Credibilityof Evidence

Credibility of Sources

Do you believe the source?

Can you trust the claims being made?

Evaluating CredibilityThe RAVEN Test

Reputation

Ability to See

Vested Interest

Expertise

Neutrality / Bias

RAVEN

Reputation

What is the track record of the witness?

What is the status of the witness?

• TRACK RECORD - If a person has told TRACK RECORD - If a person has told lies in the past, then we will be less lies in the past, then we will be less trusting of them in the futuretrusting of them in the future

• STATUSSTATUS - If a person is in a position of If a person is in a position of authority then their status authority then their status suggestssuggests that they can be trusted, as they need that they can be trusted, as they need to be trustworthy to do that job.to be trustworthy to do that job.

Reputation

Whose reputation would you trust?

Job ✓ or ✗ Reasoning

Politician

Doctor

Used carsalesman

Teacher

Ability to See

Were they there to witness what happened?

Did they have a clear view of what happened?

Ability to See

A person who can see an event happening is A person who can see an event happening is more reliable than someone who did not see the more reliable than someone who did not see the event.event.

Use of other senses?Sense How could this affect a witness’s

evidence?

Sight

Hearing

Smell

Taste

Touch

Vested Interest

Does the witness have something to gain by telling the truth?

Does the witness have something to gain by telling lies?

Vested Interest

If somebody has a vested interest, then the If somebody has a vested interest, then the credibility of their evidence is weakened, and credibility of their evidence is weakened, and therefore they are not as trustworthy.therefore they are not as trustworthy.

Expertise

• Does the witness know what they are talking about?

• Is their expertise relevant?

Expertise

• This doesn’t mean that somebody has to be an This doesn’t mean that somebody has to be an expert to give evidence, but somebody who expert to give evidence, but somebody who knows what they are talking about is more knows what they are talking about is more trustworthy than someone who doesn’t.trustworthy than someone who doesn’t.

• Expertise relates to whether an observer has the Expertise relates to whether an observer has the right background knowledge to give evidence on right background knowledge to give evidence on a subject.a subject.

Does the witness have expertise?

A traffic accident has occurred and the following witnesses come forward to give their account

Learning Driver

Traffic Policeman

Motor Mechanic

Primary School Child

Neutrality / Bias• Is the witness a neutral observer?

• Or does the witness have reason to favour one particular side of a dispute?

Neutrality / Bias

• A neutral witness is somebody that doesn’t take A neutral witness is somebody that doesn’t take a side on the argument. If a person is neutral, a side on the argument. If a person is neutral, they are not influenced either way.they are not influenced either way.

• The opposite of neutrality is Bias. If a person is The opposite of neutrality is Bias. If a person is biased, they have already made their mind up biased, they have already made their mind up about a situation.about a situation.

Bias In War ReportingWe:

Take out

Suppress

Eliminate

Neutralise

Dig in

Our boys are:

Professional

Cautious

Heroes

Loyal

Brave

We have:

Army, Navy, RAF

Reporting Guidelines

Press Briefings

Our leader is:

Resolute

Statesmanlike

Assured

They:

Destroy

Destroy

Kill

Kill

Cower in foxholes

They have:

A war machine

Censorship

Propaganda

Theirs are:

Brainwashed

Cowardly

Cornered

Blindly Obedient

Fanatical

Theirs is:

Defiant

An evil tyrant

A crackpot monster