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Contribution to Book
Expert Testimony Regarding Eyewitness Identification
Psychological Science in the Courtroom: Consensus and Controversy
  • Brian L. Cutler, University of Ontario Institute of Technology
  • Gary L. Wells, Iowa State University
Document Type
Book Chapter
Publication Version
Published Version
Publication Date
1-1-2009
Abstract

Increasingly, psychologists are giving expert testimony in court on the accu­ racy of eyewitness identification (Kassin, Tubb, Hosch, & Memon, 2001). Eyewitness experts typically are cognitive or social psychologists who have published research articles on the topic of eyewitness memory. Expert testi­ mony in eyewitness identification is most commonly offered by the defense in criminal cases but is occasionally countered by opposing expert testimony offered by the prosecution. The increasing use of such expert testimony owes largely to the growing recognition that mistaken eyewitness identification is the single most common precursor to the conviction of innocent people (Doyle, 2005). In addition, there is an increasingly strong case that the exist­ ing safeguards designed to protect defendants from erroneous conviction resulting from mistaken identification, such as motions to suppress sugges­ tive procedures, cross-examination, and right to counsel at live lineups, are ineffective (Van Wallendael, Devenport, Cutler, & Penrod, 2007).

Comments

This chapter was published as Cutler, B. L., & Wells, G. L. (2009). Expert testimony regarding eyewitness identification. J. Skeem, K. Douglas, & S. Lilenfeld (Eds.), Psychological science in the courtroom: Consensus and controversy. Copyright Guilford Press. Reprinted with permission of The Guilford Press.

Copyright Owner
The Guilford Press
Language
en
File Format
application/pdf
Citation Information
Brian L. Cutler and Gary L. Wells. "Expert Testimony Regarding Eyewitness Identification" Psychological Science in the Courtroom: Consensus and Controversy (2009) p. 100 - 123
Available at: http://works.bepress.com/gary_wells/11/