Forensic

Question 1

Offender profiling

Answer 1

Police build a picture of who they rare looking for to help them make an arrest it’s not easy narrowing down pre-existing suspects possible details to be provided consists of personality, age, race, religion, type of employment, marital status, and educational level

Question 2

Top down approach

Answer 2

Coined by the FBI
Based on 36 interviews with sexually motivated serial killers
Start to the general classification of the crime scene to organise and disorganised and the profiles of the match was known about the crime to pre-existing template

Question 3

After classification using top down

Answer 3

Once profiles have matched the crime to the pre-existing template this includes hypothesis about the offenders background, habits and beliefs it is used to work out a strategy of investigation, profilers will also consider how the offender is likely to react if they are being investigated

Question 4

Evaluation of top down

Positive

Answer 4

Application - Arthur Shawncross

Validity - use of 36 interviews - qualitative data

Question 5

Evaluation of top down

Negative

Answer 5

Classification too simple - characteristics are not mutually exclusive to one classification

Outdated - based on the assumption offenders patterns of behaviour and motivations remain consistent across situations

Question 6

Canter
Aim to test reliability of top down typology
Procedure and Findings

Answer 6

He did a content analysis of 100 cases of serial killers and were cross checked with court reports
Twice as any disorganised crimes as organised crimes were identified. 70%body was concealed 75% sexual activity occurred
No significant difference - better to look at personality

Question 7

Bottom up approach

Answer 7

Looks for consistencies in offenders behaviour during crime
Statistical analysis using correlational techniques - uses investigative psychology and geographic profiling
Database
More reliable and objective

Question 8

Issues that could occur with bottom up approach

Answer 8

Wrongful convictions 
Eye-witness statements 
Leading questions 
Anomalous results 
Loss of data

Question 9

Investigative psychology

Answer 9

Patterns of behaviour to form database for comparison
Can help to see if offenders are linked
Forensic awareness - more effort to cover their tracks, how repeat offenders are different
Interpersonal coherence
Time and place

Question 10

Geographic profiling

Answer 10

Crime mapping
Used with psychological theory to create hypothesis about how the offender thinks and their modus operandi
Circle theory - special pattern - offenders will create circle around their centre of gravity (home base) which will Help with jeopardy surface

Question 11

Evaluation of bottom up

Positive

Answer 11

Good application

Increased validity - scientific basis more objective

Question 12

Evaluation of top down

Negative

Answer 12

Lacks validity - relies on pattern of behaviour across perpetrators Copson and Holloway only 2.7% of 184 cases offender identified
Lacks reliability - copson surveyed 48 police forces method only useful in 83%, in only 3% accurate identification of the offender

Question 13

Evaluation of investigative psychology

Strength and weakness

Answer 13

Evidence to support - canter and heritage

Lacks validity - relies on pattern

Question 14

Evaluation of geographic profiling

Strength and weakness

Answer 14

Evidence to support - lundighan and canter

Ethical issue - human error of input of data into database

Question 15

Historical biological explanation

Lombroso

Answer 15

born cr8minal - atavistic
Insane cr8minal - mental illness
Criminaloids - mental characteristics predisposed them to criminal behaviour under the right circumstances

Question 16

Atavistic form

Answer 16

Asymmetrical face
Unusually large or small ears
Low receding forehead
Prominent eyebrows jawbones cheekbone s