Analyzing Eyewitness Testimony

Expert crime investigators encounter several eye witnesses providing testimonies for certain crimes. Throughout the years, techniques have been developed that allow investigators to determine if there is any truth to the statements eye witnesses have provided for crime officials. This is crucial because any wrong assessment of evidence, regardless of whether it’s due to equipment issues or otherwise can lead to an innocent individual suffering from a crime that another has committed, or worse, the opposite.

Eyewitnesses utilize their sense of vision in coming up with the facts provided at their testimony. Therefore, crime scene investigators try to assess innocence or guilt on the witness when delivering their testimony. When there are discrepancies in an eyewitness’s account, the investigator aims to learn one of two things:

1. Uncover if the eyewitness is honestly confused
2. Uncover if there is dishonesty about the statements being provided

Accuracy of Eyewitness

Crime scene investigators and analysts utilize only the evidence available to them in coming up with a verdict. Therefore, wrong verdicts can be pointed towards lack of valid evidence or witness testimonies. And yet, witness testimonies are subject of recent debate about its role on solving crimes. There are different factors that could impact the truth behind the testimonies provided by eyewitnesses to crime scene investigators, but one of the most importan are the role of memory and how the capacity of fear and missing details might impact it.

Role of Memory: Capacity for retaining details, especially specific ones. Most people who witness a crime are unable to recall the exact details of crime that they witnesses, only able to remember general ones. Human memory does not have the same advanced abilities such as a video camera wherein you can replay it over and over, and it will still be able to retain the clear picture of the scene they witnessed.

Feeling of fear: The constant feeling of worry or fear of being tracked down by the criminal responsible for the crime could often play within the witness’ mind. Therefore, it reduces their capacity for memory and may make them uncooperative at solving the crime at hand.

Missing details: When you witness an event and you are asked to recall it, you often find yourself missing a few tiny pieces that no matter how tiny can impact the whole event. It is human nature to supply or replace those missing details. In the case of crime scene investigation, supplying details can lead to error.

iRecord wants to ensure that you have the equipment and the systems your enforcement office needs to keep focused on the job of determining truth. Equipment inadequacies, proprietary battles and difficult-to-share or save recordings should never impede or set your case in the wrong direction.

Contact us today for a product demonstration or to learn more about iRecord.