Offender Profiling: top down approach

Question 1

who developed top down profiling?

Answer 1

Douglas in 1986, then edited it in 2006

Question 1

what is offender Profiling?

Answer 1

• behavioural and analytical tool used when trying to find suspects
• predicts probable characteristics of the criminal using evidence from the scene

Question 2

top down profiling process?

Answer 2

• conceptual categories of organised and disorganised criminals pre exist in profilers mind
• evidence and other details from scene used to fit categories and determine offender type

Question 3

steps of TDA

Answer 3

1. data assimilation
2. crime scene classification
3. crime reconstruction
4. profile generation

Question 4

1. profiling input

Answer 4

data collected including the descriptions of the crime scene, background info of the victim, details of the crime

Question 5

1. decision profiling model

Answer 5

• profiler goes through data and organises it into meaningful patterns
• e.g. one off or part of a murder spree, time and location factors

Question 6

2. organised offender

Answer 6

• crime in planned
• victim targeted specifically
• victim likely to be taken to a pre- chosen location
• offenders will be highly intelligent, and deemed socially and sexually competent
• will follow their crime report in media

Question 7

2. disorganised offender

Answer 7

• unplanned crime
• victims more likely to be random
• crime scene will have evidence left behind
• unskilled, unemployed, socially incompetent

Question 8

3 & 4. criminal profile

Answer 8

• make hypothesis abt how crime took place and likely offender
• evidence used to help create a narrative of the crime
• profile given to police investigating to focus investigation
• use profile to target individuals who match

Question 9

3 & 4.crime assessment

Answer 9

• new evidence added to profile (adjusted if needed)
• if no one identified, profile reviewed and changed
• profilers plan best way to catch criminals and how they should be interviewed

Question 10

defining crime as a psychologist

Answer 10

crime: unlawful act that can be punished by the state causes harm to individuals, groups, or society
- must be aware of factors: culture plays a key part in what is deemed criminal, acts may be harmful but not criminal and vice versa

Question 11

strengths of top-down approach

Answer 11

RESEARCH SUPPORT
- Copson: interviewed 184 us officers, 82% said useful, 90% would use again, offers diff perspective even if it doesn’t lead to the offender
- technique has many benefits, useful in investigations
REAL-LIFE APPLICATION
- meketa: applying TDA to non-violent crimes leads to an 85% rise in cases solved by adding 2 new categories (interpersonal and opportunistic)
- wider application to a variety of crimes, increases external validity

Question 12

limitations of top-down approach

Answer 12

CAN MISLEAD INVESTIGATIONS
-Robert napper initially ruled out of Rachel Nickell’s murder for being inches taller than the profile
- delays/reduces the likelihood of offenders being caught
CATEGORIES TOO SIMPLISTIC
- canter et al: analysed 100 murders found evidence of distinct organised but not disorganised
- categorisation not the best approach, continuum more appropriate than distinct categories