Offender profiling: The bottom-up approach Flashcards
What is the aim of the bottom-up approach?
To generate a picture of the offender
The aim of the bottom-up approach is to generate a picture of the offender including their…
likely characteristics, routine behaviour and social background
The aim of the bottom-up approach is to generate a picture of the offender through what?
Systematic analysis of evidence at the crime scene
Investigative psychology is an attempt to apply what alongside what to the analysis of crime scene evidence?
Statistical procedures alongside psychological theory
What is the aim of investigative psychology in relation to offender profiling?
To establish patterns of behaviour that are likely to occur or coexist across crime scenes
Investigative psychology aims to establish patterns of behaviour that are likely to occur or coexist across crime scenes in order to…
develop a statistical database which then acts as a baseline for comparison
What is the importance of the statistical database developed by investigative psychology?
Specific details of an offence, or related offences, can then be matched against this database to reveal important details about the offender
Give 2 examples of important details about the offender that may be stored in the statistical database developed as a result of investigative psychology
Their personal history and family background, etc.
Which part of investigative psychology may determine whether a series of offences are linked in that they are likely to have been committed by the same person?
The statistical database
Central to the investigative psychology approach is the concept of what?
Interpersonal coherence
What is interpersonal coherence in relation to offender behaviour?
The way an offender behaves at the scene may reflect their behaviour in more everyday situations, including how they ‘interact’ with the victim
Some rapists want to maintain maximum control and humiliate, others are more apologetic. This might tell the police…
something about how the offender relates to women more generally
The way an offender behaves at the scene may reflect their behaviour in more everyday situations, including how they ‘interact’ with the victim. What is this concept
Interpersonal coherence
Why is the significance of time and place also a key variable in investigative psychology?
This may indicate where the offender is living
What does forensic awareness describe?
Those individuals who have been the subject of police interrogation before
What may the behaviour of offenders with ‘forensic awareness’ denote?
How mindful they are of covering their tracks
True/False: There is evidence to support investigative psychology
True, Canter and Heritage (1990)
What did Canter and Heritage conduct an analysis of?
66 sexual assault cases
How many sexual assault cases did Canter and Heritage conduct an analysis of?
66
How did Canter and Heritage analyse 66 sexual assault cases?
Using smallest space analysis
In Canter and Heritage’s analysis of 66 sexual assault cases, several behaviours were identified as…
common in different samples of behaviour
In Canter and Heritage’s analysis of 66 sexual assault cases, several behaviours were identified as common in different samples of behaviour. Give an example
Any from the use of impersonal language and lack of reaction to the victim
What did Canter and Heritage find about each individual’s behaviours when analysing 66 sexual assault cases?
Each individual displayed a characteristic pattern of behaviours such as the use of impersonal language and lack of reaction to the victim
The fact that each individual analysed by Canter and Heritage displayed a characteristic pattern of behaviours such as impersonal language and a lack of reaction to the victim can help establish…
whether two or more offences were committed by the same person
Establishing whether two or more offences were committed by the same person is known as what?
‘Case linkage’
‘Case linkage’ supports one of the most basic principles of investigative psychology - that…
people are consistent in their behaviour
What’s the issue with using a database for ‘case linkage’?
It depends on the database and will only ever consist of historical crimes that have been solved
The fact that crime databases will only ever consist of historical crimes that have been solved means what about ‘case linkage’ of these crimes?
May be because it was relatively straightforward to link these crimes together in the first place
The fact that crime databases will only ever consist of historical crimes that have been solved which may be due to it being relatively straightforward to link these crimes together in the first place creates what kind of argument?
A circular argument
The fact that crime databases will only ever consist of historical crimes that have been solved which may be due to it being relatively straightforward to link these crimes together in the first place creates a circular argument that suggests what about investigative psychology?
It may tell us little about crimes that have few links between them and therefore they remain unsolved
True/False: Offender profiling has something of a mixed history
True
True/False: Offender profiling is regarded in different ways by police forces
True