forensics

Question 1

define crime

Answer 1

any act that is unlawful or punished by the state

Question 2

what is offender profiling

Answer 2

refers to the popular conceptions of how offenders are caught.

Question 3

describe the top down approach

Answer 3

also called crime scene analysis, an analysis of a previous crime can help find a likely suspect. for example if two women were killed with a hammer in close areas, they may be linked crimes

Question 4

give 3 negative factors about the top down approach

Answer 4

1. wont work on an offenders first offense
2. little focus on prevention of future crimes as it requires more crimes to be committed to link them together
3. crimes by one individual may have no outstanding links. e.g they could kill a woman with a gun in the forest and then a man with a knife in the city

Question 5

what is an organised offender?

Answer 5

these are individuals who plan their crime out and do things such as cover their tracks. high levels of engagement with a selected victim

Question 6

what is a disorganised offender?

Answer 6

an offender who commits a crime with little planning. low levels of engagement with a randomly selected victim

Question 7

which type of offender is harder to catch?

Answer 7

organised

Question 8

describe the bottom up approach

Answer 8

a data driven technique where statistical techniques are used to generate a prediction. for example, if an offender killed two women by a lake 1 week apart from each other, they may do that exact thing again

Question 9

give 2 negatives of the bottom up approach

Answer 9

1. wrongful convictions due to multiple people fitting the profile
2. generally unreliable

Question 10

what is geographical profilling?

Answer 10

a form of bottom up profiling based on the location of crimes committed

Question 11

what is investigative psychology

Answer 11

a form of bottom up offender profiling based on psychological theory

Question 12

what is the atavistic form?

Answer 12

a explanation for criminal behaviour suggesting offenders are born with a criminal personality

Question 13

who researched the atavistic form?

Answer 13

Cesar Lombroso

Question 14

what is the genetic explanation for offending?

Answer 14

one or more genes predispose individuals to criminal behaviour

Question 15

what is the difference between a monozygotic twin (MZ) and a dizygotic twin (DZ)

Answer 15

MZ twins are genetically the same whereas DZ twins are 50%

Question 16

what is the neural explanation for offending?

Answer 16

structure of the brain may be different in offenders

Question 17

what is the prefrontal cortex effect on offending

Answer 17

violent individuals tend to have decreased functioning in their prefrontal cortex

Question 18

how does noradrenaline effect offending?

Answer 18

both very high and low levels of this have been asoociated with violence

Question 19

how does serotonin effect offending?

Answer 19

low levels of this increase the likelihood of violence

Question 20

give a characteristic of an extrovert

Answer 20

outgoing

Question 21

give a characteristic of an introvert

Answer 21

less outgoing

Question 22

give a characteristic of neuroticism

Answer 22

tendency to experience negative states

Question 23

give a characteristic of psychotism

Answer 23

these are egocentric and aggressive

Question 24

what is cognitive distortion?

Answer 24

a form of irrational thinking

Question 25

what is an affect of maternal deprivation that can be linked to offending?

Answer 25

lack of a primary caregiver can lead to affectionless psychopathy

Question 26

what is minimalisation / magnification

Answer 26

magnification and minimalisation are cognitive disorders where consequences of an action are either over or under exaggerated

Question 27

what is hostile attribution bias

Answer 27

when someone has a leaning to always thinking the worst