top-down approach

Question 1

strength
Canter et al.

Answer 1

conducted an analysis of 100 US murders each committed by a different serial killer using a technique called smallest space analysis. this analysis revealed that there does seem to be a subset of features of many killings which matched the FBI’s typology for organised offenders.

Question 2

strength
Meketa

Answer 2

Meketa reports that top-down profiling has recently been applied to burglary leading to an 85% rise in solved cases in 3 US states. the detection methods retain the organised + disorganised distinction but also adds two new categories: interpersonal (knows the victim and steals something of significance) or opportunistic (generally inexperienced young offender).

Question 3

weakness
Godwin

Answer 3

argues that in reality its difficult to classify killers as one type or the other. A killer may have multiple contrasting characteristics, such as high intelligence, and sexual competence, but commits a spontaneous murder leaving the body at the crime scene.

Question 4

weakness
Canter et al.

Answer 4

have argued that the sample was poor for creating O/D categories- FBI agents did not select a random or even large sample nor did the sample include different kinds of offender. There was no standard of set questions, so each interview was different and therefore not really comparable. canters review found ‘disorganised’ characteristics were rare and didn’t form a ‘type’.

Question 5

weakness critics

Answer 5

critics of the top-down approach have claimed the technique only applies to a limited number of crimes, such as sexually motivated murders. an offender may also start of being disorganised and become more organised as they develop modus operandi. als othis may change as criminals become more forensically aware- so its not always about personality.