Bottum up

• STRENGTH:

  • Evidence supports its use
  • Canter et al conducted an analysis of 66 sexual assault cases
  • The data was examined using smallest space analysis
  • Several behaviours were identified as common in different samples of behaviour, ie lack of reaction to the victim
  • Each individual displayed a characteristic pattern of such behaviours and this can help establish whether two or more offences were committed by the same person ( 'case linkage')

  This supports one of the basic principles of investigative psychology (and the bottom-up approach) that people are consistent in their behaviour.
• COUNTERPOINT:

  • However, case linkage depends on the database and this will only consist of historical crimes that have been solved
  • The fact that they were solved may be because it was relatively straightforward to link these crimes together in the first place. Which makes this a circular argument.

  This suggests that investigative psychology may tell us little about crimes that have few links between them and therefore remain unsolved.
• -

  • Geographical profiling may not be sufficient on its own
  • Success of it may be rely on the quality of data provided by police
  • Crime is not always accurately reported can vary between police forces and 75% of crimes are not even reported to police in the first place
  • Call into question the utility of an approach that relies on the accuracy of geographical data
  • Even if this information is correct, critics claim that other factors are just as important in creating a profile, ie experience of the offender (Ainsworth)

  Geographical information alone may not lead to the capture of an offender