Premium
The Influence of Identification Decision and DNA Evidence on Juror Decision Making 1
Author(s) -
Pozzulo Joanna D.,
Lemieux Julie M. T.,
Wilson Angela,
Crescini Charmagne,
Girardi Alberta
Publication year - 2009
Publication title -
journal of applied social psychology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.822
H-Index - 111
eISSN - 1559-1816
pISSN - 0021-9029
DOI - 10.1111/j.1559-1816.2009.00516.x
Subject(s) - psychology , credibility , witness , reliability (semiconductor) , identification (biology) , eyewitness identification , social psychology , dna testing , perception , computer science , law , genetics , data mining , political science , neuroscience , power (physics) , physics , botany , quantum mechanics , relation (database) , biology
This study examined the influence of identification decision type and DNA evidence on mock jurors' ratings of evidence reliability, witness credibility, and verdict decisions. Type of identification decision was found to influence jurors' perceptions of the reliability of eyewitnesses' descriptions of various details related to the crime. Specifically, positive identifications resulted in the highest reliability ratings. Type of DNA evidence presented was found to impact on ratings of expert witness reliability. Overall, inconsistent DNA evidence that was statistical in nature resulted in the lowest reliability ratings. DNA‐consistent evidence led to more convictions than did DNA‐inconsistent evidence. Furthermore, jurors rendered more guilty verdicts when witnesses made a non‐identification or a positive identification, as compared to a foil identification.