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Essay On The Pros And Cons Of Eyewitness Testimony

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Pros and Cons of Eyewitness Testimony

To see is to believe. For many years, we have relied so much on our sight to validate our perception and understanding of the world around us. But just how reliable are our eyes and how trustworthy is eyewitness testimony?

Eyewitness testimony is any account provided by an eyewitness, a statement made under oath (sworn statement), which is either written on paper (affidavit) or done in court (court testimony). But for a person to swear he or she is telling the truth does not really make his or her sworn statement the truth, does it?

List of Pros of Eyewitness Testimony

1. It Influences a Jury's Decision

Eyewitness testimony, especially those done personally in court, allows the jury to hear the accounts of a crime directly from the person, as he or she recalls everything they saw or witnessed. Extreme emotions can arouse, and the way the eyewitness …show more content…

List of Cons of Eyewitness Testimony

1. It Heavily Rests on the Credibility of the Witness

The jury tends to believe and uphold the sworn statement of a "credible" eyewitness. But who determines and validates one's credibility? This makes the jury's decision susceptible to subjectivity.

2. People's Memory is Corruptible and Inaccurate

Study shows that when false facts are introduced to a person's memory, that person tend to have difficulty recalling what actually happened, and may even recall false or corrupted memories and believe them to be true. Also, the longer the event has happened, the harder it is for someone to recall it. In the case of a victim being the eyewitness, his or her injury, the weather condition and other external factors can blur their memory enough to make it inaccurate, and yet remains submissible to court.

3. Crime Creates Fear and Causes

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