Question: How reliable is Eyewitness Testimony?
Answer: Eyewitness testimony is often important or even crucial evidence in a trial. Therefore the reliability of it is an important factor. The testimony given by an eyewitness provides crucial evidence which can determine whether or not a defendant is convicted. Eyewitness testimony is highly regarded by the courts, however there is a great deal of empirical evidence to suggest that eyewitness testimony is not that reliable and the faith placed in by the courts is unjustified. However this research was not taken seriously until the late 1990s by criminal justice personnel. ‘More than 100 people who were convicted prior to the development of forensic DNA have now been exonerated by DNA tests and more than 75% of these people were victims of mistaken eyewitness identification.’ (Olson and Wel......(short extract)
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Details: - Mark: 60% | Course: Law of Evidence | Year: 1st | Words: 1954 | References: Yes | Date written: April, 2003 | Date submitted: October 20, 2008 | Coursework ID: 152
