What is the primary purpose of a live lineup?

The primary purpose of a live lineup is to determine witness identification of a suspect. In a live lineup, witnesses are brought in to view a group of individuals that includes a suspect to see if they can reliably identify the individual they believe committed the crime. This procedure is crucial in the criminal justice system as it helps in establishing the identity of the perpetrator based on witness memory and perception.

Witness identification can significantly impact the direction of an investigation and a subsequent trial, hence the importance of this method. It serves to provide a visual comparison directly between the suspect and the potential identifiers, ensuring that any selection is based on recent recollections of the incident rather than assumptions or external influence.

While assessing a suspect’s alibi, collecting forensic evidence, and conducting an interrogation are important aspects of criminal investigations, they do not directly pertain to the purpose of a live lineup, which is specifically focused on witness identification.