Changed Alibis

Abstract

Despite numerous calls for more research on alibis, there remain many unanswered questions. Three experiments tested the beliefs about and behaviors toward criminal suspects who changed or maintained their alibi statements. In Experiments 1 ( N = 350) and 2 ( N = 211), participants included current law enforcement officers, criminal justice and psychology undergraduate students who intended to enter law enforcement (future law enforcement officers), and those students who did not intend to do so (laypersons). Only students were used in Experiment 3 ( N = 423). Alibi statements were changed (strengthened or weakened) or were maintained in all studies. Results showed that groups had more favorable beliefs about and behaviors toward those alibi statements that were maintained than those that were changed. This research suggests that any lapse in memory for one’s timeline of events could prove detrimental to the suspect.

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