NCJ Number
65821
Date Published
1979
Length
301 pages
Annotation
FOR CRIMINAL JUSTICE PROFESSIONALS AND THE GENERAL PUBLIC, THIS VOLUME DISCUSSES THE PSYCHOLOGICAL AND LEGAL ASPECTS OF EYEWITNESS IDENTIFICATION AND TESTIMONY.
Abstract
BASIC CONCEPTS ABOUT THE PSYCHOLOGY OF THE WITNESS AND THE ASSUMPTIONS OFTEN MADE BY THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM ARE DISCUSSED AND INTEGRATED THROUGHOUT THE REMAINDER OF THE BOOK. AN INTRODUCTION TO THE SCIENTIFIC PRINCIPLES AND LEGALISTIC PRACTICES EMPLOYED BY THE COURTS TO DETERMINE TRUTH PRECEDES AN OVERVIEW OF THE PSYCHOLOGICAL LITERATURE ON MEMORY AND PERSON PERCEPTION. EVIDENCE ON FACIAL RECOGNITION; CRIMINAL IDENTIFICATION; AND THE TESTIMONY OF THE CHILD, ADULT, AND THE AGED WITNESS IS EXAMINED. INCLUDED HERE ARE INDEPTH DISCUSSIONS OF THE PSYCHOLOGICAL ANALYSIS OF THE LINEUP AND MEMORY FOR FACES, AND A REVIEW OF THE PERCEPTUAL, MEMORIAL, AND COMMUNICATIVE ABILITIES OF CHILDREN AND THE AGED. THE VOLUME CONCLUDES WITH THE OBSERVATION THAT A MORE COMPLETE SCIENCE OF THE PSYCHOLOGY OF LAW WILL ONLY BE ACHIEVED IF RESEARCHERS ARE WILLING TO MAKE THE EFFORT TO COMBINE HARD SCIENCE WITH PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS. EXPERIMENTAL AND SOCIAL PSYCHOLOGISTS AND CRIMINAL JUSTICE RESEARCHERS NEED TO DEVELOP MODELS, THEORIES, AND METHODOLOGIES TO FURTHER THE UNDERSTANDING OF EYEWITNESS TESTIMONY. FIGURES, TABLES, REFERENCES, AND NAME AND SUBJECT INDEXES ARE PROVIDED. (PRG)