NCJ Number
17154
Journal
Scientific American Volume: 231 Issue: 6 Dated: (DECEMBER 1974) Pages: 23-31
Date Published
1974
Length
9 pages
Annotation
THE UNRELIABILITY OF EYEWITNESS TESTIMONY IS SHOWN IN THIS REVIEW OF STUDIES ON WITNESS RELIABILITY AND FACTORS WHICH MAY INFLUENCE THE PERCEPTION OF A WITNESS.
Abstract
SOURCES OF WITNESS UNRELIABILITY ARE FIRST DISCUSSED. THE AUTHOR STATES THAT MANY SUCH SOURCES ARE IMPLICIT IN THE ORGINAL SITUATION. FOR EXAMPLE, THE AUTHOR CONTENDS THAT EVENTS MAY BE POORLY OBSERVED SINCE AT THE TIME OF THE ORIGINAL SITUATION, THE WITNESS ATTACHES LITTLE SIGNIFICANCE TO THE EVENTS. OTHER SITUATIONAL FACTORS INCLUDE THE LENGTH OF THE PERIOD OF OBSERVATION, AND THE OBSERVATION CONDITIONS. SOURCES OF UNRELIABILITY STEMMING FROM THE WITNESS HIMSELF, SUCH AS STRESSFUL CONDITIONS WHILE OBSERVING, PHYSICAL CONDITION, OR EXPECTANCIES OR PREJUDICE ARE REVIEWED AS WELL. ALSO, FACTORS INHERENT IN THE QUESTIONING PROCESS MAY INFLURNCE WITNESS TESTIMONY. AMONG THESE ARE UNCONSCIOUS 'PROMPTING' BY THE QUESTIONER, UNFAIR ARRANGEMENTS OF PHOTOGRAPHS OR LINEUPS SO THAT ONE PERSON STANDS OUT, AND PRESSURE TO CONFORM TO WIDELY-HELD OPINIONS. SEVERAL EXPERIMENTS INVOLVING WITNESSES' PERCEPTIONS OF STAGED CRIMES, IN WHICH GROUPS OF WITNESSES WERE ASKED TO IDENTIFY THE OFFENDER ARE REVIEWED. IN EACH CASE, EYEWITNESS REPORTS AND IDENTIFICATIONS WERE FOUND TO BE EXTREMELY UNRELIABLE. FINALLY, AN EXPERIMENT DESIGNED TO TEST WITNESS RELIABILITY AND FACTORS WHICH INFLUENCE THIS RELIABILITY IS DESCRIBED.