Re: Early Memories, was Re: And you thought "Christians" hated Harry Potter before

"Brion K. Lienhart" <brionl@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote in
news:Y4-dnWFur59ec7banZ2dnUVZ_iydnZ2d@xxxxxxxxxxx:

Terry Austin wrote:
"Brion K. Lienhart" <brionl@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote in
news:C-6dnXPDL6qj_rbanZ2dnUVZ_u_inZ2d@xxxxxxxxxxx:

Terry Austin wrote:
pv+usenet@xxxxxxxxx (PV) wrote in
news:13ijpdk2dbrnq9f@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx:

"Keith F. Lynch" <kfl@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx> writes:
Anecdotal evidence is not evidence at all. *
Judges and juries disagree.
No they don't. *
Yes, actually, they do. Cases are decided on anecdotal evidence all
the time.

Two Words. McMartin Preschool.

Two more words: no convictions. Not. A. Single. One. Do try to keep
that in mind. (There were, in fact, several high profile cases
similar to McMartin, in several states, around the same time, each
with a hundred plus counts. Not a single one ever produce a single
conviction, though there were a number of guilty please, probably
brought on by false confessions).

Not convicted doesn't help much when you are bankrupt and your life
and livelihood are destroyed. Not a convicted Child Molester still
tends to drag down your resume.

Do you think that's worse than a long prison sentence for a crime you did
not commit? Seriously, do you? Cuz it looks like you do.

The whole case was based on the memories of young children of things
that had happened to them when they were even younger. Turns out,
nothing happened.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/McMartin_preschool_trial

No, the whole case was based on false memories planted, possibly
deliberately, by untrained, unqualified, malicious investigators who
should never have been allowed in the same room with children. And,
as a direct result, investigators who interview children in criminal
cases are now required to be certified in techniques that are far
less likely to plant false memories.

(It's also not really a case of false memories so much as young
children being, generally speaking, very eager to please authority
figures. Similar mechanisms, though.)

As opposed to young children making up their own false memories or
being influenced, possibly accidentally, by untrained, unqualified
family members.

Which is exactly what I said, moron.

--
Terry Austin
Beware the other head of science. It bites.
.