Eyewitness Testimony and Its Challenges

The video tutorial discusses the role and reliability of eyewitness accounts in forensic science. It highlights the controversy surrounding their use as evidence, factors affecting their reliability, and the impact of misidentification on wrongful convictions. The tutorial includes a web quest assignment for further research and explores the influence of eyewitness testimony in court. It also covers the role of forensic sketch artists and the challenges they face due to the unreliability of witness memory.

Why is the use of eyewitness accounts in courtrooms controversial?

• They can be the sole evidence leading to wrongful convictions.

• They are the only form of evidence used.

• They are always accurate.

• They are not allowed in any court.

What is an eyewitness?

• A person who investigates crimes.

• A person who collects physical evidence.

• A person who defends the accused in court.

• A person who has seen something related to a crime.

Which factor does NOT affect what an eyewitness observes?

• Level of interest

• Prior knowledge

• Emotions

• Weather conditions

What is the single greatest cause of wrongful convictions nationwide?

• Blood spatter analysis

• Fingerprint analysis

• DNA evidence

• Eyewitness misidentification

What should students consider about eyewitness accounts during the lesson?

• They are always reliable.

• They should not be the sole evidence for conviction.

• They are a reliable form of evidence.

• They should be the only evidence used.

How do jurors typically view eyewitness testimony?

• As less important than DNA evidence

• As the least influential evidence

• As unreliable and not worth considering

• As the most influential evidence

What is the 'bunny effect' related to?

• A psychological phenomenon affecting memory

• A method of DNA analysis

• A type of forensic sketching

• A courtroom procedure

What is the role of a forensic sketch artist?

• To create drawings based on witness descriptions

• To collect physical evidence

• To analyze DNA samples

• To testify in court about crime scenes

What challenge do forensic sketch artists face?

• Difficulty in testifying in court

• Inability to work with police

• Witnesses often provide inaccurate descriptions

• Lack of drawing skills

What project will be discussed in the next lesson?

• The Forensic Sketch Project

• The Innocence Project

• The DNA Project

• The Eyewitness Reliability Project