Memory and the Law

The post “Guidelines on Memory and the Law” at Neurophilosophy summarizes a report, commissioned by the British Psychological Society, regarding the implications of memory research for the legal profession. “These guidelines, which are available as a PDF, are intended to inform those who work in criminal and civil law – for example, the police as they try to extract detailed information by interviews, or defence barristers as they assess a claimant’s reliability.”

There are 10 key points mentioned in the summary, one of which is “People can remember events that they have not in reality experienced.”

For a poignant comment on the reverse situation, see “Momentary Clarity“.