Evalution

• A strength is that there is supporting evidence from canter and heritage. They conducted an analysis of 66 sexual assault cases. Several behaviours were identified as common in different samples of behaviour. Each individual displayed a pattern of behaviour and this can help to establish whether two or more offences were comitted by the same person
• however the case linkage can depend on the data base and this will only consist of historical crimes that have been solved. the fact that they were solved may be because it was straightforward to link these crimes together in the first place. this makes this a circular argument. this suggests that investigatice sociology may tell us little about crimes that have few links between them and then remain unsolved
• a strength is that there is evidence for geographical profiling. Canter and lundnan got information from 120 murder cases involving serial killers in the US. location of each body disposal site created a centre of gravity. the offenders base was at the centre of the patter, this supports the view it can be used to identify an offender
• however geographical profiling may be insufficient on its own. instead it may be reliant on the data that the police provide. this means geographical profiling alone might not be able to catch an offender
• a limitation is that it may not always be accurate. for example int he Rachel nickel murder colin Stagg was arrested for the murder because he fit the geographical and psychological. even though he had an alibi for the crime. he was convicted and years later it was discovered he did not commit the crime
• a strength is that it is data driven and scientific. this means it is object, mire valid and reliable