the top down approach

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Created by
Bupe katebe

Cards (8)

  • general description of the top down approach?
    intuitive application of a profiler's prior knowledge
  • who developed the six main stages of the top down approach?
    Douglas et al
  • what are the six main stages of the top down approach?
    1. profiling inputs
    2. decision process models
    3. crime assessment
    4. criminal profile
    5. crime assessment
    6. apprehension
    Police Do Catch Cunning Criminals All the time
  • state a brief description of each of the six stages of offender profiling
    1. initial data collected eg- description of the crime scene. No info ignored even if trivial.
    2. organising data into meaningful patterns- murder type, time and location factors
    3. classified as organised/disorganised
    4. hypotheses about likely background/habits. Used to work out a strategy to catch offender
    5. written report given to investigation agency and people matching profile are evaluated
    6. suspect apprehended, profile making process reviewed to check legitimate conclusions
  • what is an organised offender?
    when the crime is planned and the victim is targeted, offender is high in intelligence and socially competent
  • what is a disorganised offender?
    unplanned crimes, little engagement with victim, offender has low intelligence and social competence. Crime scene likely to contain many clues.
  • in what stage is an offender classified as organised/disorganised?
    during the first stage of crime assessment
  • evaluation of the top down approach?
    • ☹️not based on any scientific theory- requires intuitive application of profiler's prior knowledge, Barnum effect- ambiguous descriptions made to suit any situation
    • 😊useful- Copson questioned 182 police officers, 82% said useful, over 90% would use again
    • ☹️basis of the method is flawed- organised/disorganised classification based on interviews with dangerous offenders- not reliable source of info
    • ☹️not two distinct categories- David Canter et al analysed 39 murder cases- Subsets of organised types, little evidence of disorganised ones, no clarity.