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Archive: May 2022

New Wilson Center Report Highlights 7-Year Evolution of Eyewitness Identification 

May 20, 2022

For Immediate Release: May 20, 2022 

DURHAM, N.C. — Eyewitness identification has come a long way in the past seven years — the last time the National Academy of Sciences (NAS) summarized the state of research in that area. There … Continue Reading →

Viral Injustice: COVID-19 is Disproportionately Impacting Incarcerated Population

April 20, 2021

By Annie Han

The COVID-19 Pandemic has disproportionately impacted people incarcerated in the US with 28% of the current incarcerated population testing positive for the virus compared to 9% of the general population. These outbreaks in prisons present serious health … Continue Reading →

Faculty Spotlight Series: Fabiana Alceste

March 25, 2021

By De’Ja Wood

Dr. Fabiana Alceste is a Latina professor of psychology at Butler University who was born in Caracas, Venezuela and raised Miami, Florida. Dr. Alceste earned her Bachelor of Arts in Psychology and her Bachelor of Science in … Continue Reading →

Research Seeks to Assess How Eyewitness ID Speed is Interpreted Regarding Accuracy

March 9, 2021

By Ruthie Kesri

Criminal justice is front and center this election season. Politicians across the country are increasingly aware of the need for reforms addressing the high risk of wrongful conviction within this system.

“Eyewitness Identification Speed: Slow Identifications from … Continue Reading →

Wilson Center’s Fall Students Bring Excitement, Passion for Criminal Justice Work

February 1, 2021

More than 40 students worked with the Wilson Center during the fall semester, with many continuing on with their projects this spring.

The Duke University undergraduates, law students, and graduate students worked across more than 10 projects, bringing their excitement … Continue Reading →

Online Conference Offers Scholars Maximum Feedback on Research

January 29, 2021

By Belle Allmendinger

The Wilson Center and Duke Law’s Ben Grunwald hosted the inaugural Empirical Criminal Law Roundtable in December.

“We are so pleased to have gathered together such an impressive and collegial group of scholars from across the country, … Continue Reading →

CSAFE Presentation Examines Lay Jurors Perceptions of Forensics

December 18, 2020

Wilson Center researchers recently joined Nicholas Scurich, Associate Professor of Criminology, Law & Society, Vice Chair of the Department of Psychological Science at the University of California in Irvine, to explain their findings about lay jurors perceptions of forensic evidence.… Continue Reading →

In-Depth Look at Wilson Center-Affiliated Bass Connections Projects

December 16, 2020

By: Alexi DeLara

Every year, Duke University offers the opportunity for undergraduate and graduate students to participate in Bass Connections, year-long research projects spanning a variety of topics. These students work as a team alongside faculty with a common end … Continue Reading →

New Mexico Supreme Court Raises Eyewitness ID Standards

December 14, 2020

The New Mexico Supreme Court recently cited Wilson Center research in a unanimous opinion that raises the standards for eyewitness identification under the state constitution.

The opinion in State v. Martinez affirmed a man’s convictions for killing two Santa Fe … Continue Reading →

Upcoming Paper Encourages Redistribution of Police Power

November 20, 2020

By De’Ja Wood

Over the summer, the murder of George Floyd in Minneapolis, Minnesota, sparked national protests and discourse about the need for radical police reform. Organizers across the nation called on their local and state governments to defund the … Continue Reading →

Firearms Testimony: Should it be the Smoking Gun?

November 19, 2020

By Alexi DeLara 

In recent decades, researchers, judges, and journalists have raised questions regarding the reliability of a range of widely utilized forensic techniques. This includes, but is not limited to, forensic comparison methods, such as latent fingerprint and firearm … Continue Reading →

Join Our Team: Wilson Center Hiring an Associate Director

November 18, 2020

The Wilson Center for Science and Justice at Duke Law School is hiring an Associate Director.

From the job description:

The Wilson Center for Science and Justice aims to conduct interdisciplinary research to advance criminal justice and civil rights. The … Continue Reading →