offender profiling

• What is the purpose of offender profiling?

  To generate hypotheses about offender characteristics
• How does offender profiling assist police investigations?

  It narrows down the list of suspects
• What does the basic assumption of offender profiling state?

  The offender's behavior reflects their personality
• What are the key components of the Top Down Approach in offender profiling?

  • Created by the FBI
  • Categorizes offenders into organized or disorganized
  • Based on interviews with sexually motivated murderers
• What characterizes an organized offender?

  Planned crime with deliberate victim targeting
• What are some traits of organized offenders?

  High intelligence and social competence
• What characterizes a disorganized offender?

  Little evidence of planning and impulsive nature
• What does data assimilation involve in offender profiling?

  Gathering information from multiple sources
• What is the purpose of crime scene classification?

  To determine if the offender is organized or disorganized
• What is involved in crime scene reconstruction?

  Generating hypotheses about the crime sequence
• What does profile generation entail?

  Constructing a sketch of the offender's characteristics
• What did Canter's research support regarding organized criminals?

  Identified key characteristics of organized killers
• How has the Top Down Approach been applied beyond murder cases?

  Improved burglary convictions in three US states
• What is a criticism of the Top Down Approach?

  Based on flawed evidence from a small sample
• What is the aim of the Bottom Up Approach in offender profiling?

  • Generate a picture of the offender
  • Analyze evidence systematically
  • Establish patterns of behavior across crime scenes
• What is the purpose of offender profiling?

  To generate hypotheses about offender characteristics
• How does Investigative Psychology function in offender profiling?

  Matches crime details with statistical behavior patterns
• How does the offender's behavior at the crime scene help profiling?

  It reflects their personality traits
• What does interpersonal coherence refer to?

  Offender behavior reflects everyday interactions
• How can police officers use the resulting profile from offender profiling?

  To reduce their list of suspects
• What is forensic awareness?

  When a criminal covers their tracks
• What are the key characteristics of the Top Down Approach in offender profiling?

  • Developed by the FBI
  • Based on interviews with 36 murderers
  • Categorizes offenders into organised or disorganised
• What does geographical profiling use to make inferences about offenders?

  Location of linked crime scenes
• What defines an organised offender?

  Planned crime with high control
• What is the principle of spatial consistency in geographical profiling?

  Serial offenders operate in familiar areas
• What are some characteristics of disorganised offenders?

  Impulsive, little control, below average IQ
• What is a marauder in geographical profiling?

  An offender operating close to their home base
• What is Data Assimilation in the context of offender profiling?

  Gathering information from multiple sources
• What is a commuter in geographical profiling?

  An offender traveling away from their usual residence
• What is the purpose of Crime Scene Classification?

  To determine if the offender is organised or disorganised
• What did Ludrigan and Canter's analysis reveal about geographical profiling?

  Regular spatial consistency in killer behavior
• What is a limitation of geographical profiling?

  Body may not always be found
• What does Crime Scene Reconstruction involve?

  Generating hypotheses about the crime sequence
• What is Profile Generation in offender profiling?

  Constructing a sketch of the offender
• What are the evaluations of the Top Down Approach?

  • Research support for organised vs disorganised
  • Wider application to burglary
  • Based on flawed evidence from small sample
• What did Copson's analysis reveal about the usefulness of profiling?

  83% found it useful, but limited effectiveness
• What did Canter's research on serial killers reveal?

  Key characteristics of organised killers
• How did the Top Down Approach improve burglary convictions?

  By categorizing offenders as interpersonal or opportunistic
• What is a limitation of the Top Down Approach?

  Based on flawed evidence from interviews
• What is the Bottom Up Approach in offender profiling?

  • Generates a picture of the offender
  • Data-driven and systematic analysis
  • Establishes patterns of behavior across crime scenes