Suspect Identification in Criminal Investigation

The process of establishing the identity of a person who may have participated in a criminal offense using lawful and reliable investigative methods.

The identification of a person by a witness who claims to have observed that person during or in connection with an event.

An identification procedure in which a witness is presented with a suspect alongside other persons of generally similar appearance.

A procedure in which a witness examines photographs of a suspect and other individuals to determine whether the person observed can be identified.

A procedure in which a witness is presented with a single person for possible identification, rather than a lineup or photographic array.

Presenting only one person may suggest that investigators believe the person is responsible, increasing the risk of mistaken identification.

A person included in a lineup who is not the suspect and whose appearance is selected to avoid making the suspect stand out unfairly.

To reduce suggestiveness and help ensure that identification depends on the witness's memory rather than the suspect's distinctive presentation.

An identification procedure conducted by an administrator who does not know which participant is the suspect.

An identification procedure structured so the administrator cannot determine which participant the witness is viewing at a particular moment.

It reduces the risk of intentional or unintentional cues influencing the witness's selection.

A procedure in which lineup members or photographs are presented individually rather than all at once.

A procedure in which lineup members or photographs are presented together for the witness to examine.

A decision based on choosing the person who looks most like the offender compared with the other presented individuals.

An assessment of whether a particular person matches the witness's independent memory of the offender.

A lineup arranged so the suspect does not stand out because of inappropriate differences, instructions, or administrator behavior.

To reduce pressure to select someone when the actual offender may not be included.

Such information can suggest that the police expect a particular identification and may influence the witness's decision.

Information given after an identification that may indicate whether the witness selected the person investigators suspected.

Confirming feedback may artificially increase later confidence without improving the original identification's accuracy.

A witness's description of their confidence in an identification, documented in their own words at the time of the initial decision.

Documentation of the procedure, participants or images, instructions, witness responses, administrator, timing, and relevant circumstances.

An identification in which a witness incorrectly identifies a person as someone involved in an event.

Factors affecting identification accuracy that the justice system generally cannot control, such as lighting, distance, and exposure duration.

Factors affecting identification accuracy that investigators can influence, such as instructions, lineup composition, and administration methods.

It can reduce the amount and quality of visual information available for accurate recognition.

Limited viewing time may reduce the opportunity to encode distinguishing facial or physical characteristics.

A phenomenon in which attention directed toward a visible weapon may reduce memory for other details, including an offender's appearance.

A documented tendency for people, on average, to identify unfamiliar faces of other racial groups less accurately than faces of their own group.

A memory error in which a familiar but innocent person is mistakenly associated with a criminal event.

A representation of a person's appearance developed from witness descriptions, sometimes with specialized software or an artist.

Its accuracy depends on memory, description, interpretation, and construction methods, and it does not independently establish identity.

A documented account of observable characteristics associated with a person who may be connected to an offense.

Identification proposes who a person is; verification checks that claim using reliable independent information or methods.

A method of evaluating leads according to relevance, credibility, urgency, available evidence, and potential investigative value.

The process of checking whether independent information or evidence supports a particular investigative lead.

The lawful and purposeful observation or monitoring of persons, places, activities, or events to obtain relevant investigative information.

Direct observation of relevant persons, locations, or activities by authorized investigators.

Monitoring or observation using technological equipment, subject to applicable legal restrictions and authorization requirements.

Observation conducted from a stationary location or established observation point.

Observation that follows or monitors a moving person, vehicle, or activity while complying with applicable law.

Monitoring conducted in a manner that is visible or openly acknowledged.

Monitoring conducted without making the observation apparent to the subject, subject to legal and procedural restrictions.

Different activities implicate different privacy rights and statutory restrictions; interception may require specific legal authorization.

Republic Act No. 4200, the Anti-Wiretapping Act, subject to its provisions and other applicable laws.

Republic Act No. 10173, the Data Privacy Act of 2012.

The officer's suggestion may contaminate the identification and must be documented and considered when evaluating reliability.

Evaluate the contradictory evidence objectively, verify the records, and reconsider the identification rather than treating confidence as conclusive.

The Anti-Wiretapping Act, constitutional privacy protections, and any applicable lawful authorization requirements; investigative interest alone does not authorize interception.

The lineup is potentially suggestive because the suspect stands out from the fillers based on a relevant identifying feature.