British Psychological Society guidelines on memory

The British Psychological Society has published guidelines on latest evidence on human memory and how that evidence could be of use to the legal professions. Its a very handy overview prepared by experts in the field.
As the principal authors Martin A. Conway and Emily A. Holmes explain in the introduction to the report:
The guidelines and key points should then be taken as they are intended – as guidelines and not absolute statements. Because they are based on widely agreed and acknowledged scientific findings they provide a far more rigorously informed understanding of human memory than that available from commonly held beliefs. In this respect they give courts a much firmer basis for accurate decision-making.
According to the press release (11 July):
The report has some sobering key points on the reliability of peoples memories in court cases. Key points of Memory and Law include:
The content of memories arises from an individuals comprehension of an experience, both conscious and non-conscious. This content can be further modified and changed by subsequent recall
Any account of a memory will feature forgotten details and gaps
People can remember events that they have not in reality experienced
You can find out more about the research and download the full report via the BPS website here.
Photo credit: Martin Deutsch, Creative Commons License