offender profiling: bottom-up approach

Question 1

outline the bottom-up approach

Answer 1

looks for consistencies in offender’s behaviour during crime by developing a profile through analysing EWT and crime scene

Question 2

outline the characteristics looked into in the bottom-up approach

Answer 2

investigative psychology, geographical profiling

Question 3

define investigative psychology

Answer 3

looking into what the of people are likely to commit the same kind of crime

Question 4

outline the characteristics looked into within investigative psychology

Answer 4

interpersonal coherence, forensic awareness

Question 5

define interpersonal coherence

Answer 5

way offender behaves at scene may reflect behaviour in everyday life situations

Question 6

define forensic awareness

Answer 6

individuals who have been subject of police investigation before may denote their behaviour to help them within crime (e.g. leaving clean scene)

Question 7

define geographical profiling

Answer 7

uses location of linked crimes to make inferences of offender’s operational base location

Question 8

how will using geographical profiling be effective in offender profiling

Answer 8

understanding offender’s ‘centre of gravity’ will help identify spatial pattern of behaviour to make educated guesses of where they will strike next

Question 9

outline the smallest space analysis

Answer 9

use computer data bases and identify patterns to see if series of offences are linked

Question 10

how is the smallest space analysis used

Answer 10

stats reveal relationship with crime and certain types of behaviours that are characterised

Question 11

outline the categories used when characterising offenders in the smallest space analysis

Answer 11

when offender uses easiest method to obtain something; when crime was thought through and planned; crimes heavily influences by impulse and strong emotions

Question 12

outline Canter’s circle theory

Answer 12

usually forms circle around offences

Question 13

what are the two types identified in Canter’s circle theory

Answer 13

marauder, commuter

Question 14

define marauder

Answer 14

operating crimes close to home

Question 15

define commuter

Answer 15

travelling away from home to commit crimes

Question 16

evaluate the bottom-up approach

Answer 16

A: case of John Duffy: Duffy was known as the ‘railway rapist’ as he raped women from the ages of 15-32 at railway stations in and around London and was found guilty of murdering 3 women- using the bottom-up approach, profilers were able to establish a report of what characteristics to look for (unattractive and small due to not being domineering) and looking in and around London due to his crimes being committed around that area-> once convicted, he was found to have fit the characteristics assessed and the idea of living around London and being a marauder using the bottom up approach, giving validity to the type of profiling through real life application
-> C: doesn’t always work: man was jailed for 10 years when he was later found to be innocent to the crime he was convicted for when police used the bottom up approach
A: evidence supporting geographical profiling (Carter + Lundrigan): collated info from 120 murder cases involving serial killers- smallest space analysis identified spatial consistency in pattern-> sports Canter’s claim that spatial awareness is key
-> mixed results (Copson): surveyed 48 police forces and found advice provided by profiler was judged to be useful in 83% of cases but only 3% led to accurate identification-> useful but doesn’t always lead to correct identification of offender