Simultaneous Lineup
Definition
A lineup in which the witness views all persons or photographs at the same time and selects one. Encourages relative judgement (who looks most like the perpetrator?) and produces higher false-identification rates than the sequential format in target-absent conditions.
- Presentation
- All lineup members shown to the witness at once
- Judgment type
- Encourages relative judgement between members
- Error risk
- Higher false identification rate in target-absent lineups
- Alternative
- Sequential lineup
Common questions
Why does relative judgement increase false identification risk?+
Viewing everyone together lets a witness pick whoever looks most similar to their memory of the perpetrator relative to the others, even when the true perpetrator is not in the lineup at all, rather than judging each person independently against memory.
How does a sequential lineup reduce this risk?+
Showing members one at a time and requiring a yes-or-no decision on each before moving on forces an absolute judgement against memory instead of a comparison between members, which research shows lowers false identifications in target-absent lineups.
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...
- 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...
- VIPER System
- Video Identification Parade Electronic Recording, the default identification procedure in England and Wales since 2003. Uses standardised database clips administered by an...