Memory and the Law provides an authoritative introduction to the role of memory in law. The legal system has been slow to adapt to research findings on memory, even though such findings have implications for the use of memory as evidence, not only in the case of eyewitness testimony, but also for how jurors, barristers, and judges weigh evidence. This book draws on the latest research to identify common misunderstandings and misconceptions about memory and bring to the forefront, the modern understanding of memory and its role in the legal system.

Memory and the Law provides an authoritative introduction to the role of memory in law. The legal system has been slow to adapt to research findings on memory, even though such findings have implications for the use of memory as evidence, not only in the case of eyewitness testimony, but also for how jurors, barristers, and judges weigh evidence. This book draws on the latest research to identify common misunderstandings and misconceptions about memory and bring to the forefront, the modern understanding of memory and its role in the legal system.

This book provides a state-of-the-art review and critical evaluation of research into 'flashbulb' memories. The opening chapters explore the 'encoding' view of flashbulb memory formation and critically appraise a number of lines of research that have opposed this view. It is concluded that this research does not provide convincing evidence for the rejection of the encoding view.
Subsequent chapters review and appraise more recent work which has generally found in favour of the flashbulb concept. But this research too, does not provide unequivocal support for the encoding view of flashbulb...