Offender profiling:The top-down approach -A-Level Psychology
Offender profiling is an investigative tool used by the police when solving crimes,it aims to narrow the field of enquiry and the list of likely suspects.Methods vary,but the compiling of a profile will usually involve careful scrutiny of the crime scene and evidence e.g.witness reports to generate hypotheses about the probable characteristics of the offender(age,background,occupation).
The American approach:
-originated in the US as a result of work carried out by the FBI’s behavioural science unit in the 1970s where they drew upon data from in depth interviews with criminals.
-offender profilers who use this method will match what is known about the crime and the offender to a pre-existing template that the FBI developed.Based on evidence the criminals are classified as organised or disorganised criminals and this then forms the basis of police investigation.
Organised and disorganised types of offender:
-based on the idea that serious offenders have signature ways of working and these generally correlate with a particular set of social and psychological characteristics that relate to the individual.
Organised offenders:
-victim deliberately targeted so show evidence of having planned the crime in advance
-little evidence or clues left behind
-tend to be above-average intelligence and in a skilled occupation
-socially competent
-maintain a high degree of control during the crime
Disorganised offenders:
-show little evidence of planning
-offence may be spontaneous
-crime scene tends to reflect the impulsive nature of the attack
-appears to have been very little control on the part of the offender
-tend to have a lower than average IQ and be in unskilled work/unemployed
-tend to live alone
Constructing an FBI profile:
Data assimilation-the profiler reviews the evidence
Crime scene classification-either organised or disorganised
Crime reconstruction-hypothesis in terms of sequence of events e.g.behaviour of the victim
Profile generation-hypotheses related to the likely offender e.g. demographic background,physical characteristics
Evaluation:
Based on outdated models of personality-the typology classification system is based on the assumption that offenders have patterns of behaviour and motivation that remain consistent across situations and contexts.Alison et al suggested that this approach was naive and informed by old fashioned models of personality that see behaviour as being driven by stable dispositional traits rather than external factors that may be constantly changing.So the top-down approach is likely to have poor validity when it comes to identifying possible suspects or trying to predict their next move.
Evidence does not support the disorganised offender-David Canter et al used smallest space analysis to analyse data from 100 murders in the USA.The details of each case were examined with reference to 39 characteristics thought to be typical of organised and disorganised killers.Although the findings did suggest evidence of a distinct organised type,this was not the case for disorganised which seems to undermine the classification system as a whole.
Offender profiling is a method used by law enforcement agencies to help identify the characteristics and possible motives of criminals. It involves analyzing crime scene evidence, such as DNA, along with other information, such as witness statements and behavioral patterns, to create a psychological profile of the offender.
The top-down approach to offender profiling is a method that involves using pre-existing knowledge about criminal behavior and personality to create a profile of the offender. This approach assumes that offenders have distinctive personality characteristics and behaviors that can be identified and used to predict future crimes.
The bottom-up approach to offender profiling is a method that involves analyzing crime scene evidence to develop a profile of the offender. It focuses on the behavior and actions of the offender at the crime scene, rather than relying on pre-existing knowledge about criminal behavior.
The advantages of the top-down approach include its ability to quickly narrow down a list of suspects based on their characteristics and behavior, as well as its potential to predict future criminal behavior. Additionally, it can be a useful tool in investigations where little physical evidence is available.
The limitations of the top-down approach include the potential for biases and stereotypes to influence the creation of the offender profile. It also relies heavily on the accuracy of the pre-existing knowledge about criminal behavior and personality traits.
The top-down approach is used by law enforcement agencies to help identify and apprehend suspects in criminal investigations. For example, a profile of the offender might be created based on their personality traits, behaviors, and past criminal history, which can then be used to identify potential suspects.
Ethical considerations when using offender profiling include the potential for biases and stereotypes to influence the creation of the offender profile, as well as the potential for the profile to be used to unfairly target certain groups of people. Additionally, the accuracy of the profile must be considered, as an incorrect profile could lead to the wrongful accusation and conviction of an innocent person.
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