Forensic Psychology Flashcards
1
Q
What are the different types of offender profiling
A
- top down approach
- bottom up approach
2
Q
What is offender profiling
A
- behavioural and analytical tool
- intended to help investigators accurately predict and profile the characteristics of unknown offenders
- uses information about the crime, crime scene and victim
3
Q
Who created the top down approach
A
FBI
- 1970s
4
Q
Factors that help create the suspect pool
A
- offenders personality
- age
- race
- type of employment
- religion
- marital status
- level of education
5
Q
What is the top down approach
A
- profiles start with pre established typology
- work down to lower levels to assign the criminal to one of two categories
6
Q
What are the two categories for the top down approach
A
- organised offender
- disorganised offender
7
Q
How was the top down approach created
A
- interviews of 36 sexually motivated serial killers
- classified the crimes as either organised or disorganised
- based on offenders behaviour and the type of victim - then able to predict other characteristics that were likely to
8
Q
Examples of organised offenders
A
Ted Bundy
9
Q
What is the murder like for organised offenders
A
- plan crime in advance
- show self control at the scene
- leave little evidence
- victim likely to be a targeted stranger
- attempts to control victim
10
Q
What is the offender profile like for organised offenders
A
- intelligent
- skilled occupation
- socially/sexually competent
- married/cohabiting
- likely to follow the story in the media
11
Q
Examples of disorganised offenders
A
- Charles Manson
- Jeffery Dahmer
12
Q
What is the murder like in disorganised offending
A
- little evidence of planning
- likely to leave more clues
- spontaneous
- likely to be know by the victim
13
Q
What is the offender profile like for disorganised offenders
A
- socially inadequate
- unskilled occupation
- sexual problems (abuse)
- lives along
- live close to the crime scene
14
Q
What are the 4 main stages for constructing an FBI profile
A
- data assimilation
- crime scene classification
- crime reconstruction
- profile generation
15
Q
What happens in data assimilation - FBI profiles
A
- reviewing all the information
- police reports, photos, crime scene
16
Q
What happens in crime scene classification - FBI profiles
A
- decide if the crime is organised or disorganised
17
Q
What happens in crime reconstruction - FBI profiles
A
- make hypothesises about what happened
- based on victim behaviour and crime sequences
18
Q
What happens in profile generation - FBI profiles
A
- present the profile hypothesis
- physical characteristics, behavioural habits
19
Q
What is the bottom up approach - offender profiling
A
- doesn’t begin with a fixed typology
- investigator scrutinises the details of the offence/crime scene “data driven”
- data put into a software: helps analyse data
- much more grounded in psychological theory
20
Q
Who created the bottom up approach
A
David Canter
- attempted to move offender profiling into a more scientific _ empirical domain
21
Q
What are the different parts of the bottom up approach
A
- investigative psychology
- geographical profiling
22
Q
What is investigative psychology
A
- applying statistical procedures
- centralised data base
- establishes patterns of behaviour
- allows you to link crimes
- develops a statistical database
23
Q
What is the 5 factor model of investigative psychology
A
- interpersonal coherence
- criminal career
- forensic awareness
- criminal characteristics
- significance of time and place
24
Q
What is interpersonal coherence - investigative psychology
A
Consistency between crime and real life
25
What is criminal career - investigative psychology
Any past criminal evidence that they may have had
26
What is forensic awareness - investigative psychology
Previous experience with the police
- gloves
- wiping surfaces
27
What are criminal characteristics - investigative psychology
- controlling
- quiet
- nervous
- polite
28
What is the significance of time and place - investigative psychology
- where they work
- went to college
- left school early
29
What is the railways rapist
- support for the bottom up approach
- John Duffy (1986)
- 24 rapes and 3 murders over 4 years
30
Comparison between the profile created and Duffy’s profile - railway rapist
Profile
- lived in Kilburn
- marriage problems
- small, unattractive
- martial arts
- dominate women
- fantasy of rape/bondage
Duffy
- lived in Kilburn
- divorced
- 5’4”, acne
- part of a martial arts club
- violent: raped wife
- used bondage with his wife
31
What are the evaluation points for the bottom up approach
- investigative psychology
- Canter + Heritage
- practical application
32
Who created geographical profiling
Rossmo
1997
33
What are the three key parts of geographical profiling
- mental maps
- least effort principle
- spatial consistency
34
What are mental maps - geographical profiling
