Law and (rec)order: Updating memory for criminal events with body-worn cameras.

Delene Adams,Helen M Paterson,Hamish G Macdougall,Maria Wimber

doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0243226

Abstract

Body-worn video is increasingly relied upon in the criminal justice system, however it is unclear how viewing chest-mounted video may affect a police officer's statement about an event. In the present study, we asked whether reviewing footage from an experienced event could shape an individual's statement, and if so, whether reporting before reviewing may preserve an officer's original experience. Student participants (n = 97) were equipped with chest-mounted cameras as they viewed a simulated theft in virtual reality. One week later, half of the participants recalled the event in an initial statement while the other half did not. Participants then viewed either their body-worn video or a control video. Finally, participants provided their statement (no initial statement condition) or were given the opportunity to amend their original account (initial statement condition). Results revealed that viewing body-worn video enhanced the completeness and accuracy of individuals' free recall statements. However, whilst reviewing footage enabled individuals to exclude errors they had written in their initial statements, they also excluded true details that were uncorroborated by the camera footage (i.e., details which individuals experienced, but that their camera did not record). Such camera conformity is discussed in light of the debate on when an officer should access their body-worn video during an investigation and the influence of post-event information on memory.

Highlights

It is commonly believed that we encode and retrieve memories similar to the way a camera records and replays video footage [1, 2]
Moving forwards, we address how body-worn video impacts memory for experienced events beyond the number of errors reported, following a delay, and seek to understand the relevance of these findings to chest-mounted cameras
To understand how body-worn video shapes memory for an experienced event, and whether effects are influenced by when a statement is written, our main analyses involved 2 x 2 between-subjects ANOVAs on participants’ final recall statements (n = 97)

Summary

Introduction

It is commonly believed that we encode and retrieve memories similar to the way a camera records and replays video footage [1, 2]. The only evidence more powerful than “I saw it with my own eyes” is “I have it recorded on camera” [4, 5]. For this reason, bodyworn cameras were introduced to police officers’ uniforms to document public encounters with levels of objectivity, transparency and accuracy unattainable with memory alone [6]. Bodyworn cameras were introduced to police officers’ uniforms to document public encounters with levels of objectivity, transparency and accuracy unattainable with memory alone [6] This has prompted the question: why rely on an officer’s memory when events can be seen on video? The aim of the present study is to investigate whether there are differences between how an individual remembers an event and the details caught on camera

Objectives

Results

Discussion

Conclusion