Eyewitness Identification Procedures and Suggestions for Their Reform

Eyewitness identification has been one of the most crucial components in identifying perpetrators in criminal cases (The Innocence Project, 2022). Law enforcement officials utilize numerous procedures, the most common being photographic arrays, live lineups, and showups (The National Academies Press, 2014). While this process is critical in identifying a suspect during an ongoing investigation, it is not without faults. Misidentification of a suspect often has detrimental effects, with many innocent individuals being wrongfully convicted (The Innocence Project, 2022). In order to fully understand the causes of misidentification, a proper understanding of the process of eyewitness identification must be understood. Through investigating two published studies, one by Rose & Beck and the other by Gonzalez, it is seen that suggestion and police-introduced bias can have a negative impact on an identification, especially in lineups and showups. The case of Malcolm Alexander explains first-hand how police bias and suggestion can plant a false memory, leading to a misidentification, and, at times, a false conviction. Through a qualitative research-based interview with a Phoenix employee who has made identifications with police, suggestion is once again revealed though the questions asked by the officer. Through these findings, suggestions to improve eyewitness identification procedures are established.