A Review Study on Scrutinizing the Efficacy of Single-Blind Versus Double-Blind Police Line-ups

Abstract

DNA Profiling was not so efficiently developed and utilized in the earlier times to get a conclusive proof. Almost all convictions were solely based on the eye-witness’ identification of the suspect. The innocent had a fair chance of being convicted for a crime he/she did not commit because of his/her resemblance to the real culprit. After the advent of the DNA technology in the recent past, results mostly proved to be inconclusive due to inexperience of the experts. Even in those cases, eye-witness identification and testimony were given primary importance. One of the eye-witness identification procedures is “line-up”. There can be live line-ups as well as photo line-ups. The present study circumference the reviews of the inefficiency of single-blind line-ups (in which the administrating officer knows the identity of the perpetrator while the victim does not) in comparison to double-blind line-ups (where both the parties are unaware of the identity of the perpetrator). Cases from the recent past have been highlighted in the study to get a clearer perspective of the line-up procedure and how a poor and biased administration procedure leads to the conviction of an innocent.