What is a lineup?

What is a lineup?

• A. A live presentation of individuals, before an eyewitness; for identification or elimination of suspects
• B. A single photograph shown to an eyewitness
• C. A DNA analysis procedure
• D. A police interview without a witness

Answer: (A)

A lineup is a live identification procedure where a group of individuals is presented in person to an eyewitness so the witness can identify or rule out the person who may have committed a crime. The key idea is presenting real people together in a controlled setting to test recognition and reduce bias, often with fillers who resemble the suspect to avoid cues that would tip off the witness. This type of procedure is about identification or elimination based on the witness’s memory of the actual event. Using a single photograph is not a live lineup; that would be a photo lineup or photo array, which serves a similar purpose but in a different format. A DNA analysis procedure is a forensic test unrelated to eyewitness identification. A police interview without a witness isn’t an identification lineup at all.

A lineup is a live identification procedure where a group of individuals is presented in person to an eyewitness so the witness can identify or rule out the person who may have committed a crime. The key idea is presenting real people together in a controlled setting to test recognition and reduce bias, often with fillers who resemble the suspect to avoid cues that would tip off the witness. This type of procedure is about identification or elimination based on the witness’s memory of the actual event.

Using a single photograph is not a live lineup; that would be a photo lineup or photo array, which serves a similar purpose but in a different format. A DNA analysis procedure is a forensic test unrelated to eyewitness identification. A police interview without a witness isn’t an identification lineup at all.