The Bottom - Down Approach Flashcards
What is the aim of the bottom - up approach in offender profiling?
To generate a data - driven offender profile, including their likely characteristics, routine behaviour and social background, through
a systematic analysis of the crime scene evidence
How does the the British bottom - up approach differ from the US top - down approach?
The bottom - up approach is data driven and does not begin with fixed typologies. Instead, the profile emerges from detailed analysis of the crime scene
What is investigative psychology?
A type of psychology that uses statistics and psychology to analyse crime scene evidence
What is the purpose of developing a statistical database in investigative psychology?
To provide a baseline for comparison, allowing investigators to match crime scene details with known patterns to determine links between offences
What is interpersonal coherence in investigative psychology?
What is an example of interpersonal coherence in offender profiling (rapists)
The idea that an offender’s behaviour at the crime scene reflects their behaviour in everyday life, such as how they interact with others
Some rapists seek maximum control and humiliation,while others are more apologetic, which may reflect how they generally relate to women
How can the significance of time and place help in offender profiling?
It can indicate where the offender lives or works, helping to narrow down potential suspects
What is forensic awareness in offender profiling?
It refers to offenders who have previously been interrogated by the police and take extra precautions to avoid leaving evidence or being caught
What is geographical profiling?
A technique that uses crime scene location to determine an offender’s likely home or base
What is crime mapping?
Using crime scene locations to identify patterns and predict offender movements
What assumption does geographical profiling make?
Serial offenders operate in familiar areas
What is the ‘centre of gravity’ in geographical profiling?
The central point in an offender’s crime pattern, often near their base
What is the jeopardy surface?
A prediction of where an offender might strike next
What is Canter’s circle theory?
A model suggesting that an offender’s crime locations form a circle around their home base
What are the two offender types in Canter’s circle theory?
- Marauder - offends close to home
- Commuter - travels away from home to offend
How does the number of offences affect geographical profiling accuracy?
More offences create a clearer spatial pattern, making profiling more effective
How does crime patterning help investigators?
It provides insight into an offender’s planning, mental maps, transport use, employment status and approximate age
How can geographical profiling suggest whether a crime was planned or opportunistic?
A well - defined crime pattern suggests planning, while random locations suggest opportunism
What is an advantage of the bottom - up approach? (canter’s circle theory + murder cases reviewup
There is evidence supporting geographical profiling provided by Canter.
A review of 120 murder cases from the US using smallest space analysis revealed spatial consistency in the behaviour of the killers
The location of each body disposal site was in a different direction from the previous sites, creating a “centre of gravity” where the offender’s base was invariably located within the centre of the pattern
The effect was more noticeable with offenders who travelled a short distance to the crime scene, marauders
This supports Canter’s claim that spatial information is a key factor in determining the base of an offender
What is an advantage of the bottom - up approach? (wider application)
Another advantage of the bottom - up approach is its applicability to a wide range of offences.
Techniques such as smallest space analysis and the principle of spatial consistency can be used in the investigation of crimes such as burglary and theft as well as more serious crimes like murder and rape.
In contrast, the top - down approach is best suited to explaining a limited number of crimes like rape and satanic/ritualistic crimes
What is a disadvantage of the bottom - up approach? (failures/mixed findings + chemistry students)
There has been some significant failures in profiling and studies examining the effectiveness of offender profiling have produced mixed findings.
For example, Copson surveyed 48 police forces found that the advice provided by the profiler was judged to be “useful” in 83% of cases, but only 3% led to an accurate identification of the offender.
Kocsis et al. found chemistry students produced a more accurate offender profile and solved murder case than experienced senior detectives
What is a disadvantage of the bottom - up approach? (objective/scientific + artificial intelligence)
Canter’s argument is bottom - up profiling is more objective and scientific than the top - down approach.
This is because it is more rooted in evidence and psychological theory, being less driven by speculations and hunches.
With the aid of artificial intelligence, investigators are able to manipulate geographical, biological and psychological data quickly to produce insights and results that assist the investigation
