Errors And Shortcomings In Criminal Investigations By Dan Simon

Throughout the criminal justice system, many errors and shortcomings have arisen. Major shortcomings are apparent in conducting investigations, reliability of eyewitnesses, interrogation techniques, and the inaccuracy of the jury system. Throughout the book, Dan Simon makes a clear argument by citing cases that were solved incorrectly due to one of these four shortcomings. DNA exonerations have revealed that some cases that seemed so simply due to witness identification or confession of guilt were mishandled, and therefore the incorrect person was incarcerated.
A major shortcoming in criminal investigations involves confirmation bias. Simon begins to discuss investigations by saying that investigations are solved by gathering hypothetical

scenarios and discarding scenarios that are not supported by evidence. Confirming a scenario is the basis for investigations and solving crimes. The basis of the conformation bias is that by providing a hypothetical explanation for an imagined scenario, it strengthens the belief in the likelihood of its occurrence (23). In police investigations this can be critical because in some cases, officers that found evidence that supported a preliminary hypothesis, judged the evidence to be stronger than evidence that disconfirmed the previous hypothesis. This can be harmful in a criminal investigative setting. Also, some eyewitness identifications were considered stronger and more reliable when they supported the investigation’s hypotheses. The same can happen with fingerprint analysis and other investigative aids. Confirmation biases create “tunnel vision”, or the inability to accept other hypotheses. This bias is most prevalent when the evidence is ambiguous. Police investigations can be swayed for many reasons including confirmation biases which can compromise the validity of investigations.
Eyewitnesses can be crucial to solving cases, but how many of these eyewitnesses identification statements are actually reliable?

A variety of factors can play into the strength and accuracy of an eyewitness account of a memory. Distance and illumination can play a role in the strength of a memory. For example, urban areas with bad streetlights have no better visibility than simply moonlight. The duration of exposure can also affect the strength of the memory. Somewhat obviously, briefer exposure results in lower the accuracy of the memory, and longer exposure results in a more accurate identification. However, in most cases, people tend to exaggerate the length of their exposure. This creates an unrealistic notion of accuracy, which can be harmful for the investigation. Stress while witnessing a criminal event can harm the quality of the memory as well. Presence of a weapon is one of the most significant sources of stress because most likely the witness will be too focused on the weapon to identify key facial features in the perpetrator. Although witness identifications are one of the most crucial aspects of criminal investigations, the accuracy of these identifications are a major shortcoming of the criminal justice process.
False confessions during stressful interrogations can create problems of accuracy in criminal investigations. Usually, interrogations are done when the investigators believe that the suspect is guilty. Most interrogational techniques involve coercing subjects to alter their perception of their situation regardless of their true guilt. The longer the interrogation is, the more likely the interrogator is to get a false confession. The interrogation techniques used in the American criminal justice system could be linked to the occurrences of false confessions, which harm the effectiveness of the system

greatly.
Criminal trials are the central aspect of the American criminal justice system. Biased testimonies can sway the opinions of the jury and create a false sense of accuracy. Witnesses are usually portrayed as neutral, but in most cases, defendants who testify are motivated to save themselves from punishment. Victim-witnesses are also motivated to see the perpetrator suffer punishment. Groupthink in law enforcement personal can affect motivation as well. Witness preparation in particular can sway testimony. Lawyers usually prepare witnesses before the trial to promote his/her client. In most cases, the testimonies of witnesses are taken into full consideration by the jury, although there could be multiple motivating factors pushing for a certain outcome, which is a major shortcoming of the jury process.
The criminal justice system in America has major shortcomings are apparent including conducting investigations, reliability of eyewitnesses, interrogation techniques, and the inaccuracy of the jury system. Throughout the book, In Doubt, Dan Simon cites cases that were solved incorrectly due to one of these four shortcomings. DNA exonerations have revealed that some cases that seemed so simply due to witness identification or confession of guilt were mishandled and therefore the incorrect person was incarcerated. Most of these issues stem from the fact that human motivations and beliefs can be changed through psychological issues.