2022-23 Criminal Law CPD Series:

The Reliability and Credibility of Eyewitnesses

Substantive Law 
CPD Points: 1.5

About

Eyewitness testimony can provide critical leads in investigations and can be extremely persuasive in court. However, inconsistencies or inaccuracies in eyewitness accounts can undermine the perceived credibility of the witness and the value of the evidence. This is particularly problematic when witnesses are required to recall details of events that happened months or years earlier and that occurred over a number of episodes (such as bullying or domestic violence).

This seminar will look at the different stages of memory and highlight various factors that can affect the accuracy of memory at each stage and will outline best-practice techniques for eliciting the most complete and accurate testimonies from eyewitnesses. This seminar will assist legal practitioners to understand the strengths and limitations of human memory.

Presenter

Helen Paterson is an Associate Professor in Forensic Psychology at the University of Sydney. She has a Bachelor of Arts from the University of British Columbia and a PhD from the University of New South Wales. Her primary research interest focuses on the effects of traumatic events on memory and psychological well-being. She regularly works with industry partners to conduct high-quality applied research. She has also worked with NSW Fire and Rescue on ways to train firefighters to make effective decisions under stressful conditions and on post-traumatic stress disorder, resilience, and post-incident debriefing.