Way of getting around
- where we feel comfortable
- consist of a place of work, recreation and home
35
What is the least effort principle - geographical profiling
- wont put in any more effort that needed
- attempts to make predictions about offending
- based on information about location and timings
36
What is spatial consistency - geographical profiling
Offenders operate within geographical areas
- places they know
- consistent with everyday life
37
What is the circle theory
- circle around crimes
- show where likely to offend and reside
- center of gravity
38
Who proposed the circle theory
Canter + Larkin
- 1993
39
What are the different types of offenders in geographical profiling
- Marauders
- commuters
40
What is a marauder
Operate close to their home
41
What is a commuter
Travels far distances to commit a crime
42
What is distance decay
Crimes are less likely to occur further away from an offenders home
43
Evaluation points for bottom up approach
- geographical profiling
- evidence for geographical profiling
- insufficient geographical evidence
44
What are the different types of biological explanations for offending
- historical approach
- genetic + neural
45
What are the different psychological explanation for offending
- Eysenck’s theory
- cognitive
- differential association theory
- psychodynamic
46
What do twin studies allow you to look at
- concordance rates
- risk of getting a behaviour
- MZ = 100% same genes
- DZ = 50% same genes
- make it difficult to establish the relative contribution of nature + nurture (AO3)
47
What do family studies allow you to look at
- inherited studies
- make it difficult to establish the relative contribution of nature + nurture (AO3)
48
What do adoption studies allow you to look at
Biological parents: nature, genes
Adoptive parents: nurture, environment
- seperate the contribution of nature + nurture
- age of adoption
- biological parent contact
49
What are the genetic explanations for offending
- one or more gene predisposed individuals to criminal behaviour
- supporting evidence from analysing the concordance rates in twin studies
50
What study was done looking into the genetic explanation for offending
Christiansen (1977)
- 3500 twin pairs in Denmark
- MZ = 35% concordance rate
- DZ = 13% concordance rate
- supports view that offending has a genetic component
- higher concordance rate when 100% same genetics (MZ twins)
51
What adoption study was done looking at the genetic explanation of offending
Crowe (1972)
- individuals with biological mothers that have a criminal record
- 50% risk of a criminal record by 18 years old
- non-biological mothers with a criminal record
- 5% risk of a criminal record by 18 years old
52
What candidate genes are responsible for criminal behaviour
- MAOA
- CDH13
- abnormalities in these genres were found in 800 offenders (5-10%) in Tihonen’s Finnish study
53
What does the MAOA gene do
- aggression
- warrior gene
- regulates serotonin in the brain
54
What does the CDH13 gene do
- substance abuse + ADHD
- impulsiveness
55
What does the diathesis-stress model show in the genetic explanation of offending
- the influence that genes have of offending is partially due to effects of the environment
- tendency toward offending behaviours may come through a combination of genetic predispositions + biological/psychological triggers
56
Evaluation points of genetic explanations for offending
- issues with twin evidence
- support for diathesis-stress
57
What are the neural explanations for offending
- structures of the brain may be different in criminals
58
Role of prefrontal cortex in offending
- reduced functioning (cognitive tasks)
- regulates emotions + morals, impulse control
59
What research was done looking into the role of the prefrontal cortex in offending
Raine (2002)
- 11% reduction in the volume of grey matter in the PFC (smaller, less developed)
- individuals with antisocial personality disorder when compared to a control group
- less activity in PFC or 41 murdered
- especially emotionally driven
- Amygdala: emotional behaviour
- fear, aggression, anger
- 500 pps had high amygdala activity
60
What is the role of mirror neurons in offending
- specialised brain cells
- allow you to learn and empathise by observing actions of another person
61
What research was done looking into the role of mirror neurons in offending
Keysers (2011)
- only when criminals were asked to empathise with other did their empathy reactions activate
- controlled by mirror neurons
- suggests criminals experience empathy, just not an automatic response
- criminals do not have an automatic empathy switch
62
What does Eysekch’s theory state
Proposed that personality can be represented along three dimensions
- determined largely by genetics (INNATE)
1) introversion - extraversion
2) neuroticism - stability
3) psychoticism - sociability
63
What is the criminal personality made of - Eysenck
