Many people feel as though they fully understand the concept of memory but when asked exactly what it is, they find it difficult to put in words or simply define it as how we store and recall past and present information. The study of human memory has been a subject of research and major interest for many years. There are plenty of questions and theories surrounding the concept, but the subject remains quite complex. Majority of the time, many people tend to believe that they remember more than they actually do and most of the time the information that is recalled contains more inaccuracies than truth, but we still believe what we think we remember. Memory is far more unreliable than we may think and over time memory can fade and be left open to be altered and adjusted without realization. Although memory can be shaky and questionable, it still remains an important part of life and to no surprise, an important part of our justice system; specifically focusing on eyewitnesses. Society is aware of how faul
ty memory can be and traumatic events, stressful moments, and even questioning can modify how we remember the information we have stored. Regardless of how highly unreliable memory can be and the drastic effects it can have on eyewitness validity, it is still applied in our justice system. Adults every day are expected to present evidence in cases based on their recollection of events and many of times they may fall short. If adults struggle with their memory during questioning and testimonies, imagine if that same responsibility and the main source of information in a case had to come from a child. In many cases involving abuse or violence to a child or in a childs family, it is no surprise that children will be the prime witnesses and information source, but we have to wonder if that causes more harm than good. This paper will discuss the concept of memory, suggestibility of children, the importance and reliability of eyewitness testimony; and to what extent can we rely on the recollection of children.