offender profiling - top down approach A01

• Americans use top down approach and it originates from the FBI
• Offender profiling is less concerned with actually catching a suspect and more with narrowing done the number of potential suspects.
• There are two different methods of offender profiling that have been developed – the 1st one is top down approach
• top down approach (s) it starts from a general classification to the crime scene and then the profiler uses this classification to drill down to make judgments about likely offenders who would fit the circumstance – using their data to make classifications
• -          There is an alternative called bottom- approach which also collects details from a crime scene, but this data is then analysed using statistical techniques to generate predictions going from data to classification
• • Method was first developed as a way of trying to solve some of the most bizarre / extreme murders
• -          Designed to produce a profile for the most likely offender – by assessing the details of the crime scene you can make predictions on what kind of person the suspect is.
• -Top-down approach is regarded more intuitive application of a profilers prior knowledge - the profile just has a feel for the kind of person who committed the rime – which is why there is a a less explicit line of reasoning form the profiler for a suspect whereas bottom down approach is a more scientific and logical method
• Six main stages
• stage 1 Profiling

  During profiling stage data from the crime scene which includes photos and sketches and also have some background information about the victim – there habits relationships and job
• stage 1 Profiling

  during profiling they have some detail about the crime itself like the weapon used, cause of death autopsy report
• stage 1 Profiling

  all this information even if it seems trivial should be included during this stage
• stage 1 Profiling

  Also important in this stage that any initial suspects already are not considered during the data collecting stage as it may cause a bias to the information collected.
• stage 2 Decision process model

  • Profiler starts to make decisions about data collected and organises it into meaningful patternsusually following issues are considered -murder type – mass(one incident , no significant time interval  , spree( more than one person) or serial murders – more then one person over a extended period of time
• stage 2 Decision process model

  Time factors are considered did the crime take a short or long period of time or way it at night or during the day.

  Location factors – was the crime scene the same as murder.
• stage 3 - Crime assessment

  The distinction between organised and disorganised crime presumes there is correspondence between offences and offenders.
• stage 3 - Crime assessment

  Based on data collected investigators can use an approach known as the typography approach where profiles match what they know about the case to pre-existing templates that have been developed by the FBI to help classify the crime in to categories of organised or disorganised
• Organised crime

  • Behaviour towards victimspecifically targeted victimplannedaggressiveviolent fantasies may be acted out on the victimthe conversation is controlled
• Organised criminals are social and sexually competent have skilled occupation they monitor media coverage of crime.

  high intelligence

  usually live with partner, have working car
• Organised crime

  Crime scene details of weapon is absent body hidden from view body has been transported from original point of murder crime scene is orderly and they attempt to clean up.

  Characteristics of criminal
• organised crime

  background of the criminalusually eldest

  • and inconsistent discipline as a child
• stage 4 Criminal profile

  A profile is now constructed of the offender which usually includes a hypotheses about their likely background, habits and beliefs

  There description is also used to work out a strategy for the investigation to catch the offender.

  Also important to consider how the person will respond to various investigative efforts – so can help them decide how the offender should be interviews after he is caught.
• stage 5 Crime assessment

  A written repost is given to the investigative agency (police)and all people matching the profile are evaluated.

  If any new evidence is generated or no suspects are identified, then the process returned to stage 2 – where they make another profile for the offender 
• stage 6 Apprehension

  If a suspect is apprehended the entire profile generating process is reviewed to check that at each stage in the process the conclusion was legitimate (valid) and consider how the process may be revised for future cases