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Holistic Facial Composite Creation and Subsequent Video Line-up Eyewitness Identification Paradigm
Published on: December 24, 2015
Eyewitness identification evidence and innocence risk
Steven E Clark1, Ryan D Godfrey
1Psychology Department, University of California, Riverside, California 92521, USA. clark@ucr.edu
Psychonomic Bulletin & Review
|January 16, 2009
Summary
Eyewitness misidentification is a significant cause of wrongful convictions. This review examines how memory, similarity, and decision processes impact identification accuracy and introduces "innocence risk" to assess suspect innocence probability after identification.
Area of Science:
- Cognitive Psychology
- Forensic Science
- Legal Psychology
Background:
- Eyewitness identification errors are well-documented, stemming from memory limitations and suggestibility.
- Different eyewitness conditions yield varied error types, impacting wrongful conviction cases uniquely.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review eyewitness identification literature, focusing on cognitive mechanisms.
- To assess the impact of memory, similarity, and decision processes on correct and mistaken identifications.
- To introduce and evaluate "innocence risk" as a metric for suspect innocence.
Main Methods:
- Literature review of eyewitness identification studies.
- Analysis of cognitive mechanisms: memory, similarity, decision processes.
- Calculation of conditional probability: innocence risk.
Main Results:
- Complex relationship identified between misidentification rates and innocence risk.
- Highlighted controversial aspects within eyewitness identification research.
- Identified areas requiring further investigation.
Conclusions:
- Understanding cognitive factors is crucial for improving eyewitness identification accuracy.
- Innocence risk offers a valuable tool for legal decision-making and policy evaluation.
- Further research is needed to resolve ongoing debates and refine understanding of eyewitness errors.
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