Improving Eyewitness Evidence and Avoiding Wrongful Convictions

Iowa State psychology professor Gary Wells is internationally recognized for his work on the reliability of eyewitness memory and identification, specifically the mistaken identification of suspected criminals in police lineups and photo spreads. His findings have been incorporated into standard textbooks in psychology and law, and his research-based proposals on lineup procedures, such as his idea of double-blind lineups, are being increasingly accepted in law enforcement practices. Wells was a founding member of the U.S. Department of Justice group that developed the first set of national guidelines for eyewitness evidence and co-chaired the panel that wrote the Justice Department training manual for law enforcement on eyewitness identification evidence. He holds the title of Distinguished Professor and Stavish Chair in the Social Sciences. College of Liberal Arts & Sciences Dean's Lecture Series.