Eyewitness Memory
This type of blindness occurs when focusing on one thing and causes you to miss something else entirely.
What is inattentional blindness?
These individuals testify in court to explain the meaning of scientific or technical evidence.
What is an expert witness?
This legal document is issued by a judge when there is probable cause, allowing law enforcement to arrest a suspect.
What is an arrest warrant?
This psychological effect explains why a witness might remember the weapon clearly but forget the suspect’s face.
What is the weapon focus effect?
You’ve been accused of grave-robbing, but you get a fair and speedy trial with a lawyer by your side. That’s thanks to this amendment.
What is the 6th Amendment
The longer the time between observation and recall, the less _____________ the memory becomes.
What is accurate?
This type of testimony focuses on a person’s reputation or behavior.
What is a character witness testimony?
This stage determines if there is enough evidence for a case to move forward to trial.
What is a preliminary hearing?
This bias causes people to interpret new information as proof of what they already believe.
What is confirmation bias?
CSI agents with a warrant, dig through your yard searching for “buried bodies” after a neighbor complained about a strange smell. What law did they break?
None. 4th amendment was protected.
Under stress, the brain releases cortisol and adrenaline from this part of the brain, activating “survival mode.
What is the amygdala?
When a jury cannot reach a unanimous decision, this type of verdict occurs, resulting in no conviction.
What is a hung jury?
This step involves exchanging evidence between the prosecution and defense and can include plea bargaining.
What is discovery?
This occurs when a witness “remembers” details that actually came from outside sources — like seeing a suspect’s face later on the news or in a sketch — leading to distorted recall.
What is source amnesia?
The belief that full moons cause strange behavior comes from this natural factor that also affects ocean tides.
What is gravitational pull?
Eyewitness memory provides_____________ , while forensic evidence provides _____________.
hypothesis and proof
The judge determines if someone qualifies as an expert witness based on five main areas — name three.
What are education, training, experience, publications/research, and reputation?
During this step, the prosecutor files formal charges against the defendant and the defendant enters a plea.
What is an arraignment?
This type of plea means the defendant doesn’t admit guilt but does not contest the charges either.
What is a no contest?
Trick-or-treating likely evolved from this medieval tradition where people went door to door offering prayers for the dead in exchange for food.
What is souling?
What are the six factors that can effect the accuracy of our observations?
FESTIR
The acronym “CHANCE” describes what jurors look for in credible experts. What does it stand for?
-Confidence, Honesty, Accuracy, Neutrality, Credibility, Etiquette
List five different Mitigating Factors that would play a role in sentencing.
-Severity, Damages, Cooperation, Remorse, Mental Illness, Childhood, History,
In more serious cases, this group of citizens reviews evidence to decide whether to issue an indictment.
What is a grand jury?
This gas, produced by decaying organic matter, can cause hallucinations and eerie feelings — explaining many “haunted house” experiences.
What is carbon monoxide?