Police Instruction Impacts Eyewitness Confidence

• In Event: Police Organization: Police Practice and Reform

Abstract

There is a rich body of literature focusing on witness confidence and subsequent identification. Due to the difficulties in observing real world eyewitness identification and confidence, researchers conduct studies in laboratory settings, using videos, and/or vignettes. This research finds that time, bias, and other factors affect eyewitness identification and confidence. Research outcomes recommend double-blind lineups, changing police instructions, and using standardized identification procedures to make eyewitness testimony more reliable. Asking the confidence of an eyewitness can also correlate with accuracy of an eyewitness identification or statement. Using data from ICPSR, this study investigates the relationship between different police instructions and confidence in identification. Using a regression analysis this study analyzes how the “not sure” and “appearance change” instructions, impact confidence while controlling for a variety of other factors. Preliminary results indicate receiving the appearance change instructions significantly decreased confidence of the participant while receiving the not sure instructions did not affect confidence. Results also indicate participants who responded accurately were significantly more confident and participants who responded not sure were significantly less confident in their response. Confidence is higher when participants perceive their decision as accurate, believe the suspect is guilty, and make quicker decisions.

Authors

• Cara Pocono, Marymount University

• Courtney Porter, Marymount University