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Abstract:
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Among the 318 wrongful convictions identified by the Innocence Project that were later overturned by DNA evidence resurrected from the crime scene, 229 (72%) involved eyewitness testimony. Such courtroom identifications from an eyewitness can be extremely powerful evidence in a trial. Yet memory is not a perfect video recording of events; one's recollection of the events surrounding an incident is even less reliable. The National Academy of Sciences issued a landmark report evaluating the scientific research on memory and eyewitness identification. The Committee, comprised of researchers (statisticians, psychologists, sociologists) and judicial system personnel (judges, attorneys), reviewed published research on the factors that influence accuracy and consistency of eyewitnesses' identifications, conducted via laboratory and field studies. I will describe the research on memory and recollection, shortcomings in the statistical methods used in evaluating laboratory studies, and Committee recommendations for better statistical evaluation, standardization of procedures and informing judicial personnel of factors that can negatively impact accuracy of eyewitness testimony.
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