MisID

MisID, short for misidentification, is the incorrect identification of a person, object, or place as something else. In legal and forensic contexts, misID most often refers to the mistaken identification of a suspect by witnesses or investigators, which can contribute to wrongful arrests or convictions. The term is also used more generally to describe errors in biometric matches, surveillance reviews, or cataloging where the entity is mislabeled.

Eyewitness misidentification is a central concern in criminal justice. Witnesses may identify a suspect from a lineup or photo array under stress, with limited viewing time, or after exposure to misleading information. Procedural factors, such as non-blind administration or poorly chosen lineup fillers, can inflate false identifications. Cross-racial bias, memory distortions, and post-event information can further degrade accuracy.

MisID can have serious consequences, including wrongful charges, protracted litigation, and wrongful conviction. In many exoneration cases, mistaken identification by a witness played a key role, sometimes later corrected by DNA testing or reinvestigation.

Prevention relies on lineup reforms and standardized protocols: double-blind administration, sequential lineups, properly selected fillers, clear witness instructions, and independent documentation or recording of identifications. Training on memory, bias awareness, and confidence assessment can reduce errors. These reforms are increasingly adopted in police departments and courts to lower misID risk.

See also: eyewitness testimony, wrongful conviction, lineup, DNA exoneration, cross-racial bias.