offender profiling : the bottom-up approach

• interpersonal coherence


  how the offender acts during the crime relates to how they act in non-criminal situations (scene is neat - the offender is neat in everyday life)
• the british approach

  david canter

  • generate a profile from only the available evidence
• investigative psychology


  use statistical procedures to create a prediction of behaviour
• forensic awareness


  attempted to cover up their tracks - may have been questioned before
• geographical profiling pt 1

  • what offender are thinking, how they operate or where they live (centre of gravity)
  • where they are next likely to commit a crime (jeopardy surface)
• geographical profiling pt 2 - circle theory

  • the marauder - operates near home
  • the commuter - travels away from home
• strength

  evidence for investigative psychology

  • canter (1990) - analysis of 66 sexual assault cases
  • each had the same characteristic (speaking to the victim like they are a thing)
  • criminal behaviour is consistent proving the theory is valid and reliable
• strength

  support for geographical profiling

  • canter (2001) - 120 murder cases with serial killers
  • disposed of bodies in different locations which formed centres of gravity and their base was always in the middle of this
  • helps determine killers' base
• weakness

  geographical profiling is not always sufficient on its own

  • crimes recorded differently between police departments (75% of crimes go unreported)
  • the quality of prior evidence hinders investigative psychology (lacks usefulness)
  • Ainsworth said geographical information is not enough to identify the offender