Research Strategy – Eyewitness Testimony

Introduction

Eyewitnesses are essential in the criminal justice system because they help solve crimes. In some instances, eyewitness testimony is the only evidence that can be used to determine the identity of a crime perpetrator. Eyewitness testimony is a type of direct evidence that may be regarded as valuable for forensic reasons. Law enforcement agencies consider an eyewitness’s testimony putative if there is no other crucial evidence. Completely false or incorrect eyewitness testimony can negatively impact the process of ensuring that crime victims get justice. Remembering the events of a crime is mainly a cognitive process influenced by internal and external factors that an individual may not be able to control. Internal factors are biological and psychological factors such as attention, age, stress level, motivation, health condition, skill, prior experience, prejudice, confidence, cognitive state, suggestive questioning, level of certainty, and personal bias. Confidence and contextual information have the most impact on eyewitness decision-making. External factors are also known as environmental factors, including duration and time of exposure, lighting conditions, weapons, and distance. This research focuses on establishing the impact of internal and external factors on eyewitness testimony.

Thesis

Eyewitness testimony is essential in any justice system because it aids in collecting information from events that have occurred. Eye witness testimony is also one of the most compelling pieces of evidence that may be used in criminal prosecution. However, complexities have arisen, attempting to cast doubt on the validity of eyewitness reports, claiming that far too many assumptions are made when such statements are accepted as accurate in a criminal justice process. Indeed, these difficulties highlight the reality that eyewitnesses are often involved in lethal criminal justice system blunders. Scientists and psychologists have investigated various factors affecting the accuracy of eyewitness testimony. The main factors that have been explored are the characteristics of the eyewitness, the testimony, and the witnessed event. This research will focus on establishing the connection between personal attributes, external and internal factors, and eyewitness testimony accuracy.

Hypothesis

The research hypothesizes that the accuracy of eyewitness testimony is possible to predict if specific personal attributes are known.

Measurement and Analysis

Existing knowledge about the problems associated with eyewitness testimony is derived from real-world observations and simulations made in laboratory conditions. Understanding the quantity and quality of eyewitness testimony requires investigating real-world situations. However, it is usually difficult to gather objective knowledge of how events occurred. We will therefore use simulated events recorded on videotapes. We will watch videos of previous eyewitness interviews to determine the impact of external factors such as lighting, the number of interviewees, and the visibility of officers’ firearms on the confidence level. We will also interview people with a history of providing eyewitness testimony to determine the factors that affected their testimony.

In addition, we will maintain a qualitative research strategy throughout the research. This strategy includes collecting, analyzing, and interpreting non-statistical data. This strategy differs from the quantitative research strategy, which includes collecting, analyzing, and interpreting data. Besides the type of data in the two research strategies, another difference is that in qualitative research, things are described in words. In contrast, in quantitative analysis, things are counted or measured.

Research Questions

What is the impact of the external environment on the accuracy of eyewitness testimony?
What is the relationship between eyewitness memory and the accuracy of their testimony?
What is the impact of bias on eyewitness testimony?
What are the factors that contribute to false eyewitness testimonies?

Annotated Bibliography

McLeod, S. (2009, April 16). Eyewitness Testimony. Retrieved November 08, 2022, from Simply Psychology: http://www.simplypsychology.org/eyewitness-testimony.html

This article reviews eyewitness testimony. According to the author, eyewitness evidence significantly impacts the criminal justice system from a psychological perspective (McLeod,2009). Eyewitness testimony is crucial for jurors; however, the author points out that numerous psychological aspects influence how accurate and reliable eyewitness testimony may be.

Rick, S. M. (2015). Eyewitness Testimony. Massachusetts: Salem Press Encyclopedia

The second article reviewed was Rick’s Eyewitness Testimony. Massachusetts: Salem Press Encyclopedia. Through the accounts of the eyewitnesses, the researcher assesses the authenticity of the information gathered from them. Rick believes that eyewitness testimony can only be considered reliable if the site of the incident can be examined for forensic evidence that can verify what happened (Rick,2015). Forensic evidence is needed to support eyewitness reports, and this article investigates the legitimacy of these testimonies.

Smalarz, L., & Gary, W. (2014). Post-Identification Feedback to Eyewitnesses Impairs Evaluators’ Abilities to Discriminate Between Accurate and Mistaken Testimony. Law and Human Behavior, 38 (2), 194-202.

The third research reviewed was Smalarz and Gary’s Law and Human Behaviour book. According to the authors of this study, providing eyewitnesses with confirmation input has significant repercussions. Evaluators’ capacity to discriminate between false and true testimony was examined in a study examining how feedback influences their ability to do so (Smalarz&Gary2014). According to a survey conducted via a staged crime, it was shown that statements made after a witness’s choice to identify a suspect are likely to compromise their capacity to do the right thing.

