Final Flashcards
(102 cards)
1
Q
Profiling
A
Drawing inferences about a criminal’s personality, behaviour, motivation, and demographics based on the crime scene
2
Q
Criminal profiling
A
Describing behavioural, cognitive, lifestyle, etc about an unknown person responsible for a series of crimes
3
Q
Geographical profiling
A
Analysis if geographical locations associated with spatial movements of a single serial offender
- offender’s residence, base of operations, and where next crime occurs
4
Q
Suspect-based profiling
A
Using information on previous offenders to inform traits of a current similar offender
- racial profiling
5
Q
Psychological profiling
A
Gathering info on someone who is believed to be dangerous
6
Q
2 types of procedures used in psychological profiling
A
Threat assessment
Risk assessment
7
Q
Psychological autopsy
A
Procedure done following death to determine mental state prior to death
8
Q
2 types of psychological autopsy
A
Suicide psychological autopsy
Equivocal death psychological autopsy
9
Q
What does the typical serial killer look like?
A
White males of average intelligence and has similar personality traits of general public
10
Q
What is the difference in selecting victims between male and female serial killers?
A
Males prefer easy access and one gender over another
Females usually have a relationship with the victim, victims are powerless
11
Q
What are the 4 serial killer typologies?
A
Visionary type: delusions drive to kill a group of individuals
Mission-oriented: one group of people must be eliminated
Hedonistic: for thrill
Power-control: life-or-death control over victim
12
Q
Difference between organized and disorganized murderers?
A
Organized plan and stalk
Disorganized are impulsive, select at random, act on sudden rage
13
Q
What is the main issue with criminal profiling?
A
The inference process differs between profilers and it is not understood how the process should work
14
Q
What is cross-situational consistency in terms of criminal profiling?
A
Basic personality traits are stable over time, but the situation impacts how we react and may skew apparent traits
15
Q
What are the main aspects of a typical police interview and the problems with it?
A
Open-ended report, direct questioning, additional info
- lack of rapport
- witness often interrupted
16
Q
What are 3 main aspects of the cognitive interview?
A
- social dynamics
- cognitions
- communication
17
Q
What 2 main features makes up the social dynamics of the cognitive interview?
A
Rapport
Active witness participation
18
Q
What are the 5 phases of the cognitive interview?
A
1: greet and rapport
2: context reinstatement & free report
3: focused retrieval
4: questioning
5: closure
19
Q
What are percentages on the effectiveness of the cognitive interview?
A
25-50% more correct info recalled
20
Q
What are the limitations of the cognitive interview?
A
- high level of training
- takes time to administer
- some aspects are hard to implement
- some aspects favoured over others
21
Q
What is the self-administered interview (SAI)?
A
A written interview that mimics the CI, but is given independently
22
Q
What are benefits of the SAI?
A
- standardized
- obtain evidence from more witnesses
- reduce police resources
- help maintain memory
23
Q
Limitations of the SAI
A
- paper format may not work for everyone
- victims may require emotional support during interview
- witnesses may not like it
24
Q
What is an example of the SAI used?
A
Norway mass murder bombings
25
What are 2 key challenges when interviewing children?
- involved in difficult-to-prove, but serious crimes
- accusation towards someone the child is familiar with
26
What are 3 common reasons why children might not disclose crimes against them?
- embarrassment
- unsure if a crime had been committed or not
- fear of negative consequences (themselves or others)
27
How does accuracy and amount of detail differ between adults and children when they give a free narrative?
Accuracy: children = adults
Amount of detail: adults > children
28
What is formal reticence?
Minimally detailed responses to a question
29
What does formal reticence in children show?
Reduced cognitive ability and experience of children
30
What ages are more susceptible to leading questions, which ages are least susceptible?
Young children > older children > adults
31
What are 3 reasons why children are more susceptible to leading questions?
- greater susceptibility when memory is weaker, children have weak memories
- children are worse at source monitoring
- believe that adults have more knowledge, go along with them
32
What is an omission error vs a commission error?
Omission error: failing to report
Commission error: saying something happened when it didn’t
33
What is the result of free-recall and recognition style questions when interviewing children?
