Eyewitnesses can identify perpetrators more accurately when they are able to manipulate 3D images of suspects, according to a new study. A team of researchers in the University of Birmingham's School of Psychology developed and tested new interactive lineup software which enables witnesses to rotate and view lineup faces from different angles. When the eyewitnesses were able to rotate the image to match the alignment of the face in their memory, they were more likely to accurately pick out the criminal from the lineup. Lineups are used around the globe to help police identify criminals. Typically these involve witnesses examining an image of the suspect alongside 'fillers' - individuals who look similar, but who weren't involved in the crime. The ability of the eyewitness to accurately identify guilty from innocent suspects is known as discrimination accuracy. According to the US-based Innocence Project , misidentification is the single greatest cause of wrongful conviction in the US.
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