NCJ Number
226388
Journal
Legal and Criminological Psychology Volume: 14 Issue: 1 Dated: February 2009 Pages: 1-12
Date Published
February 2009
Length
12 pages
Annotation
This article examines the validity of sequential lineups as superior to simultaneous lineups, thereby warranting sequential lineups be required by law.
Abstract
Attempts in finding alternative technologies in lineup administration techniques are commendable. However, research has not shown sequential lineups to be better than simultaneous lineups. Finding superior eyewitness identification techniques for law enforcement agencies are a work in progress. Sequential lineup suggests that there is something significant and important about presenting lineup members to witnesses one at a time. Previous theoretical explanations offered for sequential superiority is that sequential presentation reduces the tendency of witnesses to use a ‘relative judgment strategy’. Exposing witnesses to lineup members one at a time reduces the ability of witnesses to compare lineup members to each other, and to select that person amongst them who most resembles the witness’ memory of the perpetrator. However, there is no clear evidence that demonstrates that sequential presentation is necessary to the identification advantage reported for sequential lineups. With the lack of supportive evidence, it is argued that it is misleading to claim that sequential lineups are better than the traditional simultaneous lineups used by police forces around the world. References