tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8757214464042252416.post1600068793575663270..comments2024-01-03T00:56:32.093-05:00Comments on Media Coverage of Crime and Criminal Justice: Criminal justice policy in the newsDr. Matthew Robinsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04632005749396918079noreply@blogger.comBlogger2125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8757214464042252416.post-38380619548058628052011-08-30T14:27:47.823-04:002011-08-30T14:27:47.823-04:00I have had similar experiences with lineups. Desp...I have had similar experiences with lineups. Despite a lengthy preamble explaining the procedure, that hair styles change, that skin tone may not be accurately reflected by the black and white photograph, etc., I have had numerous instances where the victim/witness has picked out the correct individual but offered a 60% or 70% confidence rate because of the aforementioned factors. Then the DA's Office gets nervous about prosecuting a suspect on a 60% identification.<br /><br />Another issue is people starting to locate suspects' photos via various online sources... Facebook, MySpace, Sheriff sites, etc. As if this problem is not enough, the local media has become quite "efficient" at obtaining surveillance footage of potential suspects and plastering them all of the television. The end result is "influenced" information with which to build our cases.Monster, anyone?https://www.blogger.com/profile/08209511565073956759noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8757214464042252416.post-67818845985516926982011-08-29T21:28:04.998-04:002011-08-29T21:28:04.998-04:00North Carolina mandates the way lineups are done i...North Carolina mandates the way lineups are done in this state. It hasn't been that difficult to do. We have always done our best to do them without coercing the witnesses into picking someone anyway. <br />I have never like lineups personally. I had a victim pick out a guy and state that he was 100% sure that the guy was the suspect in his home invasion. I found out that the guy was in Florida, when the crime was committed. We later caught the true suspect.<br />I have also had victims and witnesses tell me that a car was green, and it was actually red. We had a store owner pick out the wrong suspect recently as well.<br />If the victim or suspect picks out the wrong suspect in the lineup, it also hurts your case, when you go to court.<br />Lineups are just tricky.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com