F3. Offender Profiling: Bottom-Up Approach

Question 1

What does the Bottom-Up Approach do?

Answer 1

• No pre-established typology
• Develops a profile as crime scene and eyewitness testimonies are increasingly analysed.

Question 2

2 main aspects of Bottom-Up Approach

Answer 2

Investigative Psychology, Geographical Profiling

Question 3

Investigative Psychology

Answer 3

Each crime is recorded onto a database. Details of new crimes are then matched with this database, to form a hypotheses about the likely characteristics, social demographic and motivations of the culprit. MUCH GREATER EMPHASIS ON THE SCIENTIFIC METHOD. Emphasis also on time and place, as well as ‘interpersonal coherence’

Question 4

Interpersonal Coherence

Answer 4

Suggests the manner in which the offender treats the victim reflects their interpersonal functioning/understanding of real life.

Question 5

Geographical Profiling (1)

Answer 5

Each offender has an ‘operational base’, which can be inferred through mapping locations of previous crimes. Forms a ‘circle’, where ‘base’ is at the centre. Can help predict future crimes through use of a ‘jeopardy surface.’

Question 6

Geographical Profiling (2)

Answer 6

Based on assumption that modus operandi is consistent. Offenders can be classified as marauders (carry crimes out close to centre of gravity) or commuters (far from centre of gravity).

Question 7

• Eval: Bottom-Up Approach

Answer 7

Does not always lead to the correct identification of the offender. Copson (1995) found that an Offender Profile only led to correct identification 3% of the time. However, it was useful for narrowing the field of enquiry, as it helped 83% of the time.

Question 8

+ Eval: Bottom-Up Approach

Answer 8

SCIENTIFIC METHOD. Use of statistical analysis. Supporting studies have used the ‘smallest space analysis’ to establish correlations between to variables or offenders characteristics. More scientific that ‘over-simplistic’ top-down approach.

Question 9

+ Eval: Geographical Profiling

Answer 9

Evidence to support GP as a way of narrowing field of enquiry. During Smallest space analysis of 120 serial murder cases, researchers were able to identify traits of spatial consistency, such as presence of a jeopardy surface as well as the centre of gravity - useful in establishing MO of offender.