Forensic Psychology

What are the 2 approaches to offender profiling?

Top Down Approach

Bottom Up Approach

What is the top-down approach? (AO1)

When you match what is known about the crime and the offender to a pre existing template developed from data gathered in interviews with 36 sexually motivated serial killers. The offenders are then categorised into either organised or disorganised based on the crime scene evidence. It uses the idea that serious offenders have a signature way or working often referred to as the modus operandi.

Name characteristics of organised offenders

• evidence of crime being planned beforehand

• their victims are deliberate (usually a type)

• little evidence is left at the crime scene

• above average IQ

• socially and sexually competent

Name characteristics of a disorganised offender

• little evidence of previous planning

• crime scene reflects an impulsive attack

• low IQ

• sexual dysfunction and failed relationships

• usually lives alone and near crime scene

What is offender profiling?

An investigative tool to solve crime; it’s main aim is to narrow down the field of enquiry to likely suspects

Strengths and limitations of the top-down approach (AO3)

Strengths:

• evidence to support that it can be used with other types of crime eg: burglary = wider application = positive effect on economy as less time and resources spent on unsolved investigations

• highly influential = useful tool in offender profiling = can be used to identify possible suspects

Limitations:

• oversimplified = distinction between organised and disorganised is too simple and likely to be a continuum = approach may be limited which could lead to inaccurate profiling

What research did Maurice (2002) do?

She argued it’s hard to classify killers as either organised or disorganised because most killers will have characteristics that contrast between the two

What research did Meketa (2017) do?

She applied the top down approach to recent burglary’s and found an 85% increase in solved cases

What is the bottom up approach? (AO1)