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Distorted memory
Legal, criminological and forensic, Memory

Legal aspects of memory

Chris Brewin highlights a report on the intersection between law and memory.

04 September 2023

The Psychology and Law sections of the British Academy have collaborated to produce a summary of areas in which memory science is relevant to the law and criminal justice systems within the various UK jurisdictions.

The leading psychologists who authored the 44-page report are Alan Baddeley HonFBPsS (chair), Chris Brewin FBPsS, H. Valerie Curran, Graham Davies FBPsS, Heather Flowe, Gisli Gudjonsson FBPsS, Lucy Henry AFBPsS, Michael Kopelman FBPsS, Katie Maras, Laura Mickes, and Robin Morris FBPsS.

In addition to discussing memory concepts and the development of memory through the lifespan, the report includes sections on witness testimony, eyewitness identification, conditions that may impair memory, suspects' memory, and the memory expert in court. 

The report, published in June 2023, is available open access in the Journal of the British Academy.

Chris Brewin
University College London