Eyewitness Testimony: Reliability and Justice
A Grade 12 social studies worksheet exploring the factors influencing eyewitness testimony, its role in the justice system, and its reliability.
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Eyewitness Testimony: Reliability and Justice
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Read each question carefully and provide thoughtful answers based on your understanding of eyewitness testimony and the justice system.
1. Which of the following factors is LEAST likely to affect the reliability of eyewitness testimony?
The presence of a weapon during the crime.
The eyewitness's level of confidence in their memory.
The eyewitness's age (very young or very old).
The eyewitness's favorite color.
2. The 'misinformation effect' refers to:
An eyewitness intentionally providing false information.
The introduction of misleading information that distorts an eyewitness's memory.
A witness being unable to recall any details of a crime.
The phenomenon where multiple witnesses provide identical testimony.
3. Eyewitness memory is always highly accurate because traumatic events are seared into memory.
True
False
4. Cognitive interviews are designed to enhance memory recall in eyewitnesses by using open-ended questions and minimal interruptions.
True
False
5. The phenomenon where an eyewitness identifies someone from a lineup who was not the perpetrator, but simply someone they saw nearby at the time of the crime, is known as .
6. Factors like lighting conditions, distance from the event, and duration of exposure are considered variables that influence eyewitness accuracy.
7. Briefly explain the concept of 'weapon focus' and how it can impact an eyewitness's ability to recall details about a perpetrator.
8. Discuss two specific recommendations that legal professionals and law enforcement can implement to improve the reliability of eyewitness identification procedures.
Consider the image of a courtroom below when answering the next question.
9. In a courtroom setting, how might the pressure of testifying and the formal environment influence an eyewitness's delivery and perceived credibility, even if their memory is accurate?