Chp 9: Identification Procedures

Of all the defendants exonerated by DNA evidence, what percentage of them were convicted in cases of mistaken identity? a. 25 percent b. 50 percent c. 65 percent d. 75 percent

75 percent

What is the purpose of psychologists' recommendation that the suspect and fillers in a lineup all could fit the original description of the eyewitness? a. Fillers who don't match the description increase the chances of misidentification. b. Fillers who don't match the description make the culprit too obvious to the witness. c. Fillers who don't match the description make the witness feel unreliable. d. Fillers who don't match the description are more likely to be chosen and charged.

Fillers who don't match the description increase the chances of misidentification.

The procedure where an eyewitness picks a suspect out of an assortment of photos is a pretrial out-of-court procedure known as a(n) ____________. a. photographic show-up b. show-up c. photo array d. assorted identification

photo array

At what distance does an eyewitness's ability to see someone's face diminish to basically zero? a. 25 feet b. 70 feet c. 150 feet d. 450 feet

150 feet

Of the following circumstances, which one would be considered the most reliable, taking into account the five Manson factors considered when weighing the reliability of eyewitness accounts? a. An observation from an officer who got a glimpse of the culprit and identified them months later. b. A civilian who looked at the culprit's face for several minutes from a distance and was certain when identifying them in a photo array. c. A victim in a bank robbery who managed peeks at the masked culprits throughout the length of the event. d. An officer who has a personal encounter with the culprit and gives an accurate description of that person later that day to a composition artist.

An officer who has a personal encounter with the culprit and gives an accurate description of that person later that day to a composition artist.

What is a potential pitfall to having forensic labs either organized by the police or as part of a police building or department? a. Analysts are more likely to see evidence they shouldn't see. b. Analysts are more likely to be pro-prosecution and have a bias. c. Analysts are more likely to be sympathetic to defendants after seeing them arrested. d. Analysts are more likely to influence the officers to believe certain outcomes.

Analysts are more likely to be pro-prosecution and have a bias.

What is the correlation between strength of a memory and someone's confidence in it? a. Recalling the memory often enough can make confidence grow. b. Writing a memory makes the memory fade but confidence grow. c. As memory fades, confidence in the memory grows. d. As memory fades, confidence in the memory lessens.

As memory fades, confidence in the memory grows

Why was the reliability of Officer Glover's eyewitness testimony in Manson v. Brathwaite (1977) called into question by the defendant? a. Glover looked at only one photo, which made the identification process suggestive. b. Glover had made misidentifications in the past. c. The defendant and Glover were different races, which affected his observation. d. Another officer was present when Glover looked at the photo of the defendant.

Glover looked at only one photo, which made the identification process suggestive.

Why do the crimes set up in experimental research mean researchers can accurately analyze witness errors? a. Researchers can choose witnesses prone to certain errors. b. Researchers control the setup and the variables of the crime. c. Researchers are able to interview witnesses directly afterward. d. Researchers can monitor the situation more closely.

Researchers control the setup and the variables of the crime.

What was the first case where SCOTUS considered due process as a reason to challenge eyewitness identification on constitutional grounds? a. Stovall v. Denno (1967) b. U.S. v. Wade (1967) c. Terry v. Ohio (1968) d. Gilbert v. California (1967)

Stovall v. Denno (1967)

How could a forensic ipse dixit statute potentially take away the defendant's constitutional rights in a courtroom if not for the Melendez-Diaz v. Massachusetts (2009) decision? a. Reports by forensic analysts encroach on defendants' Sixth Amendment rights. b. The analysts often embellish in reports written for court and are not held accountable. c. The forensic analyst would not be cross-examined, leading to careless procedure and higher rates of wrongful convictions. d. The ipse dixit statute holds forensic analysis in higher regard, which makes that testimony outweigh other aspects.

The forensic analyst would not be cross-examined, leading to careless procedure and higher rates of wrongful convictions.

In the case of Perry v. New Hampshire (2012), why was the eyewitness identification not considered unreliable despite the fact the witness had identified Perry in a suggestive setting? a. The setting was not suggestive enough to lead to misidentification. b. Any event that takes outside a police station cannot be considered suggestive. c. The police did not deliberately set up the encounter suggestively. d. The witness knew Perry and therefore could not misidentify no matter the setting.

