Forensics Flashcards
1
Q
Organised/disorganised AGAINST
A
CANTER
- Used technique called ‘smallest space analysis’ on 100 USA murders using 39 characteristics of organised/disorganised offenders.
- No evidence for distinct disorganised type.
2
Q
Top-down approach SUPPORT
A
DOUGLAS
- FBI review and created 192 profiles.
- Only identified 15 suspects but focussed 77% of cases.
3
Q
Investigative profiling SUPPORT
A
CANTER AND HERITAGE
- Used ‘smallest space analysis’ to investigate 66 assault cases.
- Correlations in patterns of behaviour e.g. impersonal language and lack of reaction.
4
Q
Geographical profiling SUPPORT
A
LUNDRIGAN AND CANTER
- Analysed information on 120 serial murder cases in USA.
- Smallest space analysis found spatial consistency in location of body disposal; formed circle around base.
- Pattern more noticeable in marauders.
5
Q
Bottom-up approach SUPPORT/AGAINST
A
COPSON
- Questionnaire to 34 police forces (81% return rate) on usefulness.
- Only identified offender in 3% of cases but 83% found it useful.
6
Q
KEY STUDY: Lombroso
A
LOMBROSO
- Examined facial and cranial characteristics of over 350 dead and 3500 live Italian convicts.
- 40% crimes accounted for by people with atavistic characteristics.
7
Q
Atavistic form AGAINST
A
KURTZBERG
- Recidivism 42% after surgery and 70% without.
- Treatment of those with atavistic characteristics cause of criminality?
GORING
- Compared 3000 criminals with 3000 non-criminals,
- No evidence that offenders have atavistic characteristics.
- BUT found had lower than average intelligence.
8
Q
Genetic explanations SUPPORT
A
LANGE (twin study)
- 13 MZs and 17 DZs where 1 had served time in prison.
- 10 MZs but 2 DZs both served time.
CROWE (adoption study)
- Followed adopted children with criminal biological parent.
- 50% chance of criminal record by age 18.
- 5% for adoptees without criminal biological parent.
MEDNICK (adoption study)
- Studied over 13,000 Danish adoptees.
- 13.5% neither
- 20% biological
- 24.5% both.
9
Q
Candidate genes SUPPORT
A
TIIHONEN
- Genetic analysis of 900 offenders.
- Abnormality on MAOA gene (related to serotonin and dopamine) associated with violent crime.
- Those with a high risk combination x13 more likely to have a history of violent behaviour.
10
Q
Eysenck’s theory SUPPORT
A
EYSENCK
- Used Eysenck’s personality inventory to compare over 2000 prisoners with 2000 controls, subdivided into age groups.
- All scored higher on extraverts, neuroticism and psychoticism.
11
Q
Eysenck’s theory AGAINST
A
FARRINGTON
- Review of several studies.
- Criminals scored higher on psychoticism but not on neuroticism and extroversion.
- Little difference in EEG measures of arousal between introverts and extraverts.
BARTOL AND HOLANCHOCK
- Divided Hispanic and African-American prisoners into 6 groups based on criminal history.
- All scored lower on extroversion than control.
12
Q
Cognitive explanations SUPPORT
A
PALMER AND HOLLIIN
- Compared moral reasoning of 210 female and 122 male non-offenders with 126 convicted offenders.
- Used SMR-SF containing 11 dilemmas (stealing, promises).
- Criminal group lower moral reasoning.
- Possibly due to lack of role playing in childhood.
13
Q
Differential association theory SUPPORT
A
FARRINGTON
- Longitudinal study of 411 working class, deprived participants.
- Risk factors included family criminality (41% convicted).
MEDNICK
- Those with criminal adoptive parent more likely to have criminal records than those without.
- 14.7% vs 13.5%.
14
Q
Maternal deprivation theory SUPPORT
A
BOWLBY
- Interviews with 44 juvenile thieves and their familes.
- 14 affectionless psychopaths, 30 not.
- Of the 14 APs, 12 experienced deprivation.
15
Q
Maternal deprivation theory AGAINST
A
LEWIS
- Interviews with 500 young criminals.
- Deprivation a poor predictor for criminality.
