Shari Berkowitz

Professor of Crim Justice at Cal State University @DominguezHills. PhD/BA @UCIrvine. Views my own.

[Shari Berkowitz @sharirberkowitz]

Eyewitness testimony @UCIrvine. A small seminar taught by ⭐️ Dr. Elizabeth Loftus (@eloftus1). She taught me that innocent people are in prison, and memory can be distorted. She invited me to join her lab, and the rest is history. Now I’m a professor and expert witness.

[Shari Berkowitz @sharirberkowitz]

@moore_psych @TheSyndromeFilm Yes, you must watch! Mins 17:55-25:00 explain the satanic panic/shaken baby connection. A fellow Loftus lab PhD & I saw @TheSyndromeFilm at a film festival in 2015. We were 😳 @drlambchop @HenryOtgaar @lawrence_wright - I think you’ll be interested in this wild backstory, too!

[Shari Berkowitz @sharirberkowitz]

Shaken baby syndrome (SBS) is junk science, but its creation is even more dubious! Watch the @TheSyndromeFilm👇 & learn how the very pediatricians who spearheaded the BS idea of satanic ritual abuse invented SBS after the world caught on that it was all just satanic panic.

[The Syndrome documentary @TheSyndromeFilm]

Watch now. Free to stream - no login required. (N. America) https://t.co/LBx3pSTPRj #documentary #science #criminaljustice

[J.D. Miles @jdmiles11]

#Breaking Texas Supreme Court stays the execution of #RobertRoberson halting the scheduled execution

[Shari Berkowitz @sharirberkowitz]

For more on shaken baby see Tuerkheimer’s 📖 “Flawed Convictions: SBS…” For more on cops detecting liars see criticisms of Reid Technique & behavioral analysis interview by @SDrizin & Richard Leo. For more on trauma myths see Rich McNally’s 📖“Remembering Trauma.”

[Shari Berkowitz @sharirberkowitz]

Texas is set on executing Robert Roberson based on decades of junk science and myths.

Shaken baby syndrome = junk science
Cops who can detect liars from truth tellers = BS
Single response to trauma = myth

Please Governor @GregAbbott_TX, save Robert!

[Scott Braddock @scottbraddock]

Just in: The Texas Court of Criminal Appeals rules against the Texas House effort to subpoena death row inmate Robert Roberson. Chair @leachfortexas and @moodyforelpaso will now make one last effort asking the Texas Supreme Court to weigh in #TxLege

[Neena Satija @neenareports]

BREAKING: An Austin judge just ordered the state to comply with a #txlege subpoena for #RobertRoberson, which could delay his execution. But an attorney for @KenPaxtonTX indicated that he'd appeal to the CCA, which has already denied Roberson relief multiple times.

[Innocence Project @innocence]

Just now, a judge has granted a temporary order stopping the scheduled execution of #RobertRoberson, who has maintained his innocence for over two decades. The Office of the Attorney General says it will appeal this decision. https://t.co/S03o3ccwVu

[Steven Mazie @stevenmazie]

JUST IN: SCOTUS denies Roberson’s plea with no public dissents. But Justice Sotomayor writes a statement urging Texas’s governor to grant Roberson clemency and put a stop to his execution scheduled for tonight

[Neena Satija @neenareports]

Fascinating strategy from these state lawmakers. In an attempt to stop the execution of #RobertRoberson that is scheduled for tomorrow night, they have subpoenad him to appear at a #txlege hearing.
Background here: https://t.co/DWYsi5FsUn

[Shari Berkowitz @sharirberkowitz]

This thread by @pamelacolloff is a MUST read/watch! This awful injustice to Robert Roberson is frightening.

With less than 24 hours to Robert’s execution, call Governor @GregAbbott_TX NOW. It’s Robert’s only chance. Please save him. Call 361-264-9653.

[Pamela Colloff @pamelacolloff]

It's hard to overstate how strong the evidence of innocence is in Roberson's case. Yet every institution that should stop his execution from moving forward--from the courts to the parole board--has failed. This is a sickening moment and makes a mockery of the idea of due process.

