The top-down approach

1. When police have very little evidence to go on, they will sometimes enlist the help of a forensic psychologist.

2. The forensic psychologist will use prior knowledge and evidence gathered from the scene to build an offender profile.

3. An offender profile outlines the type of person likely to have committed the crime.

What is an offender profile?

1. Who will the police go to if they need help?

2. What will this person do?

3. What is an offender profile?

American

is the top-down approach the American or British way of making an offender profile?

1. In the 1970s, the FBIs behavioural science unit gathered data from 36 sexually motivated serial killers, including Charles Manson and Ted Bundy to develop this approach to Offender Profiling.

2. This data was placed in a database for future crimes to be compared to e.g. motivation of offender, intelligence, appearance, family life etc.

The Top-Down Approach (FBI)

1. When and how was data gathered?

2. Where was this data placed and how is it used?

• Data assimilation

• Crime scene classification

• Crime reconstruction

• Profile generation

what are 4 stages of constructing a profile (in order)?

profiler reviews evidence (such as police reports, post mortems and crime scene photos).

what is data assimilation as part of the top-down approach?

the FBI will classify if the offender is organised or a disorganised offender

what is a crime scene classification as part of the top-down approach?

hypothesis formation of how the crime might have taken place based on the classification and data

what is crime reconstruction as part of the top-down approach?

the profile is created based on physical and behavioural characteristics of the offender (from previous crimes/ knowledge of usual organised and disorganised offenders).

what is profile generation as part of the top-down approach?

• Crime is planned

• Leaves few clues

• Shows self-control at the crime scene

• Attempts to control the victim

what are examples of an ORGANISED crime scene?

• Socially/ sexually competent

• Follows media coverage of crime

• Married/ cohabitating

• Skilled occupation

• The victim is a targeted stranger

• Above average IQ

what are examples of an ORGANISED offender?

• Little planning/ preparation. Crime scenes are usually chaotic.

• Random behaviour is often shown at the scene.

• Minimum use of constraint towards the victim 

• Little attempt to hide the evidence at the scene

what are examples of a DISORGANISED crime scene?

• Victims are usually chosen due to the opportunity

• Unskilled occupation/ unemployed

• Sexually/ socially inadequate

• Physically/ sexually abused in childhood

• Lives alone, near the crime scene

what are examples of a DISORGANISED offender?