Chapter 10 Eyewitness Testimony Talbot Kellogg Community College Criminal Psychology Chapter 10 Eyewitness Testimony Talbot Kellogg Community College

The Importance of Eyewitnesses What makes it important? What makes a good witness? Race Gender Age Availability to testify Ability to testify Witnesses’ assertion of good memory

Problems in Eyewitness Testimony (Visual Memory) Memory Consolidation Priming Constructive Processing Misinformation Effect Redintegration

The role of the Psychologist Applied Researcher/ Expert witness System variables – Estimator variables – Trainer/ Educator to the Criminal Justice System Police Consultant

Problematic Procedures 5 Problems.

Questioning Witnesses (Information Generation) Problems The Goals of Law-enforcement.

How to Improve Memory

Use of Lineups/ Photo arrays Suspect identification Identity Parade Photo Spread Benefits of Identity Parade Benefits of the Photo Spread

Common Errors

Proper Procedural Rules Double - _________ Witnesses should be told that it is possible that the true perpetrator may ___________ and that the officer ___________ who the suspect might be. The suspect should not ______________. A clear statement should be taken from the ___________ at the time of the identification. Provide views of different suspects __________rather than _____________.

Expert Witness – What is reliable enough to testify about? Box 10-4

Steps in the evaluative process FBI’s Facial Identification Catalogue Identikit Holistic Process –