An examination of the causes and solutions to eyewitness error. The police charged thomson although the rape had occurred at the time he was on tv. Research that specifically examines eyewitness testimony or the memory of traumatic events has shown weak 28 or even negative 6 correlations between a persons confidence in the accuracy of a memory and the actual accuracy of that memory. He has been studying applications of memory research to eyewitness memory and legal proceedings for years. In recent years, the use of eyewitness testimonies as evidence in court cases has been a subject in which various researchers. Pdf summarized a portion of the research on the factors that affect the reliability of eyewitness testimony acquiring information in memory event. Summaries of 46 cases in which mistaken or perjured. Memory, suggestibility, and eyewitness testimony in. Pdf the psychology of eyewitness testimony researchgate. Eyewitness testimony is unreliable because of the science of how we see. Pdf eyewitness memory and mistaken identifications. The investigatormug book preparer shall compose the mug book in. Psychologists have also studied what legal professionals and experts know about eyewitness testimony and memory. Borrow ebooks, audiobooks, and videos from thousands of public libraries worldwide.
In addition, there is no consensus within the legal community that jurors are unaware of the unreliability of. Eyewitness memory is reliable when initially tested using proper procedures, but the legal system nonetheless habitually relies on unreliable contaminated eyewitness evidence from later ids. Bartlett s theory of reconstructive memory is crucial to an understanding of the reliability of eyewitness testimony as he suggested that recall is subject to personal. To cite one recent example, a december 2, 20, article in. Assessing eyewitness identification makes the case that better data collection and research on eyewitness identification, new law enforcement training protocols, standardized. Science of eyewitness memory enters courtroom wired. As noted, memory traces are, at best, highly impoverished versions of the original percept. Eyewitness testimony should be admissible in court, but it should be admitted with caution and with an understanding that there are certain factors such as weapon focus and compromised memories which can reduce the reliability of eyewitness testimony. That is, the witness does not simply compare each picture to memory, making a series of independent yes. Number of cases in which eyewitness testimony is a problem 2. The prevailing verdict on eyewitness memory evidence supporting the idea that eyewitness memory is widely perceived to be inherently unreliable is.
Over a century has passed since hugo munsterberg questioned the reliability of eyewitness testimony. Eyewitness testimony is the account a bystander or victim gives in the courtroom, describing what that person observed that occurred during the specific incident under investigation. False memory or post, copy, do sage publications inc. The reliability of eyewitness testimony semantic scholar. In eyewitness testimony, elizabeth loftus makes the psychological case against the eyewitness. Eyewitness testimony is an important area of research in cognitive psychology and human memory. Juries believe eyewitnesses regardless of accuracy 5. The new science shifts the blame for faulty testimony from unreliable eyewitnesses to other actors in the law enforcement and legal community.
Extracting the truth from conflicting eyewitness reports. False memory d onald thomson is a prominent memory researcher from australia. He was later arrested, placed in a lineup and identified by a victim as the man who had raped her. Research that specifically examines eyewitness testimony or the memory of traumatic events has shown weak 28 or even negative 6 correlations between a persons confidence in the accuracy of a memory. Memory is not the only process that affects eyewitness testimony. Eyewitnesses have become less important since the advent of dna evidence. The eyewitness suggestibility effect and memory for source. In the wake of the ferguson grand jury decision, cnns kyung lah investigates the unreliability of eyewitness accounts. Attachment a summaries of 46 cases in which mistaken or perjured eyewitness testimony put innocent persons on death row adams, randall dale convicted 1977, exonerated 1989 mr. The case of clive wearing to illustrate what life without memory might be like or as part of a discussion of the distinction. Eyewitness memory is widely believed to be unreliable because a highconfidence eyewitness misidentifications played a role in over 70% of the now more than 300 dna exonerations of wrongfully. A number of experts in the eyewitness testimony field say they generally support the new american psychologist paper. Other articles where eyewitness memory is discussed. This eitheror way of thinking is confusing to eyewitness researchers, partly because.
Unreliability in eyewitness testimonies essaysone evening in may 1975, two men robbed a store manager. Science has prevailed over injustice in the state of new jersey, where all jurors will soon learn about memorys unreliability and the limits of eyewitness testimony. He was later arrested, placed in a lineup and identified by a victim as the man. In his book convicting the innocent, brandon garrett 2011 made the claim that. To cite one recent example, a december 2, 20, article in the washington post observed that eyewitness. Chad dodson, of the university of virginia, for one, says that academics in the field. The testimony of eyewitnesses whose memories may have been. Eyewitness testimony and memory flashcards quizlet. Eyewitness memory is a persons episodic memory for a crime or other dramatic event that he or she has witnessed. Pdf the new science of eyewitness memory researchgate. Supreme court signaled last week that it is unlikely to address some of the key questions surrounding the unreliability of eyewitness identifications, but certain states most notably new jersey are beginning to take steps that reduce the possibility of wrongful criminal convictions based on eyewitness testimony, university of virginia law professor brandon garrett said thursday. Eyewitness testimonies on evidence and evidence 32 words 6 pages. The unreliability of eyewitness testimony in children.
Loftus also shows that eyewitness memory is chronically inaccurate in surprising ways. Conflicting accounts by eyewitnesses demonstrate that memory is not a perfect recording of events from the. Group for eyewitness evidence 2003 eyewitness evidence. Situation insignificance for eyewitness until the crime occurs, length of crime usually short, less that ideal observation conditions 2. The robbers had wanted the manager to open the store safe, but he convinced the armed. Witnessstress, physical condition, expectancy mugging in subway. Serious thought should be given to calling as an expert witness a neuroscientist who can explain in simple terms that for a human. This study makes the psychological case against the reliability of the eyewitness. One reason for these weak correlations is that confidence can be influenced independent of accuracy, for. Articles attesting to the unreliability of eyewitness memory appear on a regular basis, both in the popular news media and in the scientific literature.
Against the notion that eyewitness memory is unreliable, we propose. Beginning with the basics of eyewitness fallibility, such as poor viewing conditions, brief exposure, and stress, loftus moves to more subtle factors, such as expectations, biases, and personal stereotypes. The prevailing verdict on eyewitness memory evidence supporting the idea that eyewitness memory is widely perceived to be inherently unreliable is abundant. Beginning with the basics of eyewitness fallibility, such as poor viewing conditions, brief exposure, and. In the movies, the eyewitness scene usually plays out one of two ways. Eyewitness memory is a lot more reliable than you think. An unknown failure rate for eyewitness identifications 2.
Eyewitness testimony is historically among the most convincing forms of evidence in criminal trials e. Dk eyewitness booksseries overdrive rakuten overdrive. Juries tend to pay close attention to eyewitness testimony and generally find it a reliable source of. Australian eyewitness expert donald thomson appeared on a live tv discussion about the unreliability of eyewitness memory. Eyewitness testimony should be admissible in court, but it should be admitted with caution and with an. His controversial book on the witness stand 1908, was. Initial eyewitness confidence reliably predicts eyewitness. To cite one recent example, a december 2, 20, article in the washington post observed that eyewitness misidentifications. Rethinking the reliability of eyewitness memory john t.