Forensics

Question 1

Outline the top-down approach

Answer 1

Developed by Federal Bureau of Investigation

36 US serial killers

Organised vs disorganised

Template matching

Question 2

What are the 4 stages of the top-down approach?

Answer 2

Data assimilation

Crime scene classification

Crime reconstruction

Profile generation

Question 3

Outline the bottom-up approach (overview)

Answer 3

Data-driven

No fixed types

Investigative psychology
-Interpersonal coherence.
-time and place.
-criminal characteristics.
-Forensics Awareness

Smallest Space analysis

Geographical profiling

Question 3

Evaluate the top-down approach

Answer 3

✔ Practical application (e.g. Shawcross)
✔ Narrows suspects
✖ Small US sample
✖ Typology overlap
✖ Low population validity

Question 4

What is circle theory in geographical profiling?

Answer 4

Proposed by David Canter

Circle around crime locations

Marauder (lives inside)

Commuter (travels in)

Question 5

Evaluate the bottom-up approach

Answer 5

✔ Scientific/statistical
✔ Research support
✖ Data quality issues
✖ Correlation ≠ causation

Question 6

Biological Outline genetic explanations of offending

Answer 6

Candidate genes (e.g. MAOA)

Twin studies

Adoption studies

Diathesis–stress

Question 7

What does concordance rate show?

Answer 7

If one twin criminal

Likelihood other twin is

Higher in MZ than DZ → genetic influence

Question 8

Evaluate genetic explanations

Answer 8

✔ Twin/adoption support
✔ Scientific methods
✖ Deterministic
✖ Ignores environment
✖ Ethical issues

Question 9

Biological Outline neural explanations

Answer 9

Prefrontal cortex dysfunction

Amygdala abnormality

Mirror neuron deficits.

Question 10

Evaluate neural explanations

Answer 10

✔ Brain scan evidence
✔ Objective measures
✖ Correlation issue
✖ Reductionist

Question 11

Type of neural Outline biochemical explanations

outline Brain physiology

Answer 11

-Noradernaline and dopamine high levels.
-Serotonin low levels.
-Cortisol imbalance.

-Psychopaths don’t feel guilt.
-Limbic system linked to criminal psychopaths.
-abnormal brain develop

Question 12

Evaluate biochemical explanations

Evaluate brain physiology

Answer 12

✔ Research support
✔ Measurable hormones
✖ Oversimplified
✖ Ignores environment

+ Offender cannot be blamed
+ supporting studies
_-Environment can effect brain physiology

Question 13

(Psychological) Outline Eysenck’s criminal personality theory

Answer 13

By Hans Eysenck

PEN model

Biological basis

Poor conditioning

Question 14

What does PEN stand for?

Answer 14

Psychoticism

Extraversion

Neuroticism

Question 15

(Cognitive) Outline Moral reasoning Kohlberg’s theory

Answer 15

By Lawrence Kohlberg

3 levels of moral reasoning

Criminals → pre-conventional

Question 16

Evaluate Eysenck’s theory

Answer 16

✔ Some research support
✔ Biological explanation
✖ Mixed findings
✖ Cultural bias
✖ Ignores situation

Question 17

What are Kohlberg’s 3 levels?

Answer 17

Pre-conventional

Conventional

Post-conventional

Question 18

Evaluate Kohlberg’s theory

Answer 18

✔ Research support
✔ Explains moral thinking
✖ Gender bias
✖ Reasoning ≠ behaviour

Question 19

Outline cognitive distortions

Answer 19

Hostile attribution bias

Minimalisation

Victim blaming

Question 20

Outline custodial sentencing

Answer 20

Prison sentence

Deterrence

Incapacitation

Retribution

Rehabilitation

Question 21

Evaluate cognitive distortions

Answer 21

✔ Research support
✔ Treatment implications
✖ Post-hoc justification
✖ Not all offenders show them

Question 22

Evaluate custodial sentencing

Answer 22

✔ Protects public
✖ Psychological harm
✖ High recidivism
✖ Expensive

Question 23

outline Behaviour modification in custody: token economy systems

Answer 23

Operant conditioning

Tokens = secondary reinforcers

Exchange for rewards

Question 24

Evaluate token economy systems

Answer 24

✔ Short-term effectiveness ✔ Easy to run ✖ Behaviour not generalised ✖ Ethical issues

Question 25

Outline anger management

Answer 25

CBT approach 3 stages Changes thinking

Question 26

What are the 3 stages of anger management?

Answer 26

Cognitive preparation Skill acquisition Practice

Question 27

Evaluate anger management

Answer 27

✔ Long-term effectiveness ✔ Addresses cause ✖ Drop-out rates ✖ Requires motivation

Question 28

Outline restorative justice

Answer 28

Victim-offender mediation Repair harm Offender accountability

Question 29

Evaluate restorative justice

Answer 29

✔ High victim satisfaction ✔ Lower recidivism ✖ Not for all crimes ✖ Emotional distress

Question 30

Biological Outline the atavistic form explanation of offending

Answer 30

Developed by Cesare Lombroso Criminals are “genetic throwbacks” Biological features = “atavistic characteristics” Examples: strong jaw, high cheekbones, large ears, facial asymmetry Suggests innate criminal tendencies

Question 31

Evaluate the atavistic form explanation

Answer 31

✔ First scientific attempt to study crime ✔ Observations inspired modern criminology ✖ Scientific racism (biased sample) ✖ Deterministic (ignores environment) ✖ Low reliability – not all criminals have these features

Question 32

Outline Differential Association Theory

Answer 32

Developed by Edwin Sutherland Crime is learned through interactions with others Learned values, attitudes, techniques, and motives More exposure to criminal norms → higher chance of offending Offending occurs when criminal attitudes outweigh law-abiding ones

Question 33

Evaluate Differential Association Theory

Answer 33

✔ Explains why offending varies by social group ✔ Supported by observational studies ✖ Difficult to measure exposure precisely ✖ Ignores individual differences ✖ Deterministic – assumes learning always leads to crime

Question 34

Outline the psychodynamic explanation of offending

Answer 34

Weak superego offending Deviant superego crime Overharsh superego guilt Maternal deprivation childhood

Question 35

Evaluate the psychodynamic explanation of offending

Answer 35

✔ Explains moral development ✔ Early childhood importance ✘ Unfalsifiable concepts theory ✘ Gender bias superego

Question 36

Ao1 Recidivism

Answer 36

Reoffending after punishment Prison higher reoffending Varies crime/offender Effectiveness measure sentencing

Question 37

AO3 Recidivism

Answer 37

✔ Prison ineffective evidence ✘ Prisoners differ baseline ✘ Crime type differences ✘ Ignores punishment aims

Question 38

AO1 Psychological effects custodial sentencing

Answer 38

Stress depression prison Institutionalisation routine dependence Prisonisation inmate culture Post-release adjustment difficulty

Question 39

AO3 psychological effect of custodial sentencing

Answer 39

✔ High prison mental-illness ✘ Individual coping differences ✔ Explains recidivism link ✘ Some rehabilitation benefits