Free-recall: more omission errors
Recognition: more commission errors
34
What are some important components of an interview built for a child?
Rapport
Support
Ensure child understands the interview
Open-ended and probed questions
Interview closure
35
What is the narrative elaboration for interviewing children?
A type of free recall where children use cards to prompt their memory
36
What are the 2 types of prompts that the NICHD protocol utilizes?
- time (what happened next)
- cue about a previously reported detail
37
What are the 4 components of the StepWise interview?
Build rapport
Introduce topic of concern
Probing and clarification
Closure
38
Are anatomical dolls useful when interviewing children?
Not really, should only be used for elaboration on verbal reports of abuse
39
Why are body diagrams used when interviewing children?
To clarify previous answers
40
What are the goals of the Reid technique? 2
- break down denials & resistance
- increase desire to confess
41
What might behaviour that police infer as guilt-related behaviours actually be a result of?
The behaviours observed might be associated with innocence (just nervous)
42
What are examples of behavioural observation questions (BOQs)?
- did you do it
- give me a reason why I should believe you
- what should happen to someone who does something like this
43
What is the set up of the Reid technique?
Small, soundproofed room, sparse furniture, temperature controlled
44
What are the 9 steps in the reid techique?
1. Positive confrontation
2. Theme development
3. Handling denials
4. Overcoming objections
5. Procuring and retaining suspect’s attention
6. Prevent passivity
7. Presenting alternative versions
8. Detailing the offence
9. Written and oral statement
45
What are 3 aspects of the Reid technique used to entice a confession?
- isolation
- minimization
- confrontation
46
What is the illusion of transparency in relation to interrogations?
Those who were guilty (78%) believed that the interrogator knew the truth and those who were innocent (86%) believed the interrogator knew the truth
47
What are some reasons why interrogations get confessions?
- authority effects
- deception
- minimization
- short sighted thinking
48
What was the result of R v. Singh in Canada in relation to interrogation?
Coercing someone to not use their right to silence is not the same as coercing a confession
49
What occurred in R v. Sinclair and what was the outcome?
He spoke to his lawyer on the phone, before interrogation. During interrogation they said he already had contact and therefore his request to council was denied. Confessed to the crime
- ruled that we do not have the right to counsel during interrogation
50
What are individual risk factors for false confessions?
- adolescence & immaturity
- cognitive and intellectual disabilities
- personality
51
What are 3 types of false confessions?
Voluntary: no external pressure
Coerced-compliant: confesses, but knows is innocent
Coerced-internalized: confesses and believes to actually be guilty
52
Why did some of the Central Park five confess?
Thought that they would be able to go home, they were young
53
Why do innocent people waive their right to silence?
They believe that the truth will prevail
54
How does feedback to an eyewitness about a confession alter their statement?
They become more confident, or change who they originally picked when informed that a certain person confessed
55
What effect does a confession via coercion have on juries?
They do not discount the confession properly
56
What are 4 ways that false confessions can be avoided?
- not lying
- witnesses & CSIs should not know of confessions
- videotaping
- guidelines for length of interview
57
What is the difference when the videotape is focused on the suspect vs focused on both the suspect and interrogator?
When focused on suspect, lead to higher judgement of voluntary confessions
Less judgement when on both
58
What are estimator vs system variables?
Estimator variables are factors out of control of the justice system, system variables are the opposite
59
What are estimator and system variables in relation to within an investigation?
Eyewitness testimony
60
What are 2 examples of estimator variables?
- viewing conditions
- weapons
61
What type of evidence of the suspect is more accurate as the viewing distance is shortened?
Height and weight estimates
62
What is the weapons effect in relation to identification?
The presence of a weapon/threatening object decreases the amount of correct IDs
63
How many jurors are in civil vs criminal trials?
6-8 in civil
12-14 in criminal
64
What are Alberta’s requirements to be a juror?
- resident of Alberta
- Canadian citizen
- at least 18
65
What are 4 reasons why someone cannot be a juror in AB?
- convicted of criminal offence
- currently charged with an offence
- lawyer
- medical examiner
66
What are the 3 stages of selecting jurors?
- jury pool identification
- juror assembly
- juror selection
67
What is peremptory challenge? Is it still done in Canada?
