Forensic Psychology Ao1 Only Flashcards
Outline the top-down approach to offender profiling.
Aims to narrow list of suspects using crime scene and other evidence.
US approach created two types of profile based on FBI interviews with 36 sexually-motivated murderers. Profile based on offenders “way of working” which correlates with social/psychological characteristics.
Organised:
- Planned crime, targets victim, high IQ, skilled job, high control, married.
Disorganised:
- No planning, impulsive, lower IQ, skilled job, high control, married.
FBI profile construction is formed.
Outline the FBI profile construction.
- Data assimilation
- Crime scene classification
- Crime reconstruction
- Profile generation
Outline the bottom-up approach to offender profiling, investigative psychology.
Investigative psychology:
- Bottom-up approach used to generate profile based on crime data. Profile emerges as case continues.
- Statistical analysis of crime scene evidence detects patterns across offences using a database. Features of the offence can correlate with background.
- Analysis based on interpersonal coherence, way offender behaves at the scene reflects how they “interact” with victim.
Outline the bottom-up approach to offender profiling, geographical profiling.
Geographical profiling:
- Crime mapping used to make inferences about the offender based on location.
- Circle theory, offences form a circle around offender’s home base. Canter and Larkin.
- Two types, marauder and commuter. C & L.
Outline the biological explanation of offending behaviour (a historical approach).
Lombroso (19th century) laid foundation for profiling, criminals are genetic throwbacks, primitive subspecies. Called “atavistic form”.
Biological as theory states offending behaviour is innate due to lack of evolutionary development.
Criminals can be identified by biological markings, “atavistic” characteristics:
- Narrow sloped brow
- Strong permanent jaw
- High cheekbones
- Facial asymmetry
Different crimes associated with different characteristics e.g gingers = murderers.
Research:
- 383 dead and 3839 alive convicts. 40% of acts correlated with atavistic characteristics.
Outline the genetic explanation of offending behaviour as a biological approach.
Twin and adoption studies suggest genes predispose offenders to crime. 35% (MZ) versus 13% (DZ) concordance for offending behaviour in male twins - Christiansen.
Candidate genes:
- MAOA = serotonin regulator linked with aggressive behaviour.
- CDH13 = linked to substance abuse and ADHD.
5-10% of severe violent crimes in Finland accounted for by these - Tiihonen et al.
Diathesis stress model:
- Genes + stressor/trigger
Outline the neural explanation for offending behaviour as a biological approach.
Neural differences in people diagnosed with APD (many convicted criminals diagnosed).
Less activity in pre-frontal cortex. 11% less grey matter in area which regulates emotion.
Mirror neurons (empathy). Individuals with APD may have empathy register which switches on and off.
Outline the three personality dimensions in Eysenck’s psychological explanation of offending behaviour.
- Introversion - Extraversion
- Sociable and energetic measure - Neuroticism - Stability
- Anxiety and emotional instability measure - Psychoticism - Sociability
- Anti-social behaviour and susceptibility to psychopathological disorders measure.
Outline Eysenck’s psychological theory of offending behaviour.
Three dimensional personality
Innate biological basis:
- Es have underactive nervous system so seek excitement and activity.
- Ns have reactive SNS so are jumpy.
- P have high testosterone so are aggressive.
Criminal personality:
High N+E+P = criminal personality
Offending behaviour is selfish and concerned with immediate gratification. Sign of immaturity.
High E and N scorers lack ability to learn, less likely to learn anxiety responses to antisocial behaviour.
Personality can be measured using the Eysenck Personality Questionnaire (EPQ).
Outline Kohlberg’s levels of moral reasoning part one.
Level 1: Pre-conventional
- Punishment orientation
- Instrumental/ personal gain
Level 2: Conventional
- Good person orientation
- Maintenance of social order
Level 3: Post-conventional
- Individual rights
- Morality of conscience
Outline levels of moral reasoning as part of the cognitive explanation of offending behaviour.
Moral development proceeds through levels as children get older.
Offenders typically at lower level/ pre-conventional:
- Need to avoid punishment and gain rewards.
- Less mature, childlike reasoning.
Offenders more egocentric, show less empathy and generally have poorer social perspective taking skills.
Outline cognitive distortions as part of the cognitive explanation of offending behaviour.
Faulty and biased thinking in the way we explain our own and other’s behaviour is common for offenders.
Hostile attribution bias:
- Tendency to perceive ambiguous cues as threatening, may appear in childhood.
Minimalization:
- Downplay significance of a crime, reduces sense of guilt e.g euphemisms, complete denial.
Outline differential association as a psychological explanation of offending behaviour.
Sutherland created a set of scientific principles to explain all types of offending. Theory ignores class and ethnicity.
Offending is learned, each person associates with a different set of people. Two factors for learning:
- Learned attitudes towards offending
- Learning of specific offending acts
Mathematical prediction based on frequency, intensity, duration of exposure to deviant/ non-deviant attitudes.
Reoffending due to socialisation in prison - learning techniques and pro-crime attitudes.
Outline the psychodynamic approach as a psychological explanation of offending behaviour.
Inadequate superego can lead to immoral behaviour. Three types:
- Weak superego, absence of same-sex parent so no identification in phallic stage.
- Deviant superego, child internalises same-sex parents moral values, they are just bad.
- Over-harsh superego, excessively harsh parent causes unconscious drive to satisfy need for punishment so child commits crime.
The theory focuses on the role of emotion (e.g anxiety) and how it guides moral behaviour.
Maternal deprivation leads to affectionless psychopathy - Bowlby.
- 44 Thieves study
Outline custodial sentencing as a way of dealing with offending behaviour.
Custodial sentencing = prison
Aims:
- Deterrence
- Incapacitation
- Retribution
- Rehabilitation
Psychological effects of custodial sentencing:
- Stress and depression, institutionalisation, prisonisation (in-mate code)
Recidivism:
- UK 45% reoffend within one year. Norway (rehabilitation over retribution) only 20%.
