The Science of Eyewitness Memory: Factors Affecting the Reliability of Eyewitness Identifications - Part II

Fifty years of empirical research has established that eyewitness identifications are unreliable. In this follow-up to Part I, The Science of Eyewitness Memory: Factors Affecting the Reliability of Eyewitness Identifications originally presented in July 2022, we review the most common factors to impact witness reliability in criminal cases. We then relate these factors to more real-world case examples, focusing on field identifications and cases in which eyewitnesses have utilized social media prior to making identifications. Finally, we discuss how pre-trial application of these findings can help to leverage plea deals or case dismissals. This course builds on the material in the presentation 

Learning Objectives:

1. Review the most common factors impacting the reliability of eyewitness identifications (covered in Part I)

2. Discuss these factors in the context of real cases involving field identifications and eyewitnesses who have viewed photographs prior to making identifications

3. Utilize expert findings to help leverage reductions or dismissals pre-trial