The police did not deliberately set up the encounter suggestively.

What situation of eyewitness identification would least likely cause a defense counsel to argue that the identification should be inadmissible in court? a. The witness chooses the defendant from a series of two lineups and the defendant is in both. b. The witness is not very confident in the identification and is told he or she picked the "right" person. c. The witness identifies the defendant via a show-up. d. The witness identifies the defendant via a photo array or lineup with instructions the culprit might not be in the lineup.

The witness identifies the defendant via a photo array or lineup with instructions the culprit might not be in the lineup.

If an eyewitness noticed some of the details of their surroundings during a crime, what could police safely infer about their recollection of the attacker's face? a. They will also remember specific details of the attacker's face. b. Their recollection would be worse because they were looking at other things. c. It would make their testimony more reliable on the whole. d. Their attention to detail means the will have better facial recall.

Their recollection would be worse because they were looking at other things

What is one criticism leveled at experimental research processes, and how might it affect the results researchers get? a. They use mostly college students, who outperform other groups and can skew results. b. The witnesses do not agree to undergo so much stress and so might be more biased. c. Students are less invested in research and so will make more observational errors. d. Witnesses are more likely to commit a crime themselves and so are more sympathetic to culprits they identify.

They use mostly college students, who outperform other groups and can skew results.

In a courtroom, what is the most effective way to show eyewitness identification can be flawed? a. the judge issuing a statement b. expert testimony c. intense cross-examination d. cautionary instructions to the jury

expert testimony

According to most experts what causes the greatest conviction of the innocent? a. police corruption b. eyewitness testimony c. improper forensic analysis d. racial profiling

eyewitness testimony

What is one feature of forensic analysis that could cause an unconscious bias in the forensic investigator? a. having their work analyzed by another party for accuracy b. working for an independent agency not connected to police departments c. not being told enough information about the crime and being left to speculate on the outcome d. learning information about the crime and suspect beyond the scope of what they are asked to analyze

learning information about the crime and suspect beyond the scope of what they are asked to analyze

The phase of memory that deals with the period of time from an event happening to when someone recalls that event to someone else is known as ____________. a. retrieval of memory b. recognition of memory c. acquisition of memory d. retention of memory

retention of memory

What factor would probably improve an observer's recollection of a suspect, particularly a suspect that the observer was close enough to see? a. seeing the culprit briefly b. seeing the culprit with an unobstructed view c. seeing the culprit after twilight d. seeing the culprit has a weapon

seeing the culprit with an unobstructed view

According to Wells and Quinlivan, which of the following is a change in context that could cause witnesses to change their retrospective self-report? a. not reading any news on the case so as not to be subject to outside influences b. being isolated from new evidence presented in court c. social desirability that they help put the defendant away for their crimes d. being questioned by an attorney for a long period of time

social desirability that they help put the defendant away for their crimes

What must the defendant show through a preponderance of evidence in order for the court to declare eyewitness identification as inadmissible? a. only that the identification process was unnecessarily suggestive b. that the identification process was unnecessarily suggestive and likely led to misidentification c. that the identification process was somewhat suggestive might have led to misidentification d. that the misidentification of the suspect stemmed from some process of the arrest

that the identification process was unnecessarily suggestive and likely led to misidentification

After an event has taken place, when does memory fade the most quickly? a. the first few hours after it occurs b. the first few days after it occurs c. the first month after it occurs d. the first year after it occurs

the first few hours after it occurs

What circumstance does the Court NOT take into account when considering the strength of an eyewitness identification? a. the witness's opportunity to view the culprit b. the psychological state of the witness and their trustworthiness c. the witness's level of certainty when identifying defendant d. the accuracy of the witness's description of the defendant

the psychological state of the witness and their trustworthiness

What is the purpose of a "double-blind" lineup or photo array? a. to give the administrator greater authority in the process b. to eliminate any variables outside of law enforcement's control c. to make sure the administrator can't influence the witness's decision d. to ensure all fillers and suspects are treated with respect

to make sure the administrator can't influence the witness's decision