Reading Assignment for Section 6.1

Read the following subsection from our online textbook: Section 6.1: Identification Procedures.

Note: This section spans multiple pages, so be sure to review all pages to fully understand the material.

What You Will Learn

In this section, you’ll explore the processes and constitutional considerations involved in various identification procedures used in criminal investigations. You’ll learn about field identifications, lineups, and photographic arrays, as well as the safeguards in place to prevent suggestiveness and misidentification. Additionally, you’ll examine the role of forensic identification techniques, such as DNA analysis and fingerprinting, and the principles of fairness and scientific accuracy that ensure these methods respect individual rights while supporting law enforcement efforts.

Student Learning Outcomes for Section 6.1

• SLO 1: Describe the purpose, process, and constitutional considerations of field identifications (show-ups), including their strengths, weaknesses, and safeguards against misidentification as demonstrated in Stovall v. Denno (1967).
• SLO 2: Explain the procedures and legal standards governing lineups, including the role of counsel and safeguards to prevent suggestiveness, as established by United States v. Wade (1967) and Neil v. Biggers (1972).
• SLO 3: Analyze the use of photographic arrays as an identification tool, emphasizing due process protections and reliability standards, citing cases such as Manson v. Brathwaite (1977) and Simmons v. United States (1968).
• SLO 4: Evaluate the role and constitutional implications of forensic identification techniques, including fingerprinting, DNA analysis, and digital data collection, referencing rulings in Davis v. Mississippi (1969), Maryland v. King (2013), and Carpenter v. United States (2018).
• SLO 5: Assess common themes in identification procedures, including fairness, reliability, and scientific accuracy, and explain how these principles balance effective law enforcement practices with the protection of individual rights.