Supporting child witnesses during identification lineups: Exploring the effectiveness of registered intermediaries.

Rachel Wilcock,Mimi Kirke-Smith,Gilly Nash,Zoe Hobson,Lucy A Henry,Laura Crane

doi:10.1002/acp.3412

Abstract

SummaryPerformance at identification lineup was assessed in eighty‐five 6‐ to 11‐year‐old typically developing children. Children viewed a live staged event involving 2 male actors, and were asked to identify the perpetrators from 2 separate lineups (one perpetrator‐present lineup and one perpetrator‐absent lineup). Half the children took part in lineups adapted by a registered intermediary (an impartial, trained professional who facilitates understanding and communication between vulnerable witnesses and members of the justice system), and half took part in “best‐practice” lineups, according to the current guidance for eyewitness identification in England and Wales. Children receiving assistance from a registered intermediary (relative to children who received best‐practice lineups) were more accurate in their identifications for perpetrator‐present lineups, and there was some evidence that they were also more accurate for perpetrator‐absent lineups. This provides the first empirical evidence for the effectiveness of registered intermediary support during identification lineups.

Highlights

Performance at identification lineup was assessed in eighty‐five 6‐ to 11‐year‐old typically developing children
The current paper presents additional novel data from this investigation, focusing on registered intermediary (RI) intervention during identification lineups
In the RI condition, there were participants per cell, and in the best‐ practice condition, there were between and 27 participants per cell, which is consistent with the norm within the eyewitness identification literature of including approximately 20 participants per cell

Summary

Introduction

Performance at identification lineup was assessed in eighty‐five 6‐ to 11‐year‐old typically developing children. Half the children took part in lineups adapted by a registered intermediary (an impartial, trained professional who facilitates understanding and communication between vulnerable witnesses and members of the justice system), and half took part in “best‐practice” lineups, according to the current guidance for eyewitness identification in England and Wales. Children receiving assistance from a registered intermediary (relative to children who received best‐practice lineups) were more accurate in their identifications for perpetrator‐present lineups, and there was some evidence that they were more accurate for perpetrator‐absent lineups. This provides the first empirical evidence for the effectiveness of registered intermediary support during identification lineups

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Results

Discussion

Conclusion