Criminal topic 3 - Collection of evidence Flashcards
Background - Bruce et al, aim, sample, procedure
aim: difference in the ability to recognise the internal and external features of a facial composite
sample: 30 staff and students from Stirling University - lab, volunteer
procedure: given photos of celebrities, which acted as targets - 40 images made from facial composite programmes used by police
- condition one - both internal and external features (complete)
- condition two - gave participants with internal features
- condition three - gave participants with external features
Background - Bruce et al - results
- no significant differences in acccuracy between conditions
- composites with only internal features - 19.5% correct
- external features did significantly better
Background - Kassin and Wrightsman
- interrogations occur more than interviews with suspects - presumptions of guilt lead to false confessions
Types of false confession: - ‘voluntary confession’ - offered in the absence of any external pressure
- ‘coerced - compliant confessions’ - offered as a result of forceful or persistent questioning - suspect confesses to escape a stressful situation.
- ‘coerced - internalised confession’ - suspect is temporarily persuaded during interrogation that they did commit the crime they were accused of.
Background - Kassin and Kiechel, aim, sample, conditions
aim: psychologically vulnerable participants would be more likely to make a false confession
sample: undergraduate students
conditions:
1. high vulnerability (speed of letter read - 67 per minute) and Witness (presence of incriminating evidence)
2. low (slow - 43 per minute) and Witness
3. High and without incriminating evidence
4. low and without incriminating evidence
Background - Kassin and Kiechel procedure, results
procedure: complete a questionnaire to measure spacial awareness and speed of reflexes
- typing words read by a confederate, after 60 seconds crashed and the participant was blamed
- two independent measures assessed:
- compliance - suggesting that they had pressed the alt key
- internalisation - asked what happened, if used ‘i hit’ participants had internalised claim
Results:
- low and no witness less likely to comply and falsely confess
- high and witness - internalised 65%, low and no witness none showed internalisation
Background - cognitive interview
help witnesses recall information with more accuracy - cue dependency theory
Techniques for cognitive interview:
1. context reinstatement - how witnesses feel before and during event
2. report everything - increase accuracy in testimony
3. recalling in different temporal orders
4. recall from different perspectives
Background - Fisher
aim: usefulness of cognitive interview compared with the standardised interview technique
sample: field experiment - interviews of witnesses by detectives from a robbery division in Florida - 16pts
Procedure:
- detectives split into two groups
trained over 4, 60-minute sessions in conditions
results:
CIT - 47% more information than before they trained
- 63% more than the untrained group
Background - Fisher evaluation
Strengths:
- cognitive interview improves accuracy and avoids age bias in recall
- ethics - participants informed of the interview beforehand
Weaknesses:
- experimenter bias - analysed by lab assistants unaware of the conditions
- demand characteristics - $50 to participate, swaying responses
Key research - Memon and Higham - aim and summary of research
aim: make comments on issues with the CIT research and practical considerations
Reviewed theories on the main theme of:
- effectiveness of CIT components
- comparison interviews
- measures of memory
- quality of training
Key research - M&H - effectiveness of CIT components - summary
summary:
- reported research using 5 - 8 year old children as witnesses, questioned using CIT, control group instructed to ‘try harder’
- no signifcant difference in recall performance between components and controls
- no element is more superior than the other
Key research: M&H - effectiveness of CIT components - follow-up research
- replicated results using 5 - 9 aged children
- younger children had difficulty in CIT and reduced effectiveness
- However - research using adults indicated that context reinstatement provides the most effective of CIT
Key research - M&H - comparing interviews
Standard interview - used by police, not standardised - quick fire questions and frequent interruptions
- used the standard interview as a comparison group as could be controlled
Structured interview - narrative descriptions of crime and gives time for the interviewee to respond
- no interrupting, build confidence
Result:
- Standard interview provides a control for determining the role of the CIT
Key research - M&H - Measures of memory
- measures of performance are the percentage of correct interview statements
- ignores unreported information, without knowledge unable to establish total accuracy
Key research - M&H - quality of training
- early studies inconsistent of training the interviewers were given
- differences in attitudes and experience have an impact on the results obtained
M&H made the following suggestions: - interviewers should have adequate training in CIT - 2 day programme
- quality to be considered by resources
- Those who have are interviewers should be guided to investigative detective roles and poor interviewers towards other police work
- police sergeants should deliver the training
- baseline measures should be used to determine what they have learnt
Key research - M&H - conclusions
- effectiveness remains inconclusive and further research needed
- research on how various elements work - certain combinations of CIT most effective
- not clear how CI relates to other interviews, structured is better as control than a standard interview
- interviewers differ in ability and may affect comparisons between CI and standard interview
