SA Question - Consistency and Homology in Offender Profiling

Question 1

Aim Offender Profiling

Answer 1

Deduce characteristics of an unknown offender based on the crime scene, the victim and other available evidence
Maturity, intelligence and previous convictions can be understood based on crime scene investigation

Question 2

Define Consistency

Answer 2

Committing an offence in a consistent way
Assumption that consistency for that person would be greater than if another offender did the offence (Variance in crime from serial offender must be smaller than random variance from different offender)
Offender commit same offences

Question 3

Define Homology

Answer 3

Offender characteristics fit in with crime and lifestyle
Behavioural consistency
If person aggressive, should be aggressive across work and life domains

Question 4

What is a criminal profile

Answer 4

Contain offender characteristics (age, marital status, belief, value, previous convictions)
Help with suspect interviewing
Hopefully help in leading to the apprehension of an offender
Offenders with similar offences should have similar attributes

Question 5

Organised Vs Disorganised Typology

Answer 5

Distinguish between sexual homicides and types of arson

Offenders differ in degree of organisational control

Question 6

Organised Offender

Answer 6

Kill after undergoing a precipitating stressful event (financial, relationship, employment)
Level of planning an control (methodical)
Socially skilled and adept at handling interpersonal situations
Likely to use verbal approach to victim before violence

Question 7

Disorganised Offender

Answer 7

Kill opportunistically
Live in close proximity to crime scene
Lack planning before, after and during the crime
Spontaneous and chaotic offending
Low education
Leave evidence at the crime scene
Offender is socially inadequate and cannot maintain interpersonal relationships
Lack normal, healthy relationships
Increased likelihood of sexual ignorance, sexual perversion in homicidal act

Question 8

Why might offender profiling not work?

Answer 8

Victim can respond in different ways
- depending on context and situation (personality paradox)
We tend to infer stable global dispositions from peoples behaviour across situations, however this is influenced by the environment/situation

Question 9

5 Steps of Offender Profiling

Answer 9

1) Assess the type of criminal in relation to individuals who have committed similar acts
2) Thorough analysis of the crime scene
3) Scrutinise background of the victim and possible suspects
4) Establish motivations
5) Description of the perpetrator developed

Question 10

Mixed Offender

Answer 10

May involve several people
Some planning, violence and body usually exposed
Could be involved with drugs, alcohol, gangs

Question 11

Pseudo Unselfish Behaviour

Answer 11

Rapist has concern with victim comfort and welfare
Believe that they will win the victim over and won’t be seen as a bad person
Verbal behaviour (reassure victim, complimentary, show concern, show interest in their personal life, apologetic)
Sexual Behaviour (Try to involve victim, no desire to hurt victim, will do what victim allows, may ask for kiss, perform oral sex)
Physical Behaviour (Physical force minimal, force used to intimidate not punish, may show/tell about weapon)

Question 12

Selfish Behaviour

Answer 12

Only interested in own pleasure
no concern for victim feelings or comfort
Verbal Behaviour (Verbally offensive, abusive, threatening, demeaning, humiliating, profane, demanding, non-personal, sexually orientated)
Sexual behaviour (Does what they want, pain, fear, likely to pinch, pull, bite)
Physical behaviour (Moderate, excessive, brutal level of force)

Question 13

4 Categories of Rapists

Answer 13

Power Reassurance (Reassure own masculinity, lack confidence with women, no desire to degrade women, involve stalking, surprise attack)
Power Assertive rapist (Exercise prerogative as a male to rape a woman, use rape to express virility, sexually and verbally selfish, no concern victim welfare, several assaults, violence to ensure compliance)
Anger Retaliatory (Get even with women for perceived wrongs, sex as punishment, sexually and verbally selfish, frenzied attack, when tension released victim left alone)
Anger Excitation Rapist (Sexually stimulated by victim response to pain, Motivation to inflict pain, fear and submission, planned, methodical)