eyewitness testimony

We rely on our memory to understand the world. But what if our memories aren't true? This week, we talk to psychologist Elizabeth Loftus about the malleability of memory — what we remember, and what we think we remember.

For more on the science of memory, including how you can strengthen your own ability to recall information, check out our episodes Remember More, Forget Less and Did That Really Happen?
 

Andrew Malkinson was convicted of rape in 2003 and it took nearly two decades for this miscarriage of justice to be corrected. But it could have happened much earlier, were it not for the police repeatedly bungling the case, or perhaps worse. Andrew joins Jon and Lewis for an extended conversation about his time in jail, what the police did wrong and what it tells us about the justice system itself.

A content warning - the episodes contains mentions of rape and suicide.

Editor: Tom Hughes

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Improving the accuracy of eyewitness testimony, including the use of the cognitive interview.

Few things are more compelling than a witness pointing out a defendant in the courtroom as the perpetrator. But few things are also more unreliable than eyewitness testimony. Our memories can be pretty terrible, which matters when you’re facing death row.

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Police lineups are something most people have never had any firsthand experience with. What you see on TV and in movies isn't so far off though. Learn about how these tropes work for real in today's episode. 

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We're the recorded information of all the experiences that came before the present moment. So how do we deal with the knowledge that some of the memories that compose us are fraudulent? Join Robert and Julie as they examine the world of false memories.

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The Innocence Project is an American non-profit organization whose mission is to exonerate wrongly convicted individuals and reform the legal system. Josh, Chuck and a special "guest" explain how the organization works -- and why it's necessary.

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