Chapter 1 Flashcards
Which crimes are suitable for profiling?
Sadistic torture in sexual assaults Sexual homicides Postmortem cases on slashing & cutting Motiveless fire settings Lust & mutilation murders Rape Occult ritualistic crimes Child sexual abuse including pedophilia Bank robberies Anonymous obscene communications Unusual crimes
Inductive profiling
Inductive-if specific crimes are similar, then offenders share similar personality characteristics.
Look at past crimes & offenders.
Quick & inexpensive
Deductive Profiling
Deductive-take a close look at crime scene and evidence to put together a profile of the offender. Takes more time. Assess offender fantasy. Interpret the crime scene. More reliable In practice, we use both types.
Goals of profiling
To construct a social and psychological assessment of the offender.
To construct a psychological evaluation of belongings of the offender.
To provide interviewing ideas and strategies.
Is profiling an art, science, or both?
It is one of many forensic tools.
Using profiling to interview suspects
In order to interview a subject effectively, one must use a profile packet which should contain information regarding proper and effective methods of interviewing and interrogation. This packet must contain information regarding different personalities and effective strategies in soliciting information form a diverse group of offenders.
Fictional books and profiling
In a novel, the successful resolution of a murder is usually neatly reached. Too often, the reader will note, the crime is neatly solved in the last paper or two. Unfortunately profiling does not always yield he same result.
What variables are included in a profile?
Age Sex Race Intelligence Education Family Residence Vehicle Employment Psychosexual Development Interrogation
What are the major assumptions of criminal profiling?
The Crime Scene Reflects the Personality.
The Method of Operation Remains Similar.
The Signature Will Remain the Same.
The Offender Will Not Change His Personality.
Medical theory
Genetic Factors
Neurotransmitters
Brain Structures
Research: The structure and functioning of the brain may change due to exposure to stressors. This may increase the predisposition to act out as a perpetrator.
Within this model, human behavior is explained through chemical reactions in that neurotransmitters are chemicals in the brain that are assumed to regulate thoughts, feelings, and behavior. For example, neurotransmitters, such as serotonin and dopamine are thought to affect moods and violent behavior.
Symbolic interactionism theory
Focus is on social interaction, self, role taking, and the meaning of symbols.
How do we label and how are we labeled?
Symbolic interactionism focuses on social interaction, the self, role taking, and the meanings of symbols. Symbolic interactionism is based on the premise that 1) people act based on meanings, 2) which derive from interaction with others, 3) and are interpreted by the individual (Blumer, 1969).
Sociobiological theory
The interaction of biological factors and the environment increase the likelihood of certain actions.
Other environmental induced changes in the body?
Evolutionary survival instinct gone awry?
What is the adaptive problem? It is fear of failing to survive as a group and being permanently removed from society?
The research in the area of crime and biological factors have focused on physiological problems, genetics, hormones, nutrition, and the relationship between drugs and alcohol and crime
The same criticisms of the medical model apply to the sociobiological model-the policy recommendations for intrusive interventions
Psychoanalytic
Early childhood traumas?
Id, Ego, and Superego out of balance?
Use of defense mechanisms to cope with anxiety (repression, denial, regression, and displacement)?
Freud’s conception of the personality parts is famous: id, ego, and superego. The id consists of the unconscious drives. The superego consists of the internalized social norms of the culture. The ego mediates between the conflicts of the id and superego, or between the drives and the demands of the society
How do you test the theory and measure the concepts?
Is it really all about drives and instincts?
Scripting theory
Look at the scripts: Who What Where When How
Conflict/Feminist model theory
Focus is on inequalities and power relationships. Who has the power? Male dominance But what about other factors? How do we measure power?
Learning theory
Learning from others.
Methods, motivations, and rationalizations taught.
According to Sutherland and Cressey, criminal behavior is learned though the socialization process.
Criminal behavior is learned through interaction in personal groups.
The methods, motivations, and rationalizations of engaging in criminal activity are learned from others.
The same principles operate in learning criminal and non-criminal behavior (Sutherland and Cressey, 1978).
Failure to explain criminal behaviors that were not learned in groups
Failure to explain the initial motivation to commit crime
Structural factors are absent
Intergenerational transmission theory
Learning from family and community members?
Attempts to explain the dynamics of generational abuse. For our purposes, we focus on generational transmission of perpetration and effects of victimization.
Why do some engage in criminal behavior while others do not?
Strain theory
Focus is on social conditions of normlessness, confusion, and ambiguity.
Social stress increases the likelihood of aggressive behavior (check out economic, family, and community stressors).
A study applied anomie theory to study the relationship between stress and violent crime (Linsky, Bachman, and Straus, 1995). Using their State Stress Index, a measurement of economic, family, and community stress at the state level, they found that:
1. The more stress in the social environment, the higher the violent crime rates.
2. High levels of stress are related to high rates of smoking and alcohol use, suicide, rape, and homicide.
3. High rates of violence are associated with high rates of legitimate violence (e.g. capital and corporal punishment).
4. Family violence is related to high rates of alcohol consumption and legitimate violence.
A study applied anomie theory to study the relationship between stress and violent crime (Linsky, Bachman, and Straus, 1995). Using their State Stress Index, a measurement of economic, family, and community stress at the state level, they found that:
1. The more stress in the social environment, the higher the violent crime rates.
2. High levels of stress are related to high rates of smoking and alcohol use, suicide, rape, and homicide.
3. High rates of violence are associated with high rates of legitimate violence (e.g. capital and corporal punishment).
4. Family violence is related to high rates of alcohol consumption and legitimate violence.
Exchange theory
Focus is on rewards and costs.
