Sequential Lineup
Definition
A lineup in which members are presented one at a time, with the witness making a yes/no decision on each before seeing the next. Encourages absolute judgement. Proposed by Lindsay and Wells (1985); shows reduced false identifications and a better diagnostic ratio when properly administered.
- Presentation
- One member at a time
- Decision required
- Yes/no per member before seeing the next
- Judgement type encouraged
- Absolute, not relative
- Proposed by
- Lindsay and Wells
- Year
- 1985
Common questions
Why does a sequential lineup reduce false identifications compared to a simultaneous one?+
Viewing members one at a time discourages the witness from comparing lineup members against each other and simply picking whoever looks most like the perpetrator relative to the rest, a relative-judgement strategy that increases the risk of misidentifying an innocent filler when the true perpetrator is absent.
What does 'properly administered' mean in the context of sequential lineup benefits?+
The documented benefits assume double-blind administration, where the administrator does not know who the suspect is, along with instructions that the perpetrator may not be present and that the witness cannot go back to a previous member, since deviations from these procedures can erode the sequential advantage.
What is the diagnostic ratio, and why is it used to compare lineup methods?+
The diagnostic ratio compares the rate of correct identifications of guilty suspects to the rate of mistaken identifications of innocent suspects, giving a single measure of how well a lineup procedure discriminates guilt from innocence rather than looking at identification rates alone.
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...
- Double-Blind Administration
- Lineup administration by an officer who does not know which member is the suspect. Removes the possibility of administrator cue effects. The...
- 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...
- 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...