Offender Offender profilingprofiling

Definitions, approaches and Definitions, approaches and developing a profiledeveloping a profile

ActivityActivity

Someone has defaced the entrance to Someone has defaced the entrance to the local primary school, using spray the local primary school, using spray paint. Write a profile of a possible paint. Write a profile of a possible suspect, considering the following suspect, considering the following factors:factors:

Social: employment , education, family background

Physical: age, race, genderMental: IQ, motivation to commit

criminal offence

Definitions & AimsDefinitions & Aims

Profiling: an attempt to produce a description or profile of an offender by analysing the characteristics of the offence and other background information

Aims Descriptions of factors:-

Social: employment , marriage Physical: age, race Mental: IQ, motivation characteristics of criminal

First Profile?: ‘Jack the First Profile?: ‘Jack the Ripper’Ripper’

First known case of killer profiling-Dr. Thomas Bond examined the victim-Mary Kelly

Determined some personality traits of the killer from victim

Often considered the first recorded serial killer because of the nature of the crimes (a typical sexual motive).

ProfilingProfiling

Copson (1995) police need 4 types of information from profilers: The type of person who committed the crime How great a threat they pose in the future The possibility the case is linked to others How the police should interview the suspects;

what strategies they should use.

Relevant for homicides or serial crimes of the

following types: sadistic torture in sexual assaultssadistic torture in sexual assaults eviscerationevisceration post-mortem slashing & cuttingpost-mortem slashing & cutting motiveless fire-setting or arsonmotiveless fire-setting or arson lust and mutilation murderlust and mutilation murder raperape satanic & ritualistic crimesatanic & ritualistic crime pedophiliapedophilia

Two approaches to Two approaches to profilingprofiling

Typological The FBI approach involves categorising

offenders by the type of offence they have committed.

Geographical profiling The British approach is based on using

the location of the crime to identify the likely home of the offender.

American (FBI) approach ‘Top Down’

Creation of typologies and motivation Creation of typologies and motivation based on interviews of captured based on interviews of captured

criminals, and past crimescriminals, and past crimes   Intuitive analysis of data based on

personal experience of police  Matching a particular type with a

particular crime  eg. organized Vs disorganized

FBI ApproachFBI Approach

The FBI requires the following before a profile can be made

colour photos of the crime scene, data about the neighbourhood of the crime

(for example, the type of housing and average income of residents),

the medical examiner's report, a map of the victim's travels prior to death, a complete investigative report of the

incident, background details of the victim.

The collection of this information is part of a systematic process

following four stages: Data assimilation; collection of all Data assimilation; collection of all

available information. available information. Crime classification; attempts to Crime classification; attempts to

classify the crime classify the crime Crime reconstruction; attempts to Crime reconstruction; attempts to

reconstruct the crime and generate reconstruct the crime and generate hypotheses about the behaviours hypotheses about the behaviours involved. involved.

Profile generation. Profile generation.

Basis of this approachBasis of this approach

The US approach is based on the The US approach is based on the work of the FBI in response to serial work of the FBI in response to serial murderers. murderers.

The main source of their data is The main source of their data is interviews with offenders in prison. interviews with offenders in prison.

FBI investigators in 1979 FBI investigators in 1979 interviewed 36 sexual murderers interviewed 36 sexual murderers and were able to categorise them as and were able to categorise them as either 'organised' or 'disorganised'.either 'organised' or 'disorganised'.

a) Organised offenders shows evidence of planning, they target the victim and have tried to control the situation as much as possible. They have at least average intelligence, social and sexual competence and are already in an intimate relationship.

b) Disorganised offenders tend to be socially inadequate, may know the crime scene or the victim and lives alone. The crime scene evidences the impulsive, unplanned nature of the attack that uses minimal amount of restraint and no attempt to conceal the body.

Organized murder scene;Organized murder scene; Planned. Planned. Victim -targeted stranger. Control Victim -targeted stranger. Control including restraints. Controlled talk. including restraints. Controlled talk. Aggression before death. Body Aggression before death. Body hidden or moved from crime scene. hidden or moved from crime scene. Weapon and evidence absent.Weapon and evidence absent.

