The Young Eyewitness
How Well Do Children and Adolescents Describe and Identify Perpetrators?
Joanna Pozzulo (Author)
9781433822926
Hardback, published 15 August 2016
232 pages
22.9 x 15.2 x 1.7 cm, 0.424 kg
What is particularly impressive about this book is that Pozzulo successfully makes the complex field of young eyewitness memory accessible to all readers while not short-shrifting the technical complexities.
(PsycCRITIQUES) Pozzulo introduces this work in a straightforward and convincing manner-there are no gaps in following her logic. The reader is left with a clear sense of the problem, a firm appreciation for why the problem must be addressed, and, most importantly, absolute certainty that accuracy can be improved.
(Choice)
This book summarizes the research on how well children can describe an event and perpetrator, which is a recall task, and how well they can identify the perpetrator in person or in photographs, which is a recognition task.
Every year, numerous crimes involving child eyewitnesses occur. In some cases, children are the only eyewitnesses, which makes their testimony especially critical for solving the cases. But how reliable is child eyewitness evidence? Joanna Pozzulo argues that although children may be less advanced in these skills than adults, they nonetheless can provide invaluable evidence. She interprets the research in light of developmental theories and notes its practical implications for forensic investigations. Interviewing techniques that facilitate accurate recall are presented, as are lineup techniques that facilitate accurate recognition. This book is an essential resource for all forensic investigators.
Introduction
- Overview of Forensic Concepts
- Ability of Young Eyewitnesses to Describe a Person
- Techniques to Improve the Amount and Accuracy of Recall Information
- Effects of Lineup Construction and Procedures
- Other Factors Influencing the Young Eyewitness' Identification Accuracy
- Why Recall and Identification Abilities Differ Between Young and Adult Eyewitnesses
- Relation Between Describing the Perpetrator and Identifying the Perpetrator
- Jurors' Perceptions of the Young Eyewitness
- Policy Implications
- Future Directions for Young Eyewitness Research
References
Index
About the Author