The right for either side of counsel to dismiss a potential juror w/o reason. No longer done in Canada as of 2019
68
What is a challenge for cause?
Request to disqualify a potential juror for a specific reason
69
When do individuals have a right to a jury?
When the sentence is greater than 5 years. Can still have one if less though
70
What are the 4 responsibilities of juries?
- elect a foreperson
- deliberate
- give a verdict
- recommend a sentence
71
When do juries recommend a sentence?
- if person under 18 convicted of 1st or 2nd degree murder
- if adult convicted of 2nd degree murder, recommend parole time
72
What is the benefit of a jury over a single judge? 2
- distributes power to multiple people
- reflects the conscience of the community
73
What are 4 ways that jury decision making is studied?
- post trial interviews
- archival records
- simulations
- field research
74
What is a weakness of post-trial interviews of jurors?
May recall details inaccurately, may forget, may not want to be honest
75
What are the 2 limitations of archival records in studying jury decision making?
- limits what questions can be asked
- no control in how info was collected
76
What is the main limitation of simulation techniques for studying jury decision making?
May not transfer to real life, consequences are diminished
77
What is a positive and negative of field research in studying jury decision making?
Positive: high validity
Negative: problems obtaining permission from courts
78
What is the persuasive arguments theory in relation to jury deliberation?
Opinion of the group shifts to the extreme of the majority opinion
79
What are the West Memphis three an example of?
Pre-trial publicity
80
What does pre-trial publicity lead to?
High likelihood of conviction due to the assumption of guilt
81
Positives and negatives of allowing jurors to take notes
Positive: increase memory for evidence and understanding of evidence
Negative: might be distracting
82
What is the influence of gender and SES as demographic markers in predicting verdicts?
Gender: men sympathetic to incest, women sympathetic to home invasion
SES: jurors of a higher SES convict more than a lower SES
83
What is tabula rasa?
Clean slate; assumes the jury will assess the evidence with a blank slate
84
Just world hypothesis
Belief that the world is fair and people get what they deserve
85
What is jury nullification?
When the jury believes, beyond a reasonable doubt, that the defendant is guilty but provides a not guilty verdict
86
What is the role of an expert witness in the anticipatory process of a trial?
- review material
- confer with lawyers
- conduct assessments
- reports for evidence
87
What are 2 ways that an expert witness may testify in court?
- evaluation of a defendant
- education role about research
88
What are 2 ways that a mental health practitioner may testify about risk?
- clinical opinion
- actuarial (scientific predictors)
89
At what time in a trial is an expert and their scope qualified?
Voir dire
90
What is voir dire?
The point of trial when hearing about what evidence is admissible
91
What is the importance of R. v. Mohan in Canada in relation to expert testimonies?
Testimony of an expert was not admitted because there was not sufficient scientific background on the profile of sex offenders
92
What is the main issue with judges as gatekeepers for admitting expert evidence?
Judges do not recognize flawed research
93
What study did Kovera & McAuliff (2000) do?
Manipulating good vs bad research and how judges respond
94
Does the quality of the science influence jurors sensitivity to expert testimony?
No
95
What is the impact of the level of experience of the experts on jurors perceptions?
More experience increased the strength of the evidence in the eyes of the jurors
96
Does cross-examination of experts affect verdicts? If so, how?
It does not affect verdicts
97
How do opposing experts impact expert testimony and the final verdict?
Opposing experts decrease the impact of expert testimony
No effect on verdict
98
What are 3 factors that need to be present in order for expert evidence to be effective?
- clear
- concise
- objective
99
What does Fisher et al. say are the 3 common denominators in police investigations?
- interviewer has predetermined questions
- interviewers asks questions
- interviewer controls the flow of information
100
When trained in the CI, what % more information was elicited compared to before training in the CI?
47% more information elicited
101
According to Kassin (2015) what is the purpose of behavioural analysis interview questions in interrogations?
To help investigators detect deception or truth
102
What is the false evidence manipulation and what % are false confessions raised from 48%?
Kassin had people avoid the ALT key. They told those that were innocent that they had proof they did it and asked them to confess.
False confessions rose from 48% to 94%
