Eyewitness Identification Process

Words: 1469
Pages: 6
Open Document
The witness identification process and the American judicial system have been considered flawed and the topic of controversy since the early 1900’s. (Buckman, 2011) According to over 2,000 studies on eyewitness misidentification, of those witnesses that pick a suspect out of a lineup, about one-third of those identifications are incorrect. (Perez-Pena, 2010) Modern research has gained sophistication and continues to work to provide empirical evidence that will help identify factors that influence accuracy as well as ways to improve eyewitness identification accuracy. (Loftus, 1993)
According to the most recent data, more than two million people are incarcerated in the United States. (Buckman, 2011) There is no definitive way to determine …show more content…
Research has shown that memory is an active, continuous, dynamic process. (Clare, 2012) It is not fixed and cannot create and exact replica of a previous event. The process of memory consists of four stages: perception, encoding, storage, and retrieval. (Wise & Safer, 2012) Memory can be influenced or distorted during any of these stages. Perception is the actual observation of the incident and how the eyewitness interprets what he/she sees. This is different for everyone and can be affected by the eyewitness’ personal characteristics. Encoding is the stage in which the mind transforms the eyewitness’ perceptions into a memory of the crime. This stage involves inferences made by the eyewitness and their interpretations of what he/she has observed. Encoding is also affected by the eyewitness’ personal characteristics. Storage consists of the maintenance of the encoded information. Contrary to what most people might think, storage is actually an active process. Subsequently, post event information can alter the memory of the crime without the eyewitness being aware that the memory has been distorted. The final stage of the memory process is retrieval. Retrieval is when the eyewitness recalls the details of the crime or attempts to identify a suspect. The reality of retrieval is that the eyewitness unconsciously recreates the incident from several different sources. The recreation is formed by utilizing his/her memory of the crime, it is influenced by his/her own personal characteristics, and then the eyewitness fills in the gaps so that the story seems logical, whether it’s accurate or not. (Wise & Safer,
Show More

Related Documents: Eyewitness Identification Process

Gang Violence Essay

Witness Misidentification Freddricka Perry CCJ 4360-001 Monekka Munroe Misidentification can be defined as making a falsely or inaccurate identification. Witness can be defined as one who can give a firsthand account of something seen, heard, or experienced. (American Heritage Dictionary) When you put these two words together, you get witness misidentification which has been referred to as the single greatest cause of wrongful convictions nationwide, with nearly 75% of the…

Words 2835 - Pages 12

Essay On Wrongful Convictions

many things that cause wrongful convictions. It could be false confessions, eyewitness misidentification and snitch testimony. A false confession occurs when an innocent person confesses to a crime they did not commit to protect a loved one or to avoid the death penalty and a longer prison sentence. Eyewitness misidentification is when a witness identifies the wrong person or when they perjure themselves on the stand. Eyewitness misidentification is the number one factor to wrongful…

Words 666 - Pages 3

Uriah Courtney Case Study

was aided by a passing motorist. The victim gave police a description of an old truck that she had noticed in the area at the time of the attack; a description that closely resembled Mr. Courtney's truck. The victim when on to make a tentative identification of Mr. Courtney in a photo lineup. Another witness helped create a sketch, identified Mr. Courtney in a photo lineup, and, after being fed misleading information by one of the detectives, went on to testify in court. DNA analysis of samples…

Words 378 - Pages 2

Eyewitness Testimony

On many occasions, eyewitness accounts have been proven decisive in court for both defense and prosecution, and while these people are integral to the justice process, they are not impervious to fault. There is a significant growing body of research regarding the credibility of eyewitnesses and it can be recommended that principal players utilize caution. Researchers have been citing the failures of the human memory and producing studies, which have suggested that when witnesses are faced with significant…

Words 618 - Pages 3

Alphonse Bertillon's Facial Sketches In Criminal Investigations

Sometimes an investigator arrives at a crime scene and the evidence sufficiently describes the events that took place. In most cases however, the only piece of evidence an investigator may have is an eyewitness who thinks they saw something important. In these circumstances, a sketch must be created based on the witness’ description. A sketch used in investigations can be a forensic sketch, drawn by an artist, or a composite, created by computer software (Klum et al., 2013, pg. 1). This essay documents…

Words 1881 - Pages 8

Criminal Justice System: Forensic Evidence Analysis

The Reliability of Memory in the Criminal Justice System Chelsea Tatz Manhattanville College Introduction Eyewitness testimony plays a key role in the criminal justice system. While forensic evidence has begun to play a part role in criminal investigations, it the memories of witnesses that those in the justice system rely on (Brainerd, C.J., 2013, pg. 547). Witness memories of events and their ability to identify potential suspects are the foundation used to direct investigations…

Words 1689 - Pages 7

Memory: The Huge Impact It Has On Eyewitness Accounts

Chelsey Bradley Psychology 101 – Essay 1 Memory: The Huge Impact It Has On Eyewitness Accounts Eyewitness accounts were one of the most valuable pieces of evidence in a court case until DNA testing came along. Can you always rely on what you saw happen or what you heard happen? The answer is no. Eyewitness misidentification is the basis of unjust imprisonments all over the country. The Innocence Project has estimated that 72% of wrongful imprisonments have been repealed because of the brilliant…

Words 1126 - Pages 5

Jury and Case Neil Vs Essay

able to identify the man being the one trying to break into the cars, officers were able to charge him and arrest him. The courts allowed the woman’s identification of the man as reliable evidence. The courts found Neil vs. Biggers case to be precedent to the Perry vs. New Hampshire by the way the identification process. In both cases, an eyewitness identified the suspect. In both cases, the defendants argued how they client was identified and that it was a violation of one of their amendments. However…

Words 316 - Pages 2

Case Study Faces In Motion Age Related Changes In Eyewitness

Changes in Eyewitness Identification Performance and Simultaneous, Sequential, and Elimination Lineups,” two lineup procedures are identified in order to increase overall accuracy. The first, sequential lineup, is where the lineup members are presented serially. The second, simultaneous lineup, involves presenting the members all at once. In terms of sequential lineups, they have been shown to reduce adult false identification rates without having any significant effects on correct identification. It encourages…

Words 591 - Pages 3

Eyewitness Research Paper

Eyewitness Testimony Eyewitness testimony is defined as, “an area of research that investigates the accuracy of memory following an accident, crime, or other significant event, and the types of errors that are commonly made in such situations.” Much emphasis is placed on the accuracy of eyewitness testimony as often-inaccurate eyewitness testimony can have serious consequences leading to wrong convictions. Eyewitness testimony is a powerful tool within any field, particularly that…

Words 2534 - Pages 11