Forensics Flashcards
Offender profiling-
What is offend or profiling?
A tool to help investigators to accurately predict likely offenders
Offender profiling-
What are the two types of offender profiling?
Top-down approach and bottom-up approach
Offender profiling-
What is the top-down approach also known as?
The American approach
Offender profiling-
Who made the distinction between organised and disorganised criminals?
Hazel wood and Douglas (1980)
Offender profiling- Top-down approach-
What is an organised offender?
Evidence of planning, targeted victims, tends to be socially and sexually competent, with a higher than average IQ
Offender profiling- Top-down approach-
What is a disorganised offender?
Little evidence of planning, leaves clues, socially and sexually incompetent, lower than average IQ
Offender profiling- Top-down approach-
Name some features of organised offenders?
May introduce themselves in a non-threatening way
Tends to torture
May take trophies
In control
Careful planning
May follow coverage of the crimes
Offender profiling- Top-down approach-
What are the four stages to creating an FBI profile?
- data assimilation
- crime scene classification
- crime reconstruction
- profile generation
Offender profiling- Top-down approach- evaluation-
What are the strengths?
Research support for disorganised vs organised.
Canter (2004)- used 100 US murders using small space analysis, identifies the correlation between behaviour concordance of 39 aspects of serial killers.
Suggests many categories which make killers O or D.
Shows key component of of FBI is valid.
Can be adapted to burglary.
Makata (2017)- 85% rise in solved burglary, adds interpersonal (know the victim, take something significant), and opportunistic (generally inexperienced young offenders).
Adds to new categories, so has wider applications.
Offender profiling- Top-down approach- evaluation-
What are the limitations?
Evidence base is limited.
FBI profiling= developed with interviews 25 sk and 11 m. 24=O, 12=D.
Canter suggested no scientific basis due to; small sample, small range, no standardised questions, so interviews were not comparable.
Lacks validity and generalisability.
Case study to prove godwins theory.
Dahmer fits into both categories of O and D, (O= type of victim), (D= homosexual)
Contradicts the American approach due to Godwins theory
Offender profiling- bottom-up -
What is the bottom up approach also known as?
The British approach
Offender profiling- bottom-up-
What does the bottom up approach use?
Statistics and it is data driven
Offender profiling- bottom-up- IP-
Why is investigative psycho golly used?
To establish patters of behaviour
Offender profiling- bottom-up- IP-
What can this reveal?
Personal history and family background
Offender profiling- bottom-up- IP-
What did Dwya (2001) state?
Some rapists want to maintain control and humiliate victims others are more apologetic, telling us how offenders relates to women generally
Offender profiling- bottom-up- IP-
Is geographical profiling used in this?
Yes
Offender profiling- bottom-up- GP-
How does geographical profiling work?
Links known crime scenes to creat e and are in which they are based
Offender profiling- bottom-up- GP-
What is modus operandi?
The way criminals commit crimes
Offender profiling- bottom-up- GP-
What is canters circle theory?
Pattern of offending shoes a circle round the offenders home base
Offender profiling- bottom-up- GP-
What does canter circle theory describe the two types of offender as?
The marauder= near home base
The commuter= travelled form their usual residence
Offender profiling- bottom-up- evaluation-
What are the strengths?
EVIDENCE WHICH SUPPORTS.
Canter and Hretitage (1990)- 66 SA cases, using smallest space analysis, common behaviours include interpersonal language, lack of reaction to the victim. Can identify whether two or more offences were committed by the same person (linkage).
Can help common behaviours amounts t offenders, helping to identify them.
SUPPORTS GEOGRAPHICAL PROCESSING.
Lundrigon +Canter (2001)- 120 murder cases, smallest space analysis revealed consistent behaviour amongst the killers, found crime location reveals a circle around the home base.
This can help us to find a small area in which the offenders can live.
Offender profiling- bottom-up- evaluation-
What is a limitation?
GP IS NOT SUFFICIENT ON ITS OWN.
May be reliant on the quantity of data, the recording of the crimes is not always accurate. 75% are not reported.
Critics claim that other factor are important, timing of the offence was also important. And the age and experience (Ainsworth (2001)).
May not be main factor in solving crimes.
Biological explanations- historical approach-
Who created the book ‘the criminal man’?
Lombrosso
Biological explanations- historical approach-
What did Lombrossso do?
Analysed photos of criminals and found common features
Biological explanations- historical approach-
What is an example of feature that Lombrosso identify?
- big ears
- long arms
- dark skin
- protruding jaw
- deformed skull
Biological explanations- historical approach-
What are the biological beliefs of Lombrosso?
Seen as lacking evolutionary development (finding it impossible to adjust), he believes that crime id from genes
Biological explanations- historical approach-
What is the Atavistic form?
Physical features which make someone a criminal (narrow brow, high cheekbone, dark skin)
Non-physical features can also be factors, (insensitivity to pain, slang, tattoos and unemployment )
Biological explanations- historical approach-
What are examples of facial characteristics which can identify someone as a murderer?
Bloodshot eyes, curly hair, long ears
Biological explanations- historical approach-
What are some characteristic which identify a person who commits sexual crimes?
Glinting eyes, swollen fleshy lips, protruding ears
Biological explanations- historical approach-
What are some characteristic which can identify a fraudist?
Thin and reedy
Biological explanations- historical approach- research-
Which country were the convicts Lombrosso examined from?
Italy
Biological explanations- historical approach- research-
How many dead convicts were examined?
383
Biological explanations- historical approach- research-
How many living convicts were examined?
3839
Biological explanations- historical approach- research-
What were Lombrossos conclusions?
40% of criminal acts were committed by people who had atavistic characteristics
Biological explanations- historical approach- evaluation-
What is a strength?
CHANGED THE FACE OF CRIME STUDIES.
Stated people committed crimes because of. Their genes not because they were bad people.
Lombrosso was named the father of psychology,
This shows hoe Lombrosso changed psychology.
CA- Delisi (2012)- questioned Lombrosso legacy because of the racist beliefs
Biological explanations- historical approach- evaluation-
What are the limitations?
CONTRADICTORY EVIDENCE.
Goring (1913)- 3000 offenders and 3000 non-offenders were used, there was no evidence criminals had distinct facial features.
Showed people with lower iQs were more i Kelly to be criminals, not based on physical features.
Not accurate.
LACKED CONTROL OVER HIS VARIABLES.
Never compared to a control group, showing his lack of control.
Hay and Forst (2009)- created links to poverty and education rather than with genes.
Didnt look into criminals family history.