Extroverted - neurotic
- also scored high on psychoticism
- high ENP
64
How does Eysenck explain criminal behaviour
Seen as an outcome of interactions between different processes
- occur at several different levels of explanation
65
What are the different levels of Esenck’s personality theory
Social - responses to socialisation
Psychological - stable psychological traits
Biological - function of the nervous system
66
What is extraversion
- high E scores are risk takers, seen sensation + stimulation
- have an under aroused NS, therefor need more stimulation from their environment
- do not condition easily or learn from mistakes
67
What is neuroticism
- high N scores have high levels of reactivity in their SNS
- respond quickly to situations of threat
- makes them anxious nervous, jumpy and unpredictable
68
What is psychoticism
- high P scores are aggressive, antisocial + egocentric
- not sure how its linked to the NS
- linked to higher levels of testosterone
69
What is the role of socialisation in criminals
- children are taught to manage their need for instant gratification through conditioning
- Eysenck suggested that high E+N children are difficult to condition + socialise
- criminal behaviour is developmentally immature + concerned with immediate gratification
- offenders are selfish + cannot wait for things to
70
How are we able to measure criminal personality
Eysenck’s personality questionnaire (EPQ)
- asked questions that place you along the E, N + P dimensions
- people Amy tend towards socially desirable answers
- countered by the use of a lie scale
71
What are the two parts of the cognitive explanation of offending
- kohlberg’s stages of moral reasoning
- cognitive distortions
72
What does Kohlberg suggest are the reasons for offending
As you age so does your cognitive maturity
- sophistication
- three main stages
73
What are the three main stages of moral development
1) pre-conventional morality
2) conventional morality
3) post-conventional morality
74
What happens during pre-conventional morality
- infancy —> pre school (3-4)
- no concept of right + wrong
- stop to avoid punishment
- interest shifts to rewards over punishment
- what can they gain?
75
What happens during conventional morality
- school age
- good boy/girl level
- want to secure approval
- law and order (societal level)
76
What happens in post-conventional morality
- teens + adulthood
- morally + legally right aren’t always the same
77
Where do criminals fall in the different stages of moral development
- criminals have a lower level of moral reasoning
- dont progress from the pre conventional levels of moral reasoning g
- seen to avoid punishment and gain rewards
- more egocentric
78
What study was done looking into the different levels of moral reasoning
1973
- moral dilemma technique
- group of violent youths were significantly lower in their moral development than non-violent youth
- criminals think differently to non-criminals
79
How does each stage of moral development approach the Heinz dilemma
Pre-conventional level
- approached a moral problem from the concrete interests of the individuals involved in a situation
Conventional level
- concerned on protecting society as well as our own interests
Post-conventional level
- a societal perspective
- decide what kink of system could both prevent the loss of innocent life + protect the pharmacists right to property
80
Evaluation points for level of moral reasoning to explain offending
- supporting evidence
- applicability to other crimes
81
What is cognitive distortions
- a form of irrational thinking
- ways that reality has been twisted
- what is perceived no longer represents what is actually happening
82
What are examples of cognitive distortion
- hostile attribution bias
- minimalisation
83
What is egocentric bias
There is an emphasis on your own needs rather than the needs of others
84
What is causal attribution
Blaming other people for your behaviour
- not taking responsibility
- having an external locus of control
85
What is hostile attribution bias
- tendency to misinterpret the actions of other people
- assume people are being confrontational
86
Evidence for hostile attribution bias
Schonenberg + Justye (2014)
- 55 violent offenders
- presented with images of emotionally ambiguous facial expressions
- offenders were more likely to perceive the images as angry/hostile
- in comparison to a control group
87
What is minimalisation
- consequences of a situation are under-exaggerated, denied or downplayed
- criminals use ‘euphemistic labelling’
88
What is euphemistic labelling
- sanitised language
- down playing what actually happened
89
Evidence for minimalisation
Howitt + Sheldon (2007)
- questionnaires given to sexual offenders
- non-contact violent offenders (content online)
- used more cognitive distortions thats contact sex offenders
- suggests that distortions are not made consistently across all types of offenders
