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Eyewitness Identification: The Importance of Lineup Models

Eyewitness Identification: The Importance of Lineup Models A detailed analysis is made of lineup models for eyewitness identification. Previous treatments of eyewitness identification have not distinguished between the all-suspect model and the single-suspect model. The single-suspect model allows for the occurrence of foil identifications, a known-error category, whereas the all-suspect model does not. A Bayesian analysis of posterior probabilities of the guilt of a given suspect under various prior probabilities shows that the all-suspect model may be more or less diagnostic than the single-suspect model depending on the extent to which the use of suspects rather than foils increases the prior likelihood that the actual target is in the lineup. On the other hand, the lineup-wise error rate (which is the likelihood that any suspect will be falsely identified) is considerably higher with the all-suspect lineup. Field data show that the all-suspect lineup is sometimes used by police departments, and some data suggest that police do not appreciate the distinction between the two models with regard to lineup-wise error rates. It is recommended that either a mixed model or a preceding blank lineup be used to replace all-suspect models in actual cases. http://www.deepdyve.com/assets/images/DeepDyve-Logo-lg.png Psychological Bulletin American Psychological Association

Eyewitness Identification: The Importance of Lineup Models

Wells, Gary L.; Turtle, John W.
Psychological Bulletin , Volume 99 (3): 10 – May 1, 1986
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References (23)

Publisher
American Psychological Association
Copyright
Copyright © 1986 American Psychological Association
ISSN
0033-2909
eISSN
1939-1455
DOI
10.1037/0033-2909.99.3.320
Publisher site
See Article on Publisher Site

Abstract

A detailed analysis is made of lineup models for eyewitness identification. Previous treatments of eyewitness identification have not distinguished between the all-suspect model and the single-suspect model. The single-suspect model allows for the occurrence of foil identifications, a known-error category, whereas the all-suspect model does not. A Bayesian analysis of posterior probabilities of the guilt of a given suspect under various prior probabilities shows that the all-suspect model may be more or less diagnostic than the single-suspect model depending on the extent to which the use of suspects rather than foils increases the prior likelihood that the actual target is in the lineup. On the other hand, the lineup-wise error rate (which is the likelihood that any suspect will be falsely identified) is considerably higher with the all-suspect lineup. Field data show that the all-suspect lineup is sometimes used by police departments, and some data suggest that police do not appreciate the distinction between the two models with regard to lineup-wise error rates. It is recommended that either a mixed model or a preceding blank lineup be used to replace all-suspect models in actual cases.

Journal

Psychological Bulletin – American Psychological Association

Published: May 1, 1986

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