Who Do You Believe? Assessing Jurors’ Differential Perceptions of Victim and Bystander Witnesses

• In Event: Posters I

Abstract

Eyewitness misidentifications have contributed to numerous wrongful convictions. Much research has identified underlying factors that can influence identification reliability and jurors’ perceptions of these factors. However, little research has addressed whether jurors perceive bystanders or victims of crimes differently. Thus, 435 jury eligible participants were presented with one of four mock trial scenarios that varied in the quality of identifications made by a victim and bystander. Results suggest participants viewed the victim’s identification as more accurate than a bystander’s, even when the victim witnessed the crime under poor conditions (e.g., short exposure duration). Perceptions of guilt hinged on the quality of the bystander’s identification when the victim’s identification quality was poor. Yet, when the victim’s identification quality was good, the quality of the bystander’s identification did not matter. Implications for juror decision making and future research will be discussed.

Author

• Angela M. Jones, Texas State University