Police Testimony and the Culmination of Investigation - Judges's Perceptions (From Critical Issues in Criminal Investigation, P 75-90, 1984, Michael Palmioto, ed. - See NCJ-99323)

• NCJ Number: 99329
• Author(s): L L Shook; S R Greene
• Date Published: 1984
• Length: 16 pages
• Sale Source: Pilgrimage
• Publication Type: Report (Study/Research)
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

This study examined judges' perceptions of the effects of selected police officers' behavior on their credibility as witnesses.

Abstract

Of questionnaires sent to 172 Illinois trial judges, 44 responses were received. Three of these responding judges felt themselves unqualified to answer as they seldom observed uniformed officers testifying. The questionnaire asked judges to give their views on law enforcement officers' pretrial preparation, their appearance in the courtroom, and their attitudes in court. Data revealed that almost 70 percent of the judges perceived lack of sufficient officer preparation as occurring often to very often; that over 50 percent saw officers' lack of organization as a problem; and that overall, judges did not perceive officers' appearance to be a problem. Survey findings are detailed, and results suggest that officers' often inadequate preparation for court negatively affects their credibility as witnesses. Training is recommended. Six notes, tabular data, and nine references are provided.