Forensic Psychology Flashcards
What is the top-down approach?
Profilers start with a pre-established typology and work down in order to assign offenders to one of two categories based on witness accounts and evidence from the crime scene
Where and how was the top-down approach developed?
It originated in America from the FBI’s Behavioural Science Unit which used data from in-depth interviews with 36 sexually motivated killers, including Ted Bundy and Charles Manson
Where and how was the top-down approach developed?
It originated in America from the FBI’s Behavioural Science Unit which used data from in-depth interviews with 36 sexually motivated killers, including Ted Bundy and Charles Manson
What is an organised offender?
An ‘organised’ offender is one who shows evidence of planning, targets the victim deliberately, and tends to be socially and sexually competent with higher-than-average intelligence.
What is a disorganised offender?
A ‘disorganised’ offender is one who shows little evidence of planning, leaves clues (body at scene) and tends to be socially and sexually incompetent with lower-than-average intelligence
What are the stages of conducting an FBI profile?
Stage 1: Data assimilation
Stage 2: Crime scene classification
Stage 3: Crime reconstruction
Stage 4: Profile generation
Stage 1: Data assimilation
The profiler reviews the evidence. This includes crime scene photographs, background information about the victim, details of the crime itself including the weapon and pathology reports
Stage 2: Crime scene classification
Based on what he data collected, the crime is classified as ‘organised’ or ‘disorganised
Stage 3: Crime reconstruction
Hypotheses in terms of sequence of events, behaviour if the victim etc. are created
Stage 4: Profile generation
Hypotheses related to the likely offender ( eg. physical characteristics or behaviour) are constructed. This is used to work out a strategy for investigation to help catch the offender
What is the bottom-up approach?
Profilers work up from evidence collected from the crime scene to develop hypotheses about the likely characteristics, motivations and social backgrounds of the offender
Define Atavistic form
A biological approach to offending that attributes criminal activity to the fact that offenders are genetic throwbacks to a primitive species, ill-suited to conforming to the rules of modern society. Such individuals are distinguishable by particular facial and cranial characteristics
What did Lombroso do in his research?
He examined the facial and cranial features of 383 dead criminals and 3839 living ones. He concluded that 40% of criminal acts should be accounted for by atavistic characteristics
Examples of atavistic characteristics
Narrow, sloping brow; a strong prominent jaw; high cheekbones; facial asymmetry. Other physical markers include dark skin and the existence of extra toes, nipples or fingers
Define genetic explanations for offending behaviour
A biological theory that sees genes inherited from one’s ancestors as forming the basis to an individual’s criminal behaviour
Define concordance rates
A measure of similarity, usually expressed as a percentage, between two individuals or two sets of individuals on a given trait
Define epigenetics
This refers to the material in each cell of the body that acts like a set of ‘switches’ to turn genes on or off
What twin studies have been conducted in relation to offending behaviour
Lange (1930) investigated 13 monozygotic (MZ) and 17 dizygotic (DZ) twine where one of the twins in each pair had served time in prison. Lange found that 10 of the MZ twins but only 2 of the DZ twins had a co-twin who was also in prison.
Describe research into candidate genes in relation to offending behaviour
Tilihonen et al., conducted a genetic analysis of nearly 800 Finnish offenders. Each criminal was categorised as violent or non-violent. They found abnormalities which led to ‘lower activity’ on two genes that may be associated with violent crime. The MAOA gene which controls the amount of dopamine and serotonin and the CDH13 gene which is linked to substance abuse
Describe the Diathesis Stress Model in relation to offending behaviour
A tendency towards criminal behaviour may come about through the combination of a genetic predisposition and a biological or psychological trigger e.g. being raised in a dysfunctional environment or having criminal role models
Define neural explanations of offending behaviour
A biological theory that sees abnormally functioning brain physiology and biochemistry as forming the basis to an individual’s criminal behaviour
Describe Raine et al’s., study into the prefrontal cortex in relation to criminal activity
Aim: to identify brain regions specific to offenders charged with murder/manslaughter, who pleaded insanity
Method: 41 murders (2 female) had a PET scan to highlight brain activity
Results: Reduced activity in PFC and corpus callosum
Conclusions: decreased PFC activity indicates they can’t consider the consequences of their actions and control their behaviour
Describe Raine et al’s., study into the prefrontal cortex in relation to criminal activity
Aim: to identify brain regions specific to offenders charged with murder/manslaughter, who pleaded insanity
Method: 41 murders (2 female) had a PET scan to highlight brain activity
Results: Reduced activity in PFC and corpus callosum
Conclusions: decreased PFC activity indicates they can’t consider the consequences of their actions and control their behaviour
What is custodial sentencing?
A judicial sentence determined by a court, where the offender is punished by serving time in a prison or in some other closed therapeutic and/or educational institution such as a psychiatric hospital
