?

To issue recommendations for improving ID evidence Signup and view all the answers

Study Notes

Inaccurate Identification Evidence

Identification evidence is often inaccurate, and this can lead to two negative consequences: the guilty person goes free, and the innocent person may end up in jail.
Despite being sincere, confident, and convincing, eyewitnesses can be wrong.

Evidence of Inaccurate IDs

Surveys of US justice officials reported that over 70% thought that erroneous convictions occurred in less than 1% of the cases.
This means that approximately 7,500 wrongful convictions occur per year in the US.

DNA Exoneration Cases

DNA analysis has been used to prove the innocence of convicted inmates, with 72% of cases involving mistaken identification.

Empirical Studies

There are two types of empirical studies on ID evidence: field studies and laboratory studies.
Field studies are high in ecological validity but lack experimental control, while laboratory studies allow more control but typically lack ecological validity.
Results from field studies show that about 41.8% of IDs were correct, and 35.8% were false.
Laboratory studies have shown that false IDs were often associated with high witness confidence.

Problems with Lab Studies

Lab studies are not designed to estimate overall accuracy, but rather to investigate the effect of a particular variable.

Composition of ID Procedure

A lineup should be composed of a good foil that matches the verbal description but differs from the suspect in ways not mentioned.
Gary Wells argued that a lineup serves to uncover information not available from verbal description.

Format of ID Procedure

Lineups can be live, video, or photo-based.
Meta-analysis found no evidence of differences in accuracy between formats.

Identification from Photographs

Can take the form of a photo-lineup or mugshot search.
Photo-lineups are used to test witness ability to recognize a suspect.

Sequential vs. Simultaneous Lineups

Meta-analysis of 72 experiments showed that sequential lineups were less likely to identify any suspect, but when a suspect was identified, they were more likely to be guilty.

Do Jurors Recognise Problems with Eyewitness Testimony?

Jurors are most likely to believe confident witnesses, but confidence is not always related to accuracy.
When lineups are properly conducted, confidence and accuracy are strongly related for adult witnesses.
However, under less favourable ID conditions, the accuracy of even a high-confidence suspect ID is seriously compromised.

What Can be Done?

The American Psychology–Law Society issued nine research-based recommendations to help prevent mistaken eyewitness identifications.
These recommendations include conducting a thorough pre-lineup interview, deciding when or whether to conduct a lineup, using a neutral administrator, and selecting lineup fillers so that the suspect does not stand out.
Educating jurors about biased lineups, lineup instructions, and the limitations of confidence and accuracy is also important.

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Description

Learn about the issues with eyewitness identification evidence, including its inaccuracy and consequences. Explore the sources that prove the unreliability of eyewitness IDs.