forensics studies Flashcards
what evidence is the top down approach based on?
based on in-depth interviews with 36 serial killers lead to the classification of organized and disorganized offenders
what evidence is there for the usefulness of the top down approach?
Douglas 1981
review of 192 profiles, they ID’d 15 suspects but did focus 77% of cases.
what do the findings of canters studies show about the top down approach?
Analyses of 100 murderers and there was 39 characteristics thought to typical of organized but little evidence for disorganized.
describe canter and heritage’s study to evaluate investigative psychology
supports usefulness of investigative psychology as it shows how statistical techniques can be applied
across 66 sexual assault cases and identified correlations across patterns of behavior
helped identify how behavior evolves over a series of offences and if multiple offences have been committed by the same person
use Lundrigan and Carter’s study to evaluate geographical profiling
120 murder cases involving serial killers in the us
revealed consistency in behavior of killers, location of each body plotted and ‘base’ was found to be in the centre
what case casted doubt on the success of offender profiling?
Rachel Nickell, wrongful arrest of an innocent person
what do Copson’s results suggest about the success of offender profiling?
advice by a profiler was useful in 83% but in only 3% did it lead to accurate offender identification
evidence suggests which approach approach to offender profiling is more accurate?
bottom up more grounded in evidence and psychological theory and is less driven by speculation and hunches an evidence by canter and heritage showed corrolations in patterns of offending.
what research did Lombroso conduct that led to the development of his theory
examined the facial and cranial features of hundreds of Italian convicts, approximately 4000 living and 400 dead
concluded that 40% criminal acts accounted for by people with atavistic characteristics
what research contradicts Lombroso’s theory
Goring 1913 compared 3000 criminals and 3000 non criminals concluded no evidence that offenders have distinct features.
2 twin studies that show a genetic basis of offending
Lange 13 MZ and 17 DZ twins 10 MZ twins had a co-twin also in prison 2 of DZ twins had a co-twin also in prison
what did the results of Mednick’s study suggest find about the genetic basis of offending?
increased risk of an adoptive sons having convictions if biological parents had convictions too
if adoptive parents also had convictions then the risk of son having one increased even further.
both b + a : 24.5%
neither b + a : 13.5%
only adopted : 14.7%
only biological : 20%
nature matters more than nurture - support for diathesis- stress
describe a study that provides evidence for the neural explanation of offending
anti-social personality disorder is associate with lack of empathy - lower activity in prefrontal cortex the less emotional regulation
Raine found 11% less volume of grey matter in prefrontal cortex of people with APD than controls
what evidence did Eysneck use to support his theory?
compared EPI scores of 2070 male prisoners and 2422 non criminal males
prisoners scored higher on neuroticism, psychoticism and introversion/extraversion
What evidence is there that disproves Eysneck’s theory?
Farrington review of studies found offenders scored high on psychoticism but not on neuroticism or introversion/extroversion
little difference in EEGs between extroverts and introverts - casts doubt on the psychological basis of the theory
