Bottom-up Approach Flashcards
Define the bottom-up approach to offender profiling
The bottom-up approach is where profilers work up from systematic analysis of evidence collected at the crime scene to create a unique picture to the offender. It’s a more grounded theory than the top-down approach.
Who developed the bottom up approach?
Largely developed in Britain by David Canter, he aimed to make the process of offender profiling much more scientific.
Describe investigative psychology as a type of bottom-up profiling.
A form of bottom-up profiling matching details from crime scene with statistical analyses of typically offender behaviour patterns, based on psychological theory. Reveals significant details about the likely offender.
What is meant by interpersonal coherence?
The way a person behaves at the crime scene is called ‘interpersonal coherence’ e.g. how they interact with the victim. Assumes the way the act in crime scene is how they act in real life.
What is forensic awareness and how might this be important when identifying behaviour?
Forensic awareness describes those individuals who have been the subject of police interrogation before so their behaviour may denote how mindful they are at covering their tracks.
Define geographical profiling, and how developed it?
Geographical profiling was developed by Kim Rossmo. It’s a form of bottom-up profiling based on spatial-consistency an offender’s base and future offences can be inferred through the geographical location of previously.
What is meant by crime mapping?
Crime mapping is using information from the linked crime scenes to make inferences about the likely base of the offender.
What is meant by centre of gravity?
It’s where the offender is likely to be based and likely to be the next offender locations.
What is the difference between the marauder and the commuter?
The marauder operates close to home whereas the commuter is likely to have travelled a distance away from their usual residence
Why does the case of Racheal Nickell provide evidence against both types of profiling?
Use of investigative psychology gave a false profiling for Colin Stagg. They ruled out actually killer because they believed he was too small
