NCJ Number
194890
Journal
International Journal of Police Science and Management Volume: 4 Issue: 1 Dated: Spring 2002 Pages: 53-61
Date Published
2002
Length
9 pages
Annotation
A study was used to determine the possible negative effect of repeated photo identification (RPI) and time delay on memory.
Abstract
In this article, the practice of showing a witness a large set of photos to identify a suspect is questioned. In a historically well known case (Imperial Bank), eyewitnesses were presented with a large number of photos repeatedly, during a six-month investigation, before they finally identified a suspect. Undergraduates participated in a dummy taste experiment and completed RPI and the final photo identification. The experiment consisted of a dummy taste experiment where the subjects met the target; immediate verbal description of the target’s face; the delay with or without three trials of photo identification; and the final photo identification. Results showed that RPI affected the state of memory and the prediction of one’s performance (the possibility for identification). Subject ratings decreased over trials, suggesting they became less certain of their memory. Also, RPI reduced the subjects’ sensitivity to the state of memory and confidence for the final photo identification. Finally, RPI decreased the accuracy of identification. The ratio of correct choice decreased by about 20 percent due to repetition. Many factors could be contributing to the negative effect of repeated photo identification, including memory decay due to delay, interference or suppression from recognizing distracters, and commitment or carry-over effect. Further research is necessary to separate each factor and determine how each of them works. It seems necessary to control the number of photos presented to eyewitnesses. The more one is presented with photos, the more likely one’s memory as well as meta-memory is distorted. 2 tables, 3 figures, 2 notes, 13 references