All the information required for the offender profiling section of the Forensic and Criminal Psychology exam. Included the UK and US approaches, profiling features to note, case studies to support usefulness of the profile created. Additional revision should be done along side these pre-made notes
1. KEY AIMS OF OFFENDER PROFILING
A. Key Aims to Use in Introduction
i. It’s an investigative tool
ii. Reduce the suspect pool
iii. Predict and prevent future crimes from occurring
iv. Uses psychological characteristics of the offender
v. Can refine the geological area in which the offender lives/operates in
2. UK APPROACH
The UK uses a bottoms-up approach. The profile is built-up bases on data/statistics
and factual information obtained from the crime scene. Also considers evidence left
or taken from the crime scene (trophies/souvenirs)
A. Geographical Profiling
Geographical profiling uses map locations to identify patterns of crimes, narrow
down areas to search for the offender, helps the police focus their resources to
specified locations
B. David Canter’s Circle Theory
Offenders can be categorised into one of two Marauders or Commuters
i. Marauders commit crimes in/around the area in which they live. They have
knowledge of the area so their crimes may be more spread out. However,
they will travel sightly further from their actual home to prevent being
identified by local residents or they will try to conceal their identity e.g.,
wearing a balaclava.
ii. Commuters travel to a separate location to commit their crimes. They don’t
know the local area and so their crimes are likely to be closely located. They
don’t necessarily need to hide their identify as they won’t be known by
locals.
iii. Spatial consistency says the offender may be knowledgeable of the area but
not necessarily live there. They may work in the area, have friends or family
that live in that area
C. Ainsworth Timing Theory
The benefits of buying summaries with Stuvia:
Guaranteed quality through customer reviews
Stuvia customers have reviewed more than 700,000 summaries. This how you know that you are buying the best documents.
Quick and easy check-out
You can quickly pay through credit card for the summaries. There is no membership needed.
Focus on what matters
Your fellow students write the study notes themselves, which is why the documents are always reliable and up-to-date. This ensures you quickly get to the core!
Frequently asked questions
What do I get when I buy this document?
You get a PDF, available immediately after your purchase. The purchased document is accessible anytime, anywhere and indefinitely through your profile.
Satisfaction guarantee: how does it work?
Our satisfaction guarantee ensures that you always find a study document that suits you well. You fill out a form, and our customer service team takes care of the rest.
Who am I buying these notes from?
Stuvia is a marketplace, so you are not buying this document from us, but from seller MarcoDavies03. Stuvia facilitates payment to the seller.
Will I be stuck with a subscription?
No, you only buy these notes for £11.49. You're not tied to anything after your purchase.
