Improving the accuracy of eye witness testimony

Question 1

why can EWT be inaccurate?

Answer 1

• anxiety
• post event discussion
• misleading questions

Question 2

how to improve EWT: Fisher (1987) improvement called the standard interview

Answer 2

• witnesses given large number of quick direct and closed questions in a short time
• order of questions didnt match the witnesses mental representation
• witnesses not able to talk freely abt what happened and were frequently interrupted

Question 3

what is the cognitive interview (CI)?

Answer 3

• range of techniques fisher and Gielsman(1985) suggested police interviewers can use
• improves accuracy of EWT

Question 4

what is context reinstatement in CI?

Answer 4

• mentally returning to the scene of the crime
• physical environment and emotional state
• based on cue dependent forgetting

Question 5

what is report everything in CI?

Answer 5

• all details
• even if they seem irrelevant should be mentioned
• triggering memories

Question 6

what is recall from a changed perspective in CI?

Answer 6

• recall how the crime would have looked from someone elses pov
• ‘holistic’ view to minimise schemas and disrupt schema

Question 7

what is recall in reverse order in CI?

Answer 7

• recall is switched to reverse or diff chronological order
• challenges expectations/ shemas

Question 8

what did the enhanced cognitive interview focus on?

Answer 8

• building rapport
• making the interviewee comfortable

Question 9

what did the enhanced cognitive interview involve?

Answer 9

• interviewer not distracting the witness
• witness controlling flow of info
• open-ended questions
• reminded not to guess and use ‘dont know’ option when necessary
• reduce anxiety and get them to relax

Question 10

research: Fisher,Gielsman and Amador (1989) compared standard interview with cognitive interview

Answer 10

• compared 9 detectives using SI and CI
• CI trained detectives found 47% more info in real interviews
• 63% more info than untrained detectives
• CI effective in improving memory

Question 11

research: Kohnken et al. (1999) meta analysis

Answer 11

• meta analysed 42 studies w/ 2500 interviews
• found increase in amount of correct info recalled
• also significant increase in incorrect info recalled
• 85% accuracy rate of CI and SI at 82%
• CI= limited practical use due to increased errors

Question 12

Evaluations: limitation, CI is time consuming

Answer 12

• CI is time consuming
• bad for officers when they have a time sensitive case
• requires training
• CI may not be adopted due to limited financial resources

Question 13

Evaluations: strength, cost- benefit analysis

Answer 13

• cost-benefit analysis considers the effect on the overall justice system and the economy of the CI
• worth additional resources invested to make more effective police force
• CI reducing crime

Question 14

Evaluation: limitation, doesnt improve recognition of suspects

Answer 14

• CI doesn’t improve recognition of suspects in identity parades and photos
• CI limited in usefulness in common police activities regarding EWT

Question 15

Evaluation: strength/ limitation, Holliday modified CI

Answer 15

• effective w/ older kids and adults but not very young children
• egocentric= can only see the world from their perspective
• Holliday created modified CI (MCI)
• adapted to childrens developmental level
• more accurate testimony in 4-5 y/o’s