Offender profiling

what is offender profiling

a technique used to identify possible offenders which involves creatinf a profile which contrains probable traits of the offender

what is the top-down approach to profiling

involves looking at similar previous cases and the criminals responsible. due to this, some common traits can be identified, which are probably exhibited by the current offender as well

what is typological profilling

• a typology is a classification system and typological profiling aims to classify offenders into different types based upon behaviour at the crime scene

what are the two types offenders are split into

• organised

• disorganised

what is an organised offender

refers to offenders who have planned the crime. these type of offenders are usually highly intellegent

what is a disorganised offender

refers to offenders who are more likely to have commited the crime impulsivley. These type of offenders are typically of low intelligence

characteristics of an organised offender

• demonstrate planning and control

• victims are specifically targeted and often same types

• consistant method of operation and weapon use

• crime scene reflects precision and control with minimal evidence left behind

• may engage in violent fantisies

• socially compitent

characteristics of a disorganised offender

• impulsive acts with little to no planning

• victims may be chosen randomly

• inconsistant method of operation; weapons may be improvised

• crime scene is often chaotic with significant evidence left behind

• little evidence of victim engagement

• low levels of compitency

• unskilled/ uneducated

what are the 4 stages in the construction of a profile

• data assimilation: review evidence

• crime scene cassification: organised/disorganised

• crime reconstruction: hypothesise sequence of events

• profile generation: hypothesise offender characteristics

A03: top down profilling

+ can be useful when narrowing down suspects

- too simplistic to accuratley identify all offenders

- lack of evidence supporting a disorganised offender type

what is the bottom up approach

• created by David Canter

• involves more focusing on the crime rather than the crimes of others

what is geographical profiling

noting all areas a crime took place, the location of an offender is predicted since an offender will not typically travel far to commit a crime

Canter and Gregory: circle theory

the majority of the tme, if a circle is drawn that encompanies all of the series of linked crimes the offender will be based somewhere in the middle.

there are two types of offenders:

• the commuter

• the marauder

geographical profiling: the commuter

• travels away from home areas to offend in another

• the location of offences in this new area tend to be clustered together

geographical profiling: the marauder

• has a home range and travels within the vicinity

• moving out from the home in different directions each time to avoid detection of their most recent crime

case study of the bottom up approach: Canter and the railway rapist

• John Duffy sexually assulted 24 women in north london near railway station

• Canter used investigative psychology and geographical profiling to create a profile

• canters profile: Lived in London, Married with no children, Linked to railways, intrest in martial arts

• John Duffy: lived in london, married with no children (infertile), Ex-british trail employee, member of a martial arts club

what is investigative psychology

• associated to canters ideas in geographical profiling but adds two other features:

  • the offender consistency principle

  • criminal narrative themes

the offender consistancy principle

• an offenders behaviour is consistant between their offending and non-offending behaviour .

  • therefore, the way they commit their crimes will reflect their everyday behaviour and personality traits

Criminal narrative themes

• criminals base their offenfing on criminal narrative themes or personal life sotries that give their crimes meaning

• the criminal may see themself as the “elated hero”, “depressed victim”, or “calm professional”

A03: bottom up approach

+ use of scientific methods make it more reliable

+ smallest space analysis provides support for the effectiveness in geogrpahical profiling in narrowing down suspects

- has limitations in accurately identifying offenders