Why Do Eyewitnesses Get Me Wrong

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The criminal justice system has historically held eyewitness testimony in high esteem, considering it a crucial piece in the pursuit of truth and justice. Nevertheless, the credibility of such testimony is frequently hampered by many issues, as Scott Fraser vividly describes in his phenomenal TED Talk, "Why Witnesses Get It Wrong". This exploration therefore not only shows that human memory is fallible, but also advocates for substantial changes in the judicial system to address these weaknesses.

First of all, the main topic of Fraser's speech is the eyewitness misidentification, backed up by a massive amount of data and personal examples. He depicts how things like witnessing a crime can screw up one's memory, resulting in the building up …show more content…
He compares the memory to a broken storage system in which only parts of the experience are kept and are susceptible to changes and manipulations. Francisco Carrillo's case, as witnessed by Ian Fraser, is an exemplary portrayal of this susceptibility whereby suggestive interrogation and post-information can fundamentally alter an eyewitness's memory. The case of Francisco Carrillo, presented by Scott Fraser in his TED Talks, seems to be the most striking case which demonstrates the destructive effects of reliance upon faulty eyewitness testimony. Carrillo's unjustifiable conviction for a drive-by shooting in 1991, which was largely based on the testimonies of six eyewitnesses, shows the prominent themes Fraser is bringing about in the judicial system. This account is not just a plot device, but a real and vivid example of the human impact of systemic shortcomings in eyewitness identification procedures. This part of the speech not only demonstrates that memory is unreliable but also casts doubt on the approach that traditional identification finds, encouraging the utilization of cognitive psychology informed methodologies to enhance the reliability and fairness in legal
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