forensic psych lessons 1-2

Question 1

what is offender profiling

Answer 1

tool used by police to narrow down list of likely suspects.based on the idea that characteristics of offender can be deduced from details of the offence.

Question 2

What is the Top-Down Approach in offender profiling?

Answer 2

It’s a method where pre-existing templates of organised and disorganised offenders are used to classify an offender based on evidence from the crime scene and crime details.

Question 3

How is an organised offender described in the Top-Down Approach?

Answer 3

An offender who plans their crime in advance, targets a specific victim type, and maintains high control during the crime, often leaving little evidence behind.

Question 4

What are the personality traits and social characteristics of an organised offender?

Answer 4

They are usually of above-average intelligence, in a skilled occupation, socially and sexually competent, often married, and may have children.

Question 5

How is a disorganised offender described in the Top-Down Approach?

Answer 5

Their crimes appear impulsive with little planning, showing signs of disorganisation, and they often leave the victim’s body at the scene.

Question 6

What are the personality traits and social characteristics of a disorganised offender?

Answer 6

They tend to have lower than average intelligence, be in unskilled work or unemployed, often have sexual dysfunction or failed relationships, live alone, and usually live close to the crime location.

Question 7

Why is the Top-Down Approach limited to certain types of crimes?

Answer 7

It only applies to crimes like rape, arson, and particularly murders, as common crimes like burglary reveal little about the offender, making profiling less effective.

Question 8

Why is the sample used to create the Top-Down Approach considered a disadvantage?

Answer 8

The approach was based on interviews with only 36 serial killers in the USA, which critics argue is too small and unrepresentative to form a reliable classification system.

Question 9

How does reliance on self-reported data from serial killers impact the Top-Down Approach?

Answer 9

Canter (2004) argues that self-report data from convicted serial killers may be unreliable, which weakens the validity of a classification system based on such data.

Question 10

What is the main aim of the Bottom-Up Approach in offender profiling?

Answer 10

To generate a picture of the offender, including their characteristics, routine behavior, and social background, by systematically analyzing evidence at the crime scene.

Question 11

How does the Bottom-Up Approach differ from the Top-Down Approach?

Answer 11

The Bottom-Up Approach is data-driven and does not start with fixed typologies. Profiles emerge from rigorous analysis of crime details rather than pre-existing categories.

Question 12

What is the aim of Investigative Psychology within the Bottom-Up Approach?

Answer 12

To identify behaviors likely to occur at specific crime scenes and to create a statistical database for comparison, helping to predict the offender’s background and possibly link multiple offences.

Question 13

What is interpersonal coherence in Investigative Psychology?

Answer 13

It is the idea that the offender’s behavior at the crime scene, especially how they interact with the victim, reflects their behavior in everyday life.

Question 14

What does forensic awareness suggest about an offender?

Answer 14

If the offender tries to cover their tracks, it may indicate prior experience with police or that their DNA or fingerprints are already on file.

Question 15

What is Geographical Profiling?

Answer 15

It is the study of spatial behavior related to crime, analysing the location of crimes to infer where the offender lives, works, or socialises.

Question 16

What are the two models of offender behavior proposed by Canter and Larkin (1993) in Geographical Profiling?

Answer 16

The marauder, who operates close to home, and the commuter, who travels away from home to commit crimes.

Question 17

What is an advantage of the Bottom-Up Approach in terms of scientific validity?

Answer 17

Canter argues it is more scientific than the Top-Down Approach as it is grounded in evidence and psychological theory, rather than speculation and intuition.

Question 18

How does the Bottom-Up Approach benefit the range of crimes it can be applied to?

Answer 18

Unlike the Top-Down Approach, Bottom-Up profiling can be used for a wide range of offences, including burglary and theft, as well as murder and rape.

Question 19

What did Copson’s (1995) survey reveal about the effectiveness of Bottom-Up Profiling?

Answer 19

It found that, although profiling advice was considered useful in 83% of cases, it only led to the accurate identification of the offender in 3% of cases.

Question 20

What did Kocsis et al. (2002) find about the accuracy of Bottom-Up Profiling?

Answer 20

They found that chemistry students created a more accurate offender profile than experienced detectives, suggesting that Bottom-Up Profiling may rely on common sense rather than specialized skills.