what italian defense attorneys know about factors affecting eyewitness accuracy: a comparison with u.s. and norwegian samples
;Svein eMagnussen;Martin A Safer;Giuseppe eSartori;Richard A Wise
journal of experimental psychology general2013Vol. 4pp. -
177
emagnussen2013frontierswhat
Abstract
We surveyed 100 Italian defense attorneys about their knowledge and beliefs about factors affecting eyewitness accuracy. The results of a series of similar surveys show that U.S. defense attorneys outperformed other legal professions, including U.S. prosecutors and U.S. and European judges. The present results for the Italian defense attorneys indicate a similar trend. However, analyses of the results suggest that the defense attorney’s’ superior performance on the eyewitness statements was, in part, a product of their skepticism about the accuracy of eyewitness testimony rather than their greater knowledge.