Memories are the ultimate foundation of testimony in legal settings ranging from criminal trials to divorce mediations and custody hearings. Yet the last decade has seen mounting evidence of various ways in which the accuracy of memories can be distorted on the one hand and enhanced on the other. This book offers a long-awaited comprehensive and balanced overview of what we now understand about children's and adults' eyewitness capabilities--and of the important practical and theoretical implications of this new understanding. The authors, leading clinicians and behavioral scientists with diverse training experiences and points of view, provide insight into the social, cognitive, developmental, and legal factors that affect the accuracy and quality of information obtained in forensic interviews.

Armed with the knowledge these chapters convey, practitioners in psychology, psychiatry, social work, criminology, law, and other relevant fields will be better informed about the strengths and limitations of witnesses' accounts; researchers will be better poised to design powerful new studies.

Memory and Suggestibility in the Forensic Interview will be a crucial resource for anyone involved in elucidating, interpreting, and reporting the memories of others.

About the Author
Jodi A. Quas, Mitchell L. Eisen, Gail S. Goodman

Reviews

"...does exactly what it sets out to do. That is, it provides an up-to-date summary of the existing literature, informs the reader of the current views and recommended practices, and suggests new directions for 'anyone involved in elucidating, interpreting, and reporting the memories of others....a worthy addition to the bookshelves of academics and professionals interested in forensic interviews....the sort of book to be kept at hand, to refer back to again and again. Students studying memory accuracy and distortion will also find this volume an invaluable shortcut to learning the theories on applied human memory..."
-The Clinical Psychologist

"This book is readable and is broken down into 18 easily digestible chapters....The book is comprehensive and balanced in its approach, covering both clinical and research aspects of studying memory and suggestibility. In summary, Memory and Suggestibility in Forensic the Interview is a valuable resource that will benefit mental health and other professionals seeking to learn more about memory and its controversial role in the courtroom."
-Psychiatric Services

"...a very valuable collection that will be of interest to practitioners as well as researchers."
-Contemporary Psychology

"Written by a collection of leading scholars, Memory and Suggestibility in the Forensic Interview provides authoritative coverage of a topic that is both timely and important. I highly recommend this authoritative book to anyone interested in memory and its relation to the law."
-Daniel P. Schacter, Ph.D.
Professor of Psychology, Harvard University; Author, The Seven Sins of Memory: H

"A rich and diverse walk through the complexities and controversies of traumatic memories. Eisen, Quas, and Goodman bring together a balanced selection of clinical and research chapters that will serve the needs of practitioners and scholars seeking to define the limits of practice and current knowledge."
-Frank W. Putnam, M.D.
Professor of Pediatrics and Child Psychiatry, University of Cincinnati

"Sometimes you bowl a strike; sometimes a spare; more often you leave pins standing. With this volume, Mitch Eisen, Jodi Quas, and Gail Goodman bowled a strike. This is a superb analysis of the complex subject of forensic interviewing."
-John E.B. Myers, Ph.D., J.D.
Professor of Law, University of the Pacific

Book Information
ISBN 9781138003163
Author Mitchell L. Eisen
Format Paperback
Page Count 496
Imprint Routledge
Publisher Taylor & Francis Ltd
Weight(grams) 816g