Showup Identifications

Showup identifications, or showups (also known as field identifications and one-on-ones), involve the presentation of a single suspect to a witness of a crime for purposes of identification. Although included with police lineups as a manner for conducting identification tests, showups serve a unique purpose in the course of a criminal investigation. Since they normally occur shortly after the crime when a suspect is found close to the crime location, showups are often used to screen potential suspects before other evidence is available. They serve to generate probable cause for arrest of the identified suspect and to discourage pursuit of false leads when the witness does not identify the suspect. Although showups have a unique investigative value, showup identifications are less reliable than those obtained ...