Offender Profiling: The Bottom-Up Approach Flashcards
What is the Bottom-up approach to profiling?
It starts with the criminal’s characteristics and develops the profile based on that. The specific details of the crime come first and the general profile comes second.
What is investigative psychology?
The use of scientific psychology and psychological theory to solve crimes and identify criminals
What is interpersonal coherence?
Proposed by Canter - it means that the way a criminal behaves when they are committing a crime will be consistent with how they behave in every day life
What is statistical analysis?
Used in investigative psychology to identify common themes and patterns of behaviour across several crime scenes.
What are 2 examples of statistical analysis?
Multidimensional scaling - mathematical models that can be used to analyse distances between objects/places
Smallest space analysis - a computer program that identifies correlations across patterns of behaviour
What is geographical profiling?
The use of statistical analysis to make inferences about the offender’s geographical location
What does the circle hypothesis state?
That serial offenders carry out their crimes within a geographical circle with an operational base or ‘centre of gravity’ at the centre. It also predicts that the offender’s home will be within this circle.
What else can the circle hypothesis be used for?
Predicting where an offender is likely to strike next - the ‘jeopardy surface’
What are the 2 geographical models for offending locations?
Marauder and Commuter
What is a marauder?
An offender that commits crimes in close proximity to their home base
What is a strength of the Bottom-up approach? (Scientific)
Uses biographical, geographical and psychological data to produce a profile - more objective & scientific than Top-down - enhances scientific credibility of profiling
What is a strength of the Bottom-up approach? (Evidence supporting investigative psychology)
Canter used Bottom-up methods to develop profile for ‘Railway Rapist’ - closely matched details of the offender who was found guilty
What is a strength of the Bottom-up approach? (Supporting evidence for geographical profiling)
Canter & Lundrigan - plotted locations where 120 serial killers disposed of bodies & analysed using smallest space analysis - found that killers’ homes tended to be in the centre of the plotted area - supports validity of geographical profiling
What is a strength of the Bottom-up approach? (Wider application)
Can be applied to a wider range of crimes - Top-down is more limited
What is a limitation of the Bottom-up approach? (Conflicting evidence)
Copson - surveyed 184 UK police officers on the use of profiles - 83% said they were useful, but only 3% of profiles created resulted in identification of the offender - not v useful