90
Evaluation points for cognitive distortions as a way of explaining offending
- practical applications
- type of offence
91
What does the psychodynamic explanation of offending look at
- focuses on te role for the parent child relationship in developing the personality of a criminal adult
- the unconscious mental processes that lead to criminal behaviour
92
What’s the role of the inadequate superego in offending
- worlds on the morality principle
- punishes the ego through guilt for any wrong-doing behaviour
- rewards the ego with pride for good moral behaviour
- formed at the end of the phallic stage
- resolved Oedipus/Electra complex
93
What did Blackburn (1993) say about the superego
- argued that offenders have a deficiency or inadequate superego
- leads to the ID being given ‘free rein’
94
What are the three types of inadequate superego
- weak superego
- deviant superego
- over harsh superego
95
What is the weak superego
- same sex parent is absent
- no identification
- cannot internalise a fully formed superego
- questionable morals
96
What is the deviant superego
- child internalises immoral or deviant values
- from a deviant same sex parent
97
What is the over-harsh superego
- overly harsh parenting
- superego is constantly crippled with guilt and anxiety
- commit crimes to satisfy need for punishment
98
What is the role of emotion in offending
- an inadequate superego allows for primitive, emotional demands to guide moral behaviour
- key part of the psychodynamic view
- emotional life of the individual
99
What is the role for maternal deprivation in offending
Bowlby (1944)
- someone without a continuous, loving relationship with a mother figure during childhood
- suffers serious effects as an adult
- affection less psychopathy
- lack of guilt, empathy, feeling for others, inability to form lasting relationships
- no internal working model
- likely to engage in acts of delinquency
- 44 juvenile thieves study (1944)
100
Evaluation points for the psychodynamic explanation of offending
- research support
- counterpoint
- gender bias
- other factors
101
What are the different ways to deal with offending behaviour
- custodial sentencing (prison)
- behaviour modification in custody
- anger management
- restorative justice
102
What does custodial sentencing involve
When a convicted offender spends time in prison or another closed institution
- young offender’s institute
- psychiatric hospital
103
What are the 4 main reasons for custodial sentencing
- retribution
- rehabilitation
- incapacitation
- deterrence
104
What is retribution - custodial sentencing
- society is getting revenge by making the criminal suffer
- level of suffering should be proportionate to the seriousness of the crime
- punishment (spending time in jail)
105
What is rehabilitation - custodial sentencing
- objective of prison is not only to punish, but to reform
- through access to skill development
- should leave prison better adjusted + ready to integrate into society
106
What is incapacitation - custodial sentencing
- offender is taken out of society to prevent them reoffending
- protects the public
107
What is deterrence - custodial sentencing
- unpleasant prison experience is designed to put of individuals from offending
- conditioning through vicarious punishment
108
What are the psychological effects of custodial sentencing
- stress and depression
- institutionalisation
- prisonisation
109
What is the effect of prisons of stress and depression
Suicide rates are considerably higher in prison than in the general population
- self mutilation
- self harm
110
What is the effect of prisons in prisonisation
- accepting the culture and social life of prison society
- socialised into adopting an ‘inmate code’
- adjusting to the outside society become more difficult
111
What is the effect of prison in institutionalisation
- deficits or disabilities in social + life skills
- developed after spending a long time in mental hospitals or prison
- deprived of independice and responsibility
- unable to manage many of societal demands
- psychologically more prone to mental health problems
- Zimbardo’s study
112
What is recidivism
Reoffending rates
113
How do you measure the effectiveness of custodial sentencing
Recidivism
- expressed as a percentage of reoffending
114
Stats for recidivism for custodial sentencing
UK has the highest rates of recidivism (excluding US)
- 45%
Norway has the lowest rates
- very different prison system
- focuses on rehabilitation
- critics argue it is the ‘soft option’: no punishment
14 prisons in the UK and Wales
- make up 70% of recidivism rates
115
What is behavioral modification
- application of the behaviorist approach to treatment
- based on principles of operant conditioning
- replace undesirable behaviours with more desirable ones
- positive/negative reinforcement
116
Examples of behavioral modification
Token economy
