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Eyewitness Identification: Live, Photo, and Video Lineups
Ryan J Fitzgerald1, Heather L Price2, Tim Valentine3
1Department of Psychology, University of Portsmouth.
Live lineups are not always superior for eyewitness identification. Research suggests photo or video lineups may be more practical and equally accurate, challenging the traditional live lineup preference.
Area of Science:
- Forensic Psychology
- Criminal Justice
Background:
- Eyewitness identification procedures, including live, photo, and video lineups, vary across jurisdictions.
- Live lineups are often the default, but photo and video lineups are increasingly used due to practicality.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the 'live superiority hypothesis' in eyewitness identification.
- To determine if live lineups offer significant advantages over non-live alternatives in accuracy.
Main Methods:
- Systematic review of existing literature on live versus non-live lineup effectiveness.
- Analysis of experimental and field data comparing identification accuracy across different lineup formats.
Main Results:
- Evidence does not conclusively support the superiority of live lineups, even in controlled experimental settings.
- Practical challenges in administering live lineups may outweigh potential benefits.
Conclusions:
- Live lineups are rarely the optimal choice in practical criminal investigations.
- Further research is needed to identify the most effective non-live lineup medium balancing accuracy and utility.
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