NCJ Number
43920
Journal
Kriminalistik Volume: 31 Issue: 6 Dated: (JUNE 1977) Pages: 254-257
Date Published
1977
Length
4 pages
Annotation
AN UNSOLVED RAPE CASE SERVES AS THE BASIS FOR DISCUSSION OF THE USE OF HYPNOSIS AS AN INVESTIGATIVE AID.
Abstract
TWO WITNESSES AGREED TO SUBMIT TO HYPNOSIS IN ORDER TO RECALL THE LICENSE PLATE NUMBER OF THE PERPETRATORS' VEHICLE. ALTHOUGH BOTH WITNESSES WERE ABLE TO REPRODUCE MORE DETAILED INFORMATION UNDER HYPNOSIS THAN THEY HAD DURING THE INITIAL QUESTIONING BY POLICE, THE TESTIMONY WAS INSUFFICIENT. WHAT THE WITNESSES DID RECALL WAS THAT THE LICENSE PLATE WAS TOO SMUDGED TO MAKE THE NUMBER SERIES CLEARLY VISIBLE. THE AUTHORS CONCLUDE THAT THE USE OF HYPNOSIS ON WILLING WITNESSES CAN ELICIT SUBCONSCIOUS IMPRESSIONS ONLY IF AN ACUTE PERCEPTION OF AN IMAGE HAS TAKEN PLACE. IT IS NOTED THAT THE TASK OF HYPNOTIZING A SUBJECT SHOULD REST IN THE HANDS OF A PROFESSIONAL, PREFERABLY A POLICE PSYCHOLOGIST. A TRAINED SCIENTIFIC EXPERT IS BETTER EQUIPPED TO HANDLE JUDICIOUS QUESTIONING OF THE SUBJECT, SO THAT VALUABLE RESPONSES MAY BE OBTAINED. --IN GERMAN.