Jennifer E. Dysart

Dr. Jennifer E. Dysart is a tenured Associate Professor of Psychology at John Jay College of Criminal Justice, part of the City University of New York (CUNY). Her research focuses on eyewitness identification accuracy, police procedures, and reducing errors in criminal justice systems. She holds a Ph.D. in Social Psychology from Queen’s University (2004), an MA (1999), and a BA (1998) from St. Thomas University. Dr. Dysart has conducted over 20 years of research examining how police practices influence mistaken identifications and authored/co-authored influential works like Eyewitness Testimony: Civil and Criminal (2020). She has testified in federal and state courts as an expert witness on eyewitness memory and delivered over 165 lectures on forensic psychology at judicial conferences, universities, and law enforcement events.

Her research emphasizes safeguards against wrongful convictions, including blind lineup administration and sequential procedures. She collaborates with prominent figures like Dr. Elizabeth Loftus and has published extensively in peer-reviewed journals such as Law and Human Behavior and Psychology, Public Policy and Law. Her work bridges psychological science and legal practice, advocating for evidence-based policy reforms in eyewitness evidence handling.

Dr. Dysart’s expertise extends to false confessions and alibi errors, exploring cognitive mechanisms behind memory distortions. She actively engages with policymakers, testifying before legislative committees to improve forensic practices. Her contributions highlight the intersection of empirical research and real-world legal implications.