PSYC 268 Chapter 5: Chapter 5 Eyewitness ID
Document Summary
Loftus (1984) examined 347 cases for which the only evidence was eyewitness testimony and found that the defendant was convicted in of the cases. In of those convictions, there was only one eyewitness. Cutler & penrod (1995) found that mock jurors would convict a defendant twice as often when the defendant was identified by a credible witness than when there were no eyewitnesses. Eyewitness id plays a significant role in >75,000 criminal cases annually in the u. s. Penrod & cutler (1999) mistaken eyewitness id"s account for ~4500 wrongful convictions each year. Costanzo (1997) ~12 innocent people executed each year, many with faulty eyewitness id. Mistaken eyewitness id"s have led to more wrongful convictions than all other causes together. System variables affects accuracy of eyewitness testimony that the justice system has some control over. E. g. , the way a question is worded or how a lineup is constructed may impact accuracy of eyewitness id, which the justice system has some control over.