What do perpetrators have to gain?
What do they have to loose?
Narrow theory
Ecological theory
Focus on relationships between the individual, family, community, and society.
Microsystems, Mesosytems, Exosystems, and Macrosystems.
Microsystem‑the focus is on everyday settings. This includes relationships between family, friends, and the school.
Mesosystem‑ the emphasis is on interdependent microsystems. This includes interactions between microsystems, i.e. the links between the family and the school.
Exosystem‑ the focus is on social groups that influence children. These include policy makers, school boards, neighborhoods, and the workplace of parents.
Macrosystem‑the focus is on political, economic, and demographic factors that influence children and families. These consist of cultural values and belief systems (Garbarino, 1982; Tan, Ray, and Cate, 1991).
How do you test this theory?
Many ecological models present three levels.
Text used to diagnose mental disorders
Intelligence is one way on recognizing future delinquent criminality. IQ testing is one way in determining future criminality for instance, those with low IQ are more prone to delinquent criminality.
Disorganized Offenders
Personal Characteristics: Lower IQ Socially Inadequate Unskilled Worker Father’s Work Unstable Harsh/Inconsistent Discipline Anxious During Crime Loner Lives/Works Near Crime Scene Nocturnal Poor Personal Hygiene Secret Hiding Places Few or No Relationships Low Education Male Non Athletic White Viewed by Others as Weird
Post Offense Behavior: Returns to Crime Scene May Attend Victim’s Funeral May Place Memoriam in Newspaper May Turn to Religion May Keep Diary or News Clippings May Change Residence (but not move far) May Change Job May Have a Personality Change Interviewing Techniques: Show Empathy Introduce Information Indirectly Use Counselor Approach Interview at Night
Organized Offenders
Personal Characteristics: Average to High Intelligence Socially Adequate Sexually Competent Lives With Partner Harsh Discipline Controlled Mood Masculine Image Charming Geographically Mobile Occupationally Mobile Follows Media Model Prisoner Drug Abuse Raised in Middle-Class Sociopath Does Not Accept Criticism Post Offense Behavior: Returns to Crime Scene Volunteers Information Police Groupie Anticipates Questioning May Move Body May Dispose of Body to Advertise Crime The Crime Becomes a Game Often Not a Suspect Interviewing Techniques Use a direct strategy; confront. Make sure you have the facts of the case. Offender will only admit to what he must therefore you may not get a complete account.
General terrorist profile
Male Single 22-25 (leaders older) Some College or Degree Females More Likely to Support Middle or Upper Class Backgrounds Obedient to Leader Blends Well Leaders have/had Professional Occupations No Physical Features Differentiate Try to Avoid Mentally Unstable Members
Compare male and female terrorists
Similar Profile to Male
Recruited by Family Members
Coolness Under Pressure
Dedication, Inner Strength, & Ruthlessness
Different Reasons for Becoming Involved (Power vs. Better Life)
Mental illness and terrorists
Terrorist groups try to Avoid Mentally Unstable Members
Langer’s profile of Hitler
Hitler’s parents influenced him tremendously.
Hitler’s father was cold, distant, and domineering
Hitler’s mother was judged to be considerate, long suffering, and overly affectionate of Hitler.
Hitler felt some rejection from the mother’s refusal to leave the abusive father and husband to care for and protect young Adolf.
Because of the influence of his parents, Hitler in his adult years was unable to establish and maintain strong personal relationships with others.
How your own biases may get in the way of profiling
Our opinions may be incorrect which can lead to inaccuracy of a profile.
Compare domestic far-right homicide offenders with common homicide offenders
The fat-right homicide offenders are far more likely to be a terrorist group vs. those who are common homicide offenders are those who kill w/o having prejudice.
Four waves of terrorism according to Raporport
Provides an analysis of terrorism waves of the past 125 years.
The first wave consists of the “Anarchists” who utilized the assassination of government officials. This wave began in the 1880s and ended around the 1920s. Next,
the “anticolonial” wave hit lasting until the 1960s.
The third wave consisted primarily of the “new left” terrorists declining as the
fourth wave of religious terrorists appeared.
Raporport (2004) predicts that this wave may last until 2025 and will be replaced with a new one. What will this new one look like? (terrorgenocide).
Five waves of terrorism according to Kaplan
Characteristics of the fifth wave include: radical break from previous terrorist models, withdrawal from society, new calendar, purity, internal violence, genocidal violence, new race, socialization of children to new model, rape, local focus, authoritarianism with charismatic leadership, and religious with apocalyptic violence. new race, socialization of children to new model, rape, local focus, authoritarianism with charismatic leadership, and religious with apocalyptic violence.
Sedgwick’s research on how terrorist groups become successful
The inspirational factor of global terrorism waves.
Successful terrorist groups follow the patterns of other successful terrorists.
While radical ideology is needed, the effectiveness of techniques and the opportunities for successful terrorist events are the main components of the terrorist strategy
Delineates four waves: Italian, German, Chinese, and Afghan.
