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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)
Note 
Flashcard (20)