NCJ Number
57604
Date Published
1978
Length
254 pages
Annotation
PSYCHOLOGICAL RESEARCH PERTAINING TO THE PROCESS OF PERSON IDENTIFICATION AND ITS BEARING UPON THE RELIABILITY OF EYEWITNESS TESTIMONY IS SURVEYED.
Abstract
THE DISCUSSION DRAWS ON PSYCHOLOGICAL THEORY AND STUDIES TO DEMONSTRATE THE INTERPLAY OF PERSONAL AND SOCIAL FACTORS INVOLVED WHEN AN EYEWITNESS ATTEMPTS TO DESCRIBE A SUSPECT OR TO RECOGNIZE A (USUALLY ONCE-SEEN) SUSPECT IN A LINEUP OR A COLLECTION OF MUG SHOTS. ESTIMATES OF HOW RELIABLE EYEWITNESSES CAN BE ARE DEVELOPED ON THE BASIS OF ACTUAL CRIMINAL CASES, MOCK CRIME INCIDENTS, AND LABORATORY STUDIES USING FACT PHOTOGRAPHS, WITH REFERENCE TO THE VARIATION IN RELIABILITY AMONG THESE THREE SITUATIONS. ALSO DISCUSSED IS RESEARCH ON PERCEPTION AND MEMORY (E.G., THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN VERBAL AND PICTORIAL MEMORY); INDIVIDUAL DIFFERENCES IN COGNITIVE STYLE, SUGGESTIBILITY, AND ABILITY TO FORM IMAGES; AND GROUP DIFFERENCES (AGE, SEX, ETC.) IN EYEWITNESS RELIABILITY. THE INFLUENCE OF STEREOTYPES (IDEAS ABOUT WHAT A CRIMINAL SHOULD LOOK LIKE), THE PRESENCE OF OTHER WITNESSES, THE WORDS AND MANNER OF QUESTIONERS, AND THE DESIRE TO BE A 'GOOD WITNESS' IS DISCUSSED. THE PRACTICE OF CONSTRUCTING PHOTOGRAPHIC COMPOSITES FROM WITNESS' DESCRIPTIONS IS RELATED TO RESEARCH FINDINGS ON HOW PEOPLE IDENTIFY FACES--FACIAL SCREENING PATTERNS, WHAT FEATURES ARE MOST EASILY REMEMBERED, ETC. SOURCES OF BIAS IN LINEUP (IDENTIFICATION PARADE) PRACTICES IN ENGLAND ARE CONSIDERED AND SUGGESTIONS FOR IMPROVING LINEUPS ARE OFFERED. RESEARCH FINDINGS ON THE IDENTIFICATION OF VOICES ARE ASSESSED, TOGETHER WITH THE POSSIBILITY OF USING 'VOICE LINEUPS.' CONSIDERATION IS ALSO GIVEN TO THE USE OF A 'MAN-MACHINE' APPROACH (HUMAN WITNESSES AIDED BY COMPUTERS) IN SUSPECT IDENTIFICATION. CRITERIA BY WHICH POLICE CAN JUDGE WITNESS RELIABILITY ARE SUGGESTED, AS ARE FUTURE DIRECTIONS FOR PSYCHOLOGICAL RESEARCH INTO THE PROCESS OF PERSON IDENTIFICATION. A BIBLIOGRAPHY IS PROVIDED. (LKM)