Disorganized scene; Disorganized scene; Spontaneous. Spontaneous. Victim known by offender. Little Victim known by offender. Little control. Sexual acts before death. control. Sexual acts before death. Body not hidden or left at crime Body not hidden or left at crime scene. Evidence present.scene. Evidence present.

Organized murderer; More-than-average lQ. Skilled occupation. Controlled mood. Living with partner. Mobile- has use of car. Socially competent. Sexually competent. High birth order status. Fathers work stable. Inconsistent discipline as child. Use of alcohol during crime. Follows crime on news. Limited change in behaviour after crime.

Disorganized murderer; Less-than-average IQ. Unskilled. Uncontrolled. Living alone. Lives near crime. Socially incompetent. Sexually incompetent. Low birth order status. Unstable. Harsh discipline as child. Alcohol not used during crime. Does not follow crime on news. Major behaviour change after crime.

(Source: FBI Law Enforcement Bulletin, 1985.)

British Approach 'Bottom up'

Data-driven building up individualistic profiles by

looking at associations between crime scene and offenders

The use of scientific statistical analysis Application of psychological Theories Types of analysis may include - content

analysis of speech - location - timing of offences

Investigative psychological Investigative psychological approachapproach

Canter (1994) believes that criminals, like most people behave consistently.

An analysis of the pattern of behaviour observed over a number of crimes committed by a serial offender will give clues about the non-offending everyday behaviour of the criminal.

Behaviour patterns Canter believes that offences are not

separate behaviours from the rest of the offenders

Offences are directly linked to their everyday interactions.

He uses statistical analysis to buid up a picture of a wide range of factors associated with each other to give a profile.

BUT he does not place offenders into typologies the way the FBI does, but looks tat the way their behaviour mirrors other aspects of their day-to-day life.

Canter identified five characteristics which he believes

can aid investigations Residential Location Criminal Biography Domestic/Social Characteristics Personal Characteristics Occupational/Educational History

Other approaches

The clinical approach Geographical profiling

See your text book for more information

Comparing British Comparing British and US (bottom up and US (bottom up

and top down) and top down) ProfilingProfiling

Advantage of British Advantage of British Profiling/disadvantages of USAProfiling/disadvantages of USA British profilers look at all the facts before they British profilers look at all the facts before they

make assumptions about the suspect. Therefore make assumptions about the suspect. Therefore they are approaching the investigation with an they are approaching the investigation with an open mind. open mind. The US profilers will have an idea of the type of person The US profilers will have an idea of the type of person

they are looking for based on theory. They will have they are looking for based on theory. They will have preconceptions about who they are looking for. Kocsis et preconceptions about who they are looking for. Kocsis et al (2002) suggests that more experienced detectives are al (2002) suggests that more experienced detectives are not as good at profiling perhaps because they have not as good at profiling perhaps because they have preconceptions about what they are looking for.preconceptions about what they are looking for.

British profiling treats each crime scene as British profiling treats each crime scene as individual, taking the characteristics for each case individual, taking the characteristics for each case and examining only those, not comparing them and examining only those, not comparing them with others. with others. The US system could lead to profilers missing important The US system could lead to profilers missing important

and unique evidence that is individual to that case.and unique evidence that is individual to that case.

Disadvantage of British Disadvantage of British profiling/advantage of USAprofiling/advantage of USA

British profiling is time consuming and expensive to British profiling is time consuming and expensive to do and may mean it takes longer to identify suspects. do and may mean it takes longer to identify suspects. The US approach will narrow down the list of suspects The US approach will narrow down the list of suspects

quickly, which could lead to the crime being solved more quickly, which could lead to the crime being solved more quickly.quickly.

British profiling is carried out by specialist British profiling is carried out by specialist Psychologists with experience in criminal Psychologists with experience in criminal investigation. This may mean they have too many investigation. This may mean they have too many stereotypical views about suspects, which may stereotypical views about suspects, which may influence their ability to profile effectively. Kocsis et influence their ability to profile effectively. Kocsis et al (2002) suggests that more experienced detectives al (2002) suggests that more experienced detectives are not as good at profiling perhaps because they are not as good at profiling perhaps because they have preconceptions about what they are looking for. have preconceptions about what they are looking for. The US system can be used by anyone as it doesn’t rely on The US system can be used by anyone as it doesn’t rely on

the ability or experience of any one individual.the ability or experience of any one individual.