The Development of Statement Reality Analysis

Abstract

The development of the Statement Reality Analysis (SRA) technique is described. The technique is employed to assess the credibility of witness evidence in criminal cases. An expert psychologist is appointed by the court in cases in which a child’s evidence is central in criminal proceedings. The expert interviews the child, other principals in the event, reviews the forensic evidence, attends the trial and then renders an opinion to the court of the credibility of the child’s evidence. Procedures like SRA are employed in both parts of Germany and in Sweden. The chapter begins with a critical examination of eyewitness research and its limited value in real forensic contexts. The origins of SRA are then traced from a court decision in Germany in the 1950s to its full elaboration in the 1970s. The assumptions underlying the SRA procedure are detailed and the procedure outlined.