Double-Blind Administration
Definition
Lineup administration by an officer who does not know which member is the suspect. Removes the possibility of administrator cue effects. The standard recommendation of NIJ 1999, NIJ 2017, NAS 2014, and post-reform legislation across the US, and inherent in the UK VIPER system design.
- Definition
- Lineup administrator does not know the suspect's identity
- Purpose
- Removes administrator cue effects
- Recommended by
- NIJ 1999, NIJ 2017, NAS 2014
- UK equivalent
- Built into VIPER system design
Common questions
What is an administrator cue effect that double-blind procedure prevents?+
An administrator who knows which lineup member is the suspect can unintentionally signal that identity through tone of voice, body language, lingering eye contact, or a confirming reaction after a choice is made. These cues bias witness confidence and selection even without any deliberate misconduct.
Is double-blind administration mandatory everywhere, or just recommended?+
It varies by jurisdiction. Several US states have written double-blind administration into statute or binding police procedure following post-reform legislation, while in other places it remains a best-practice recommendation from bodies like NIJ and NAS rather than a legal requirement, so its absence does not automatically bar the identification evidence.
Related terms
- BNSS 2023 § 54
- The Indian statutory provision governing identification parades, replacing CrPC § 9. Requires the parade to be held before a magistrate with persons...
- Functional Size
- The number of lineup members who are plausible perpetrators given the witness's prior description. A lineup with nominal size six but functional...
- Must-Be-There Bias
- The tendency of witnesses to make a lineup identification even when uncertain, if they believe the perpetrator is present. Substantially reduced by...
- Relative Judgement
- The cognitive strategy of comparing lineup members to each other and selecting the best match to memory. Encouraged by the simultaneous format...
- Sequential Lineup
- A lineup in which members are presented one at a time, with the witness making a yes/no decision on each before seeing...
- Simultaneous Lineup
- A lineup in which the witness views all persons or photographs at the same time and selects one. Encourages relative judgement (who...
- VIPER System
- Video Identification Parade Electronic Recording, the default identification procedure in England and Wales since 2003. Uses standardised database clips administered by an...