ABSTRACT
When an unknown robber attacks or threatens a victim at random, often the only evidence available to convict the criminal is a visual identification by the victim or other witnesses to the crime. The witness, whether a victim or a bystander, might not have had an adequate opportunity to observe the criminal or might not accurately remember the criminal’s description due to the stress of the situation, the lighting conditions, or the speed of the encounter. Many victims focus their attention on the threatening weapon, rather than the appearance of the assailant. Bystanders, while witnessing part or all of an encounter, might not have realized a crime was being committed and might not have been paying close attention.
