Misidentification In Criminal Investigation

Words: 1370
Pages: 6
Open Document
349 people have been exonerated through the innocence project and 32 percent of them have involved multiple misidentifications of the same person. This statistic shows that misidentification by witnesses is a real issue that needs to be fixed. Issues involving witnesses are a big problem and it can be seen through researcher’s evidence, but there are solutions to help with the problem.
Eyewitness misidentification is a huge issue. Even if there were many witnesses, no one knows how many will remember the incident. In one case, about 100 children witnessed a shooting and at least one of them identified the man, who was being accused of the crime, as the person who did it (Saltzman). This evidence shows that witnesses are very unpredictable …show more content…
Results from studies have raised many questions dealing with misidentifications. For many years, witness identification has played a major role in criminal investigations, leading police to suspects and swaying juries. Many people are questioning this type of evidence because of DNA based exonerations (Hanes). This evidence reports that a witness’s credibility has come into question. Many researcher’s have found evidence from studies that shows witnesses make mistakes in their identifications. Researchers suggest 33 percent of witness identifications are mistakes. The Innocence Project says that three-quarters of all convictions overturned by DNA evidence were based on misidentification (“Remi Spencer”). This evidence emphasizes that studies show a problem with misidentifications. There are many studies that have been done to raise questions about the credibility of …show more content…
One solution involves different techniques for the police. A police officer never knows if what they are saying will influence a witness's choice. Someone who is not familiar with the suspect should run the lineups rather than a detective working on the case, researchers say. An officer has too many ways to unconsciously drive a witness to one choice or another (Hanes). This evidence reports that police need to be careful with what they say to a witness because it could change what they think. In order to help minimize misidentifications, police who are not involved with the case need to handle the identification part of the investigation. A few police departments are trying a new presentation method to witnesses. The Innocence Project says that the detective displaying the picture should not know who the suspect is or whether a suspect is even entered in the photos (Eaton). This evidence emphasizes the need for someone who knows nothing or very little about the case to present it to the witness. Not only is the person who presents the photo a solution, but also the way it is
Show More

Related Documents: Misidentification In Criminal Investigation

Eyewitness Misidentification Research Paper

Within the complex framework of the criminal justice system, eyewitness testimony frequently serves as a fundamental element, exerting a substantial impact on the verdict of cases. Despite its perceived reliability, eyewitness identification is extremely prone to error, resulting in numerous wrongful convictions and ruined lives. The fallibility of human memory, along with extrinsic variables such as stress, suggestion, and time itself, can alter memories beyond recognition. Understanding the gravity…

Words 1370 - Pages 6

Gang Violence Essay

Witness Misidentification Freddricka Perry CCJ 4360-001 Monekka Munroe Misidentification can be defined as making a falsely or inaccurate identification. Witness can be defined as one who can give a firsthand account of something seen, heard, or experienced. (American Heritage Dictionary) When you put these two words together, you get witness misidentification which has been referred to as the single greatest cause of wrongful convictions nationwide, with nearly 75% of the…

Words 2835 - Pages 12

Forensic DNA Fingerprinting Paper

Forensic DNA fingerprinting can be used to analyze and match evidence in criminal cases. Restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) is a technique that uses restriction enzymes to cut DNA at specific restriction sites, making fragments of the DNA. The band patterns these DNA fragments make are what we call the “DNA fingerprint” or “DNA profile”. In this study we used ENZ, an enzyme mixture of PstI and EcoRI, to digest or cut each DNA sample (from the crime scene and five suspects) into fragments…

Words 585 - Pages 3

Forensic Psychology Essay

Psychology: Eyewitness Testimony Eyewitness testimony is a legal term which generally refers to an account given by people who were present at a crime scene, describing their perception of happened during the incident of the crime. Eyewitness misidentification is the leading cause of wrongful convictions in the United States (Scheck et al., 2007). DNA evidence has been used to exonerate nearly 200 individuals who were wrongfully convicted and of those (Scheck et al., 2007), approximately 75% were convicted…

Words 1305 - Pages 6