Alibis and Corroborators

Book excerpt: This book aims to increase understanding of alibis and corroborators, examining the role alibis play – or fail to play – in innocence cases. It analyses the factors that can influence the suspect, the defense team, the alibi corroborator, and ultimately the alibi statement itself. Recognition of and reactions to wrongful convictions have been on the rise as researchers and society take a closer, more critical look at America’s criminal justice system. In addition to serving as a complete review of the science, this volume discusses issues such as alibi generation; alibi believability; a proposed theory of alibis; international comparisons of issues in alibi corroboration; age and gender differences in alibi corroboration; attorney perceptions and use of alibi evidence; and erroneous alibis. Offering an in-depth, empirical view, this book will appeal to students and researchers interested in Criminology, Legal Psychology, Social Psychology, Law, and practitioners in our legal and criminal justice systems who are making tough decisions about this distinctive witness type.