The Bottom Up Approach to Offender Profiling

Question 1

Outline the bottom up approach.

Answer 1

-Consists of geographical profiling and investigative psychology.
-Based on scientific theory.
-Developed in the UK.
-Main research by Canter.

Question 2

What is the aim of investigative psychology?

Answer 2

To establish patterns of behaviour that are likely to occur across crime scenes.

Question 3

Outline investigative psychology.

Answer 3

-Profilers develop a statistical database.
-Interpersonal coherence.
-Forensic awareness.
-Smallest space analysis.

Question 4

What is meant by interpersonal coherence?

Answer 4

The way an offender behaves at the crime scene and how they interact with the victim - this can reflect the offender’s behaviour in everyday situations.

Question 5

What is meant by forensic awareness?

Answer 5

Certain behaviours which reveal knowledge of police techniques and show that the offender is aware of how to minimise the possibilities of being caught.

Question 6

What is meant by smallest space analysis?

Answer 6

Discovering the spatial consistency in the crimes of offenders.

Question 7

What is geographical profiling?

Answer 7

A form of bottom up profiling which uses info about the location of linked crime scenes to make inferences about the likely home/base of an offender.

Question 8

In geographical profiling, what is meant by a marauder and a commuter?

Answer 8

Marauder - an offender who operates in close proximity to their home.
Commuter - an offender who travels away from their residence.

Question 9

In geographical profiling, what is the circle theory and who came up with it?

Answer 9

The idea that an offenders home base will be central to their crimes if they restrict their work to geographical areas they’re familiar with.
Canter.

Question 10

Give 3 strengths of the bottom up approach to offender profiling.

Answer 10

SIG

-Scientific basis: Canter and Heritage used smallest space analysis and identified clear common patterns of behaviour. Computer database makes approach more scientific and objective than top down.

-Geographical profiling support: Canter and Lundrigan found spatial consistency in the behaviour of killers. Offfenders bases were located in the centre of their crimes.

-Investigative psychology support: Canter + Heritage (66 offenders) identified several behaviours as being common e.g impersonal language.

Question 11

Give 2 weaknesses of the bottom up approach to offender profiling.

Answer 11

-Petherick: Circle theory, if an offender’s home base isn’t in the centre of the circle, then police may look in the wrong place.
-Crimes with few links between them may remain unsolved.