The Camera’s Eye: Effects of Video-recording Perspectives and Double Blind Procedures on Perceptions of Eyewitnesses and Lineup Administrators

Mistaken identification is the leading cause of convicting the innocent. To help reduce erroneous convictions associated with eyewitness error, video recording of the lineup procedure and identification has been recommended. There is little research however, on how video recording influences perceptions of the witness and detective. The present study was a 2 (Administration of Lineup: Single-Blind v. Double-Blind) X 4 (Perspective: Detective focus v. Eyewitness focus vs. Focus on Both v. Audio Only) between subjects design examining the differential impact of camera angle and knowledge of suspect by the detective on perceptions of the eyewitness and detective. Eyewitnesses were perceived significantly less confused when the camera was focused on the detective. Detectives were perceived significantly less favorable when the eyewitness identification procedure was given as an audio recording. Thus, camera focus during eyewitness identification procedures needs to be addressed before recommending mandatory electronic recordings

Gender: An Important Factor in the Implementation of Services for Juvenile Offenders

The Child Welfare League of America (2003) reported that between 1980 and 2000 the arrest rate for boys declined by 11% but increased for girls by 35%. A well tested case management approach being applied more commonly in juvenile justice is the Risk-Needs-Responsivity (RNR) approach, which suggests that interventions and services should be commensurate with ones level of risk and specific dynamic risk factors (criminogenic needs). The RNR model tends to be seen as gender-neutral , based on assumption that it works equally well with both sexes. Few studies have examined whether gender differences exist in the effectiveness of RNR-type case planning. Vitopoulos et al., (2012) examined possible RNR differences between justice-involved boys and girls using the Youth Level of Service/Case Management Inventory (YLS/CMI). Across all of the criminogenic need areas (e.g. antisocial attitudes, peer affiliations), only the personality domain was significantly different by gender, such that more girls than boys seemed to have a problem inthis area. They did not find any gender differences in the matching of services to needs identified; however, a higher match between clinician-recommended needs and assigned treatment services (service-to-needs match) predicted a decrease in boys\u27 re-offending but not in girls\u27 reoffending. Given the paucity of research, we are left to question the applicability of some RNR principles or the quality of their implementation for girl offenders. Using the Structured Assessment of Violence Risk for Youth (SAVRY)) in three probation officies to measure both risk level and dynamic risk factors (criminogenic needs), we examined whether within a large sample of youth there were gender differences in the (a) criminogenic needs identified, (b) ability of probation officers (POs) to match services to needs in their case planning and (c) the association of the serve-need match to recidivism