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Forensic psychology
Forensic psychology

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3.2 Re-evaluating the statements

Figure 13

You’ll now repeat a similar evaluation exercise that was performed on the evidence from DI Bullet’s statements. However, this time we have altered the possible categories as DS Sund was careful to avoid the effects of co-witnessing.

For each question in the quiz, you will be provided with a specific statement that was obtained by DS Sund in the audio you heard. Your job is to decide whether the statement is likely to have been biased by one of these three factors:

  • Biased as it was suggested by the question asked.
  • Potentially unbiased, but conflicting as the two witnesses recalled different things.
  • Biased as witnesses tend to over and underestimate height, weight, distance and time.

Alternatively, the evidence might not have been influenced by any of the above factors, nor conflicting with information provided by the other witness, in which case you should select:

  • Potentially unbiased and not conflicting with evidence from another witness.

The statements that appear in the quiz are all taken from the recording of DS Sund you heard in DS Sund: initial statements. Do feel free to re-listen to this audio as many times as you like.

Activity 4 Evaluating bias (DS Sund)

Timing: Allow about 15 minutes

a. 

Biased as it was suggested by the question asked.


b. 

Potentially unbiased, but conflicting as the two witnesses recalled different things.


c. 

Biased as witnesses tend to over and underestimate height, weight, distance and time.


d. 

Potentially unbiased and not conflicting with evidence from another witness.


The correct answer is d.

d. 

Well done! The witness provided this piece of evidence without it first being suggested in a question. In addition, no alternative and different account was provided by another witness.

Do re-listen to the audio of DS Sund taking the statements, and consider how this piece of evidence was obtained.


a. 

Biased as it was suggested by the question asked.


b. 

Potentially unbiased, but conflicting as the two witnesses recalled different things.


c. 

Biased as witnesses tend to over and underestimate height, weight, distance and time.


d. 

Potentially unbiased and not conflicting with evidence from another witness.


The correct answer is d.

d. 

Well done! The witness provided this piece of evidence without it first being suggested in a question. In addition, no alternative and different account was provided by another witness.

Do re-listen to the audio of DS Sund taking the statements, and consider how this piece of evidence was obtained.


a. 

Biased as it was suggested by the question asked.


b. 

Potentially unbiased, but conflicting as the two witnesses recalled different things.


c. 

Biased as witnesses tend to over and underestimate height, weight, distance and time.


d. 

Potentially unbiased and not conflicting with evidence from another witness.


The correct answer is b.

b. 

Well done! In this instance, the two witnesses did recall different things as Seth stated that as the start of the robbery the car drove round the corner and the robbers jumped out.

Do re-listen to the audio of DS Sund taking the statements, and consider how this piece of evidence was obtained.


a. 

Biased as it was suggested by the question asked.


b. 

Potentially unbiased, but conflicting as the two witnesses recalled different things.


c. 

Biased as witnesses tend to over and underestimate height, weight, distance and time.


d. 

Potentially unbiased and not conflicting with evidence from another witness.


The correct answer is d.

d. 

This is correct. The witness provided this piece of evidence without it first being suggested in a question. In addition, no alternative and different account was provided by another witness.

Do re-listen to the audio of DS Sund taking the statements, and consider how this piece of evidence was obtained.


a. 

Biased as it was suggested by the question asked.


b. 

Potentially unbiased, but conflicting as the two witnesses recalled different things.


c. 

Biased as witnesses tend to over and underestimate height, weight, distance and time.


d. 

Potentially unbiased and not conflicting with evidence from another witness.


The correct answer is b.

b. 

Well done! In this instance, the two witnesses did recall different things as Seth stated that ‘the two masked robbers were wearing hoodies and dark trousers’.

Do re-listen to the audio of DS Sund taking the statements, and consider how this piece of evidence was obtained.


a. 

Biased as it was suggested by the question asked.


b. 

Potentially unbiased, but conflicting as the two witnesses recalled different things.


c. 

Biased as witnesses tend to over and underestimate height, weight, distance and time.


d. 

Potentially unbiased and not conflicting with evidence from another witness.


The correct answer is b.

b. 

This is correct. In this instance, the two witnesses did recall different things as Lila stated that ‘the driver was not wearing a mask, was Caucasian, dressed in camouflage and in his early 30s, with short hair and about 5 feet 9’.

Do re-listen to the audio of DS Sund taking the statements, and consider how this piece of evidence was obtained.