Sporer, S. L., Malpass, R. S., & Koehnken, G. (2014). Psychological issues in eyewitness identification. London: Psychology Press.

The fourth article reviewed was Sporer et al.’s book of Psychological issues in eyewitness identification. There has been a focus on the psychological aspects of eyewitness identification and the challenges that might arise when eyewitnesses provide information that is not entirely accurate throughout this article (Sporer et al.,2014). The writers’ principal concern is that a bystander witness can recognize the culprit. The book explains how witness statements might be approached through the lens of psychology and the law.

Wise, R. A., Fishman, C. S., & Safer, M. A. (2009). How to analyze the accuracy of eyewitness testimony in a criminal case. Conn. L. Rev., 42, 435.

The fifth article reviewed was Wise’s piece on How to Analyze the Accuracy of Eyewitness Testimony in a Criminal Case. According to the author, judges and lawyers can’t do their jobs properly without the capacity to evaluate eyewitness testimony’s veracity (Wise et al., 2009). Using the technique described, judges and lawyers will be better equipped to assess eyewitness testimony’s accuracy. Further, the article examines the critical reasons for eyewitness inaccuracy and explains the present position of the law regarding eyewitness identifications.

Ethical Standards

One of the measures that will be taken to maintain ethical standards is seeking consent from research participants. All participants will be required to sign a consent form before the research begins. The consent form will include what the researcher expects from the participants. The researcher will also inform participants that they can withdraw their participation at any time because the questions asked may bring up bad memories, especially if the participant witnessed a gruesome crime or a family member or friend was hurt during the crime. The second measure will ensure that all study participants are adults to avoid inflicting trauma on children who may not have strong emotional stability compared to adults. The researcher will also ensure that the videotapes used in the research are accessed legally and that the sources are informed that the tapes are being used in the research.

Conclusion

Eyewitnesses play a vital role in the criminal justice system, which is why it is crucial to understand the factors that could affect the accuracy of their testimony. Therefore, this research will help law enforcement officers understand the adjustments they need to make when talking to eyewitnesses to increase their confidence and prompt them to provide accurate information. The research will also enlighten criminal justice personnel on how they can predict the accuracy of an eyewitness’s testimony based on their behaviour and confidence level.

References

McLeod, S. (2009, April 16). Eyewitness Testimony. Retrieved November 08, 2022, from Simply Psychology: http://www.simplypsychology.org/eyewitness-testimony.html

Rick, S. M. (2015). Eye Witness Testimony. Massachusetts: Salem Press Encyclopedia

Sporer, S. L., Malpass, R. S., & Koehnken, G. (2014). Psychological issues in eyewitness identification. London: Psychology Press.

Wise, R. A., Fishman, C. S., & Safer, M. A. (2009). How to analyze the accuracy of eyewitness testimony in a criminal case. Conn. L. Rev., 42, 435.

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Question

Please apply the following feedback/edit recommendations to the paper attached. The goal is to have an edited copy of the paper applying the feedback with an introduction and a conclusion.

Research Strategy – Eyewitness Testimony

Feedback:
VERBIAGE: Please note that “eyewitness” is one word and not two words.

MEASUREMENTS & ANALYSIS: In the measurement and analysis section, please explain whether the information is going to be qualitative, quantitative or both. Specifically, please explain to the reader the differences between your quantitative and qualitative data (in reference to your research proposal). Here is a website that explains the differences: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1qmlzsZlpRgKyZLef0mZe1aUh2UcsrQCo/view?usp=sharing

RESEARCH QUESTIONS: There are no fully developed research questions. Please visit the following link to see how to develop research questions: https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B0QmECZPnLPhaW1kWnA0RnBaelE/view?usp=sharing&resourcekey=0-VgzAt0H4x8BtUbiG4o33oQ.

ETHICAL STANDARDS DISCUSSION: The section that is listed as “Ethical Standards” discusses the wrong issues. For example, ethical standards have nothing to do with properly citing articles, etc. Instead, ethical standards should address how the researcher (you) is going to ensure that your research is not a danger to anyone or to the public. The most important question you must answer is: Do you need approval from an Institutional Review Board (IRB) before you conduct your research? Yes or no? Why or why not? Please discuss that in your paper. Here is a website that explains ethical considerations: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1ZUt_d_kTBd0C9DraTQUg1g9RMslMHmyZ/view?usp=sharing

General overview comments: Your chosen topic is designed to have a thesis statement to identify the problem or the issue that you will study. Subsequently, it should include a study of a hypothetical situation (and a hypothesis) to determine possible outcomes of proposed theories. There should also be a quantitative or qualitative discussion of “measurements and analysis,” to include applicable resources (also known as an annotated bibliography). Lastly, ethical standards should be reviewed, including a discussion of Institutional Review Board (IRB) requirements.

Research Strategy – Eyewitness Testimony