ABSTRACT
Psychologists who research eyewitness memory are aware of the factors associated with accurate versus inaccurate identification, and some of these psychologists testify in courts of law as eyewitness expert witnesses, to inform juries about these factors. This chapter summarizes the role that these eyewitness experts play in the courts. The factors that affect the accuracy of eyewitness memory and identification have been categorized as either estimator variables or systems variables. Estimator variables, on which there is a great deal of research, are factors that effect eyewitness memory and identification and are not under the control of the criminal justice system. Systems variables, examined relatively more recently, are factors related to eyewitness identification that can be under the control of the criminal justice system. The estimator variables can be divided into the characteristics of the witness and the characteristics of the observed event itself.
