A03; top down approach

Question 1

what is a strength of top down apporoach?

Answer 1

p; there is support for DISTINCT ORGANISED category OFFENDER.

E; for example canter et al analysed 100 us MURDERS of different serial killers

to test oragnaised disorganised typology whcih is central to top down apprpoch.

E; he conducted a SMALL SPACE ANALYSIS in which he had asssesed the 39 differnt aspects of kllings which had reorccured

-inluding concealing boduy murdr wweapon etc

L; this suggests that there are subset of features that DO MATCH THE ORGANISED OFFENDER category

this means there is validity

COUTNETEPOINT
However studies show that DISORGANSIED AND ORNAGANISED MAY NKT BE MUTUALLY EXCLUSIVE —> Godwin in 2002 suggested that in reality it’s difficult
To classify a murderer as organised or disorgansied
—> may have combination of both charachteristic

Typology of organised disorganised is a continu um

Question 2

what is a limitstion tpo the top down apporach?

Answer 2

P; sample used =poor
E; inteviews with the sample zize of 36 murders–> THEN USED TO CLASSIFY ORGANISED OR DISORGANISED
E; this is unrepresentive as the sameple soze si not genralisbale ot the wider poplulation of criminasl
FURHTERMORE–> there were no stnadardf questions–>diffilcilt for comoariosn
-and the self report technique could not be true–>murder could want to fulfil socila desirabilirty

L; this means thatthere is no scientific basis and tjere could be innacuracy due to things like exaggeration etc