Analysing Witness Testimony
A Guide for Legal Practitioners and Other Professionals

This work aims to make practitioners, as well as fact-finders and those who guide them, aware of a wide range of perspectives on witness testimony. Each contributor identifies bad practice and puts forward ideas for improvement or removal of previously acceptable investigative and forensic methods.

The consideration of witness testimony had traditionally been a task left to fact-finders with scant guidance from legal professionals. As a result, various practices have developed during the investigative and trial process which can obscure or even eradicate critical material. Miscarriages of justice will continue to occur, so long as those working within the justice system continue to accept witnesses and their testimony at face value. This book aims to make practitioners, as well as the fact-finders and those who guide them, aware of a wide range of perspectives on witness testimony. Each contributor identifies bad practice and puts forward ideas for improvement or removal of previously acceptable investigative and forensic methods.

Human Memory in the Real World
Contamination of Witness Memory
The Influence of Drugs on Testimony
The Frailty of Children's Testimony
Testimony from Persons with Mental Disorders
Witness Testimony in Sleep and Dream-related Contexts
Physical Illness and their Potential Influence
Complaints of Sexual Misconduct
Full and Faithful: Ensuring Quality Practice and Integrity of Outcome in Witness Interviews
Obtaining Detailed Testimony: The Cognitive Interview
Hypnotically Induced Testimony
Identification Parades: Psychological and Practical Realities
Earwitness Testimony
Getting Heads Together: Police Collaborative Testimony
Recording Witness Statements
The Influence of Witness Appearance and Demeanour on Witness Credibility
Identifying Anomaly in Evidential Text
Admissibility of Expert Psychological and Psychiatric Testimony
Problematic Testimony.