Forensic Psychology (P3) Flashcards
offender profiling
a behavioural and analytical tool that is intended to help investigators accurately predict and profile the characteristics of unknown offenders
top-down approach - american approach
originated in USA from FBI in 1970s
FBI’s Bheavioural Science Unit drew upon data from interviews with 36 sexually-motivated murderers including ted bundy and charles manson
data could be categorised into organised or disorganised crimes/murders. Each category has different characteristics which meant if in a future situation the data from a crime scene matched some of the characteristics of a category other likely characteristics could be predicted . Could be used to find offender
profilers who use top-down approach will collect data about a murder (characteristics of the murderer/crime scene) and then decide on which category fits data best
top-down approach - organised offender
an offender who shows evidence of planning targets a specific victim and tends to be socially and sexually competent with higher-than-average intelligence
top-down approach - disorganised offender
an offender who shows little evidence of planning leaves clues and tends to be socially and sexually incompetent with lower-than-average intelligence
