FP - Offender profiling: The bottom-up approach

Question 1

Bottom-up approach

Answer 1

A data-driven approach where statistical techniques are used to produce predictions about the likely characteristics of an offender.

Question 2

Geographical profiling

Answer 2

A form of bottom-up profiling based on the pattern shown by the location or locations of a series of crimes.

Question 3

Investigative psychology

Answer 3

A form of bottom-up profiling based on psychological theory.

Question 4

Who developed investigation psychology?

Answer 4

Canter

Question 5

What did Canter propose and investigative psychology?

Answer 5

Profiling can and should be based in psychological theory and research.

Question 6

What is Canter’s model called?

Answer 6

Five Factor Model

Question 7

What are the 5 things in Canter’s Five Factor model?

Answer 7

1. Interpersonal coherence
2. Time and place
3. Criminal characteristics
4. Criminal career
5. Forensic awareness

Question 8

Interpersonal coherence in Canter’s Five Factor Model

Answer 8

People are consistent in their behaviour and therefore there will be links (correlations) with elements of the crims and how people behave in everyday life.

At the same time people’s behaviour changes over time, and therefore looking at the differences in crimes over a 4 year period might offer further clues.

Question 9

Time and place in Canter’s Five Factor Model

Answer 9

The time and location of an offender’s crime will communicate something about their own place of residence/employment.

Question 10

Criminal characteristics in Canter’s Five Factor Model

Answer 10

Characteristics about the offender can help to classify them, which helps the police investigation.

Question 11

Criminal career in Canter’s Five Factor Model

Answer 11

Crimes tend to be committed in similar fashion by offenders and can provide indication of how their criminal activity will develop.

Question 12

Forensic awareness in Canter’s Five Factor Model

Answer 12

Offenders who show an understanding of a police investigation are likely to have had previous encounters with the criminal justice system.

Certain behaviours may reveal an awareness of particular police techniques and past experience.

Question 13

Give an example of research into forensic awareness in Canter’s Five Factor Model

Answer 13

Davies et al. (1997) found that rapists who conceal fingerprints often had previous conviction for burglary.

Question 14

What statistical technique was developed by Canter?

Answer 14

Smallest space analysis

Question 15

What is smallest space analysis?

Answer 15

• Statistical technique developed by Canter.
• Data about may crime scenes and offender characteristics are correlated so that most common connections can be identified.

Question 16

Who developed smallest pace analysis?

Answer 16

Canter

Question 17

What was found using smallest space analysis?

Themes

Answer 17

Salfati and Canter (1999) analysed the co-occurence of 48 crime scene and offender characteristics taken from 82 UK murder cases where the victim was a stranger.

They were able to identify 3 underlying themes:

• Instrumental opportunistic
• Instrumental cognitive
• Expressive impulse

Question 18

Explain the theme instrumental cognitive

Answer 18

A particular concern about being detected and therefore more planned.

Question 19

Explain the theme instrumental opportunistic

Answer 19

‘Instrumental’ refers to using murder to obtain something or accomplish a goal; ‘opportunistics’ means that the offender took the easiest opportunities.

Question 20

Explain the theme expressive impulsive

Answer 20

Uncontrolled, in the heat of strong emotions, may feel provoked by victim.

Question 21

What did Canter propose in regards to geographical profiling?

Answer 21

That people do not just reveal themselves through the crimes they commit but also through the locations they choose.

Question 22

What are geographical profilers concerned with?

Answer 22

Where rather than who.

Question 23

What does it make sense to assume about where the offender is likely to commit their crime?

Answer 23

They are more likely to commit a crime near where they live or where they habitually travel to because it involves least effort. Thus the location of a crime can be a prime clue in an investigation.

Question 24

What does geographical profiling do?

Answer 24

Analyses the locations of a connected series of crimes and considers where the crimes were committed, the spatial relationships between different crime scenes and how they might relate to an offender’s place of residence.

Question 25

Who proposed circle theory?

Answer 25

Canter and Larkin (1993)

Question 26

What are the two methods of geographical profiling?

Answer 26

Circle theory

Criminal geographic targeting (CGT)

Question 27

What did Canter and Larkin (1993) suggest?

Answer 27

That a criminal’s base may be identifiable by looking at the spatial distribution of crime scenes.

Question 28

Explain circle theory

Answer 28

If crimes that are similar in nature are plotted on a map it may be possible to join the plots together to form a circle. The criminal’s base would be in the centre of this circle.

Question 29

When would circle theory be true?

Answer 29

For a marauder whose home base is within the geographical area which crimes are committed.

Question 30

When isn’t circle theory entirely accurate?

Answer 30

For commuters, offenders who travel to another geographical area and may also commit crimes within a defined space around which a circle can be drawn - the criminals home will not therefore be in the middle of this circle.

Question 31

What are the 2 types of offenders in circle theory?

Answer 31

Marauders and commuters.

Question 32

What is a marauder?

Answer 32

Their home base is within the geographical area which crimes are committed.

Question 33

What is a commuter?

Answer 33

An offender who travel to another geographical area and may also commit crimes within a defined space around which a circle can be drawn - the criminals home will not therefore be in the middle of this circle.

Question 34

Who developed Criminal geographic targeting (GCT)?

Answer 34

Rossmo

Question 35

What is GCT based on?

Answer 35

Rossmo’s formula.

Question 36

What is Rossmo’s formula?

Answer 36

Produces a 3D map displaying spatial data related to time, distance and movement to and from crime scenes.

Question 37

What is the map in GCT called?

Answer 37

A jeopardy surface.

Question 38

What do the different colours on a jeopardy surface indicate?

Answer 38

Indicate likely closeness to residence.