The identification accuracy of the QTVR parade and the photospread under optimal witnessing conditions

Abstract

Eyewitness identification is a frequent and crucial piece of evidence in the processing of criminal cases, from the initial police investigation to the court process itself (Goldstein, Chance, & Schneller, 1989; see Horowitz, Willging, & Bordens, 1998 for a review; Law Commission Informal Survey, 1995). One of the primary methods in which such evidence is obtained from eyewitnesses is to have them view a lineup, which presents them with a selection of people (lineup members, of which, one is the police suspect) who they make identification decisions towards. Internationally, there are three types of visual mode or identification test medium (ITM) by which lineups are viewed (Cutler, Berman, Penrod, & Fisher, 1994). These ITM primarily differ from each other in the number of the lineup members' physical characteristics (which are comprised of body information such as anatomical features, movement and speech) that they present to eyewitnesses. Clearly, the number of physical characteristics that each of these types of ITM provide eyewitnesses will depend on local police practice and the quality of the equipment used and the skill of the operators of it, but the following definitions are reflective of their best general format.