[Shari Berkowitz @sharirberkowitz]

@AletheiaFX @eloftus1 Thank you again for the opportunity to contribute, @mariahartwig. We are so pleased to support the wonderful work of Project @AletheiaFX! ☺️

[Project Aletheia @AletheiaFX]

We are indebted to @eloftus1 and @sharirberkowitz for providing a #StateOfTheScience report on #FalseMemories

Check it out at https://t.co/lkzyc2oiaj

[Shari Berkowitz @sharirberkowitz]

@cekubrin Congratulations, Charis!! 🥳

[Shari Berkowitz @sharirberkowitz]

@cosmo_bruce funny timing! Here’s some use of AI in my field. 😊

[Shari Berkowitz @sharirberkowitz]

Me reading the tweet 👇:“Ooh, I have to tell my mentor about this fascinating new research!”

Me two seconds later: Oh, she actually co-authored the article. 😂 Cool work, @eloftus1 et al.!

[Valerio Capraro @ValerioCapraro]

Participants interacted with a generative AI “police” chatbot instructed to instill false memories regarding a crime.

And guess what?

It succeeded, almost doubling the frequency of false memories compared to a condition in which they were induced using a standard survey method.

Last week, we saw a paper in Science showing that GPT-4 can reduce conspiracy beliefs in conspiracy theorists.

Today, we see a paper demonstrating that generative AI chatbots are capable of manipulating memory.

This is a strong reminder that generative AI is an extremely powerful persuasion tool, neither inherently good nor inherently bad. It can be used for both beneficial and harmful purposes.

We need to be aware of this and build appropriate safety guardrails.

Paper: https://t.co/meVWiBF3NU

[Shari Berkowitz @sharirberkowitz]

#Jeopardy’s phrasing is extra confusing (even for the experts 😂), but nice to see one of Beth Loftus’s most famous experiments featured! 👀

[Shari Berkowitz @sharirberkowitz]

Georgia executed #TroyDavis 13 years and 2 days ago. Absolutely terrified this mistake will happen again if Missouri executes #MarcellusWilliams tomorrow. Please #SCOTUS… I beg you - save Marcellus!

[Innocence Project @innocence]

BREAKING: Despite widespread support for clemency based on serious doubts about the integrity of Marcellus Williams’ conviction and death sentence, @GovParsonMO has denied clemency to Marcellus, who is scheduled to be executed tomorrow at 6 p.m. CT. https://t.co/E59wbuj6UR

[Shari Berkowitz @sharirberkowitz]

@JasonCantone @CAMeissner @APLS41 @APA @apagradstudents Jason, your dream has come true! 🧚🏼‍♀️

Salary info for our two tenure-track Assistant Professor of criminal justice positions @ Cal State University can be found in our ads! Hoping psych law folks will apply!

https://t.co/CTYKd17lSA

And..

https://t.co/KJOCsNACft

[Shari Berkowitz @sharirberkowitz]

Psych/law pals — 2 weeks left to get your applications in to come work with me @ Cal State Dominguez Hills! ♥️💛 Two open asst prof positions in criminal justice (see ads below). Please RT, spread the word, etc. 🤞

[Shari Berkowitz @sharirberkowitz]

Hiring TWO tenure track assistant professors in crim justice admin @ Cal State University, Dominguez Hills. Both lines are open specialization. Reach out with any Qs. Join me in ☀️ LA. Our Toros are the best! ♥️💛

https://t.co/CTYKd17lSA

[Shari Berkowitz @sharirberkowitz]

Other line is open and seeks a colleague who can teach methods, stats, or theories of crime. Perhaps a fit for some of my psych law pals? 😊

https://t.co/KJOCsNACft

[Shari Berkowitz @sharirberkowitz]

Hiring TWO tenure track assistant professors in crim justice admin @ Cal State University, Dominguez Hills. Both lines are open specialization. Reach out with any Qs. Join me in ☀️ LA. Our Toros are the best! ♥️💛

https://t.co/CTYKd17lSA