ABSTRACT
Intoxicated individuals frequently appear in criminal situations (i.e., witnesses, victims, perpetrators). However, information provided by these individuals is often question by members of the legal system (i.e., judges, jurors, investigators) given the negative stigma surrounding alcohol intoxication and memory. The aim of this chapter is to summarize the scientific literature that has examined how alcohol affects witnesses’ memory, starting with the effects of alcohol on “basic” cognitive processes and then examine the extent to which those findings translate to alcohol’s effects on witness memory. Findings from the literature are then synthesized to answer important questions regarding the utility of intoxicated individuals’ testimonies and identifications. For example, are intoxicated witnesses/victims capable of providing accurate and plentiful information to investigators? What is the relationship between a witness’s intoxication level and their memory? What role do investigative techniques play when collecting information from intoxicated witnesses?
