6.3 Flashcards
(22 cards)
What is criminal profiling?
- construction of a psychological, behavioral ,and demographic profile of the type of person likely to have committed the crime
- used when the offender is unknown
What is the aim of criminal profiling?
- Applied to serial crimes (patterns)
- Aims to categorize, understand and anticipate behaviours of offenders through gathering of clues
How does profiling differ from conventional detective work?
- it attempts to use information about how a crime was committed to make suggestions about the psychological characteristics of the offender
What information is used in criminal profiling?
- crime
- crime scene
- spatial or temporal patterns
- victim
Behavioural profiling
- involves looking at the characteristics of crime scenes & victims to assign offenders to different categories, with different typical characteristics
Geographical profiling
- looks at patterns in the location and timing of offences to find links between crimes and suggestions about where offenders live /work
What is victimology?
The study of victimization, including the psychological effects on victims, the relationship between victims and offenders, the interactions between victims and the criminal justice system
When does profiling work best?
- With a series of crimes likely committed by the same person or people
What is Criminal Investigative Analysis (CIA)
- CIA = criminal profiling
Can assist in the investigation of: - sexual assault
- homicide
- kidnapping
- arson
- extortion
- bombings
What is a personality profile?
- A detailed, behavioural analysis and description to identify information about an unknown offender by looking at the chosen victim and offence
- may help those involved to recognize someone as a possible offender
What is the indirect personality assessment used for?
- Used to analyze an individual believed to be responsible for committing a violent crime
What can the indirect personality assessment determine?
- if the suspect’s personality fits the crime
- suspect’s strengths, weaknesses and vulnerabilities
- appropriate interview techniques
- strategies for undercover operation
- strategies for negotiating
- strategies for investigating offenders of sexual homicide or serial rape
- appropriate trial and courtroom strategy
What is serial murder?
Murder of 3 or more people with a cooling-off period in between murders
What is mass murder?
3 or more people killed together at the same location
What is spree killing?
3 or more people killed in a short period of time at different locations
What is a signature?
- A unique characteristic or behavior exhibited by an offender during a crime
- often unrelated to the immediate act of committing the crime itself
- A personal mark or ritual that fulfills the offender’s psychological or emotional needs
What is Modus Operandi (MO)?
Consists of techniques, habits, and peculiarities in behavior which are performed with three basic objectives
- Complete the crime
- Escape
- Avoid capture/investigation
- used to connect crimes
Characteristics of organized crime
- Planned
- reflects control
- body hidden
- no evidence
- needs a submissive victim
- Restraints used
- aggression takes place before death
Characteristics of disorganized crime
- Not planned (spontaneous)
- Sloppy
- Body left
- Evidence present
- sudden violence to victim
- No restraints
- sexual acts after death
Characteristics of an organized criminal
- High intelligence
- Skilled work
- Strong social skills
- Follows crime in media
- Sexually competent
- Has mobility (car)
- Lives with partner
- Not easily stressed
Characteristics of a disorganized criminal
- Low intelligence
- unskilled work
- not strong social skills
- Doesn’t follow crime in media
- sexually incompetent
- Lives alone
- Easily stressed
What do investigators look for?
- Age of victim
- Race of victim
- Modus Operandi
- Signature
