Offender profiling: The top-down approach

Question 1

Define the ‘Top-down Approach’

Answer 1

An analysis of previous crimes creates a profile of a likely offender. A profiler uses this knowledge to narrow the field of possible subjects. Unlike the bottom-up approach, the top-down approach relies on the intuition and beliefs of the profiler.

Question 2

Define ‘Organised type of offender’

Answer 2

This type of offender commits a planned crime and may engage in violent fantasies with the victim and is high in intelligence and socially competent.

Question 3

Define ‘Disorganised type of offender’

Answer 3

The crime scene is left with many clues such as fingerprints, there is little evidence of engagement with the victim, and the offender has lower intelligence and competence.

Question 4

Define ‘Offender profiling’

Answer 4

A method of working out the characteristics of an offender by examining the characteristics of the crime and the crime scene.

Question 5

Outline the 6 stages of the top-down approach

Answer 5

1. Profiling inputs
2. Decision process models
3. Crime assessment
4. Criminal profile
5. Crime assessment
6. Apprehension

Question 6

Explain stage 1: Profiling inputs

Answer 6

Collecting a description of the crime scene including:
- photographs and sketches
- background info about victim (employment, habits, relationships)
- details of crime itself (weapon, cause of death autopsy report)

Question 7

Explain stage 2: Decision process models

Answer 7

Profiler makes decisions about the data and organises it into meaningful patterns.
Some issues include the murder type, time factors and location factors

Question 8

Explain stage 3: Crime assessment

Answer 8

Crime classified as organised or disorganised

Question 9

Explain stage 4: Criminal profile

Answer 9

A profile is now constructed of the offender which includes hypotheses about their likely background, habits and beliefs.
This description is used to work out a strategy for the investigation to help catch the offender.

Question 10

Explain stage 5: Crime assessment

Answer 10

Written report is given to the investigating agency and persons matching the profile are evaluated.
If new evidence is generated and no suspects are identified, the process goes back to stage 2.

Question 11

Explain stage 6: Apprehension

Answer 11

If a suspect is apprehended, the entire profile-generating process is reviewed to check that at each stage the conclusions made are legitimate.

Question 12

Outline the evaluation points for the top-down approach

Answer 12

Not scientific
Based on extreme crime - limited explanation.
The basis of the method if flawed