Offender profiling: comparing the two approaches

Question 1

How is top down different to bottom up

Answer 1

Top Down:
Originates in law enforcement expertise.

• Is based on qualitative methods and creating hypotheses from
  scrutiny of the crime scene and witness reports.
• Is used mainly for murder and rape.
• Focuses on evidence found at the crime scene which is then
  used to infer.
• Work down to assign offenders into categories.

Question 2

How is bottom up approach different to top down

Answer 2

• Originates in psychological expertise.
• Is based on quantitative statistical analysis.
• Can be used with all types of crimes.
• Focuses on the distribution of crimes in an area.
• Work up from evidence collected at the crime scene.

Question 3

Similarities between the top-down and bottom-up approaches:

Answer 3

• Both are used to narrow the field of suspects.
• They both assume that there is a pattern in an offender’s
  behaviour, which is not always the case.
• Both have captured the public’s imagination.