Top down profiling

Question 1

What is offender profiling?

Answer 1

A method of identifying the perpetrator of a crime based on analysis of the nature of the offence and the manner in which it was committed.

Question 2

What is an offender profile?

Answer 2

Outlines the type of person likely to have committed a crime.
They are used to shorten the list of suspects.

Question 3

What is a dichotomy?

Answer 3

Two exclusive categories; organised or disorganised.

Question 4

What are the organised characteristics of a crime?

Answer 4

• Actions reflect planning and control
• Uses weapons and restraints that are planned
• Crime scene is in order, leaves few clues
• Victim is a targeted stranger

Question 5

What are the likely characteristics of the offender in an organised crime?

Answer 5

• In a skilled occupation
• Above average intelligence
• Married/co-habiting
• Socially and sexually competent

Question 6

What are the disorganised characteristics of a crime?

Answer 6

• No pre-planning
• Uses whatever weapons are available
• Crime scene is chaotic, leaves blood, fingerprints and murder weapon behind - little attempt to hide evidence
• Victim is random (convient)

Question 7

What are the likely characteristics of an offender in a disorganised crime?

Answer 7

• Unskilled occupation
• Low levels of intelligence
• Lives alone - near crime scene
• Sexually and socially inadequate

Question 8

What are the four stages in the construction of a top down profile?

Answer 8

DCCP

1 - Data assimilation (profiler reviews evidence; crime scene, witness reports)
2 - Crime scene classification (either organised or disorganised)
3 - Crime reconstruction (hypothesis in terms of sequence of events)
4 - Profile generation (hypothesis related to the likely offender)

Question 9

What are the limitations to top down profiling?

Answer 9

• The original sample it is based on interviews 36 sexually motivated killers; small sample.
• Only applies to particular crimes such as serial crimes.
• Based on outdated models of personality.
• Classification is too simplistic; killers can be act-focused or process-focused, so there may be more categories.
• Evidence does not support the dichotomy - Canter analysed 100 cases of serial killings and found that most crime scenes include elements of both organised and disorganised.