NCJ Number
101975
Journal
Canadian Police College Journal Volume: 10 Issue: 1 Dated: (1986) Pages: 31-52
Date Published
1986
Length
22 pages
Annotation
This mail questionnaire survey examined the perceived expertness and credibility of police officers as eyewitnesses in 5 Canadian populations: 30 police officers, 27 prosecutors, 27 university students, 26 defense lawyers, and 34 private citizens.
Abstract
All respondents were from Alberta and Ontario Provinces; overall response rate was 51.5 percent. Results are consistent with previous studies showing that most people are unfamiliar with the findings of eyewitness memory research. In general, all subject groups' beliefs were inconsistent with research findings about effects of exposure duration and length of police experience, accuracy of visual identification, effects of perceptual sets, and accuracy of judgments of levels of intoxication. Further, in almost all instances, nonpolice subjects expected police to be more accurate in their perceptions, memories, and judgments than civilians. Finally, police and prosecutors were less distrustful of police testimony than were other groups. Differences between the groups' beliefs are noted. Tables and 44 references.