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Increasing Eyewitness Accuracy

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Eyewitnesses to crimes are not always reliable; they think they remember the facts about an event, yet they make errors. Describe psychological factors that might account for such errors. If you were a police officer, lawyer, or prosecutor who had the job of interrogating witnesses and you wanted to increase eyewitness accuracy, what are some things you might do?

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Solution Summary

This library solution provides tips and suggestions for increasing the accuracy of eyewitness testimony and recollection of the observed event.

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Tips for Improving Eyewitness Accuracy and Recall:

Eyewitness testimony continues to be perceived as one of the strongest forms of evidence, yet it is often inaccurate. One of the biggest reasons why eyewitnesses to a crime make errors is due to stress. There is an emotional response to witnessing a criminal event. Most of the time people are shocked to see a crime occurring as it is not something that was expected. The shock and stress of the unexpected event can impair a person's ability to notice key details during the event. If those details ...

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