Forensics Evaluation Flashcards
(4 cards)
Top down profiling
+-Canter et al 2004, analysed 100 murders with 39 charchteristics of organised/dis. Matched FBI description for organised killers but not disorganised.
-only applys to rape/arson/cults. Not common crimes. Not useful however + Meketa 2017, applied to burglary, 85% rise in solved cases, added 2 new categories (opportunist/interpersonal). Is useful
-Sample is unrepresentative. Only 36 US killers. Self report data.
-intuition is problematic as personal emotion can sway it.
+Copson 1995 questioned almost 200 US police officers. 82% said was useful 90% would use again.
Bottom up profilling
-surveyed 50 police forces, said was useful for 75% of their cases but only Led to identification 3% of the time.
+Lundrigan and canter 2001, collated 120 murder cases involving serial killers. Location of body’s formed center of gravity
+more objective and scientific, quick, less driven by hunches.
+applied to wide range of crimes.
-bottom approach caused the ruling out of a suspect who was guilty because he wasn’t the height they predicted. Cant be considered too literally. May only be appropriate if helping narrow down a large list of potential suspects.
Historical approach: atavistic form
+Lombroso examined cranial features of 400 dead and 4000 living criminals. 40% had charchteristics. -however he didn’t use a control group. Coincidental.
-Goring compared 3000 criminals and 3000 non. Concluded no evidence for distinct facial features. +however did find they had a lower than average intelligence (genetic throwbacks)
+Lombroso credited for shifting research to more scientific and credible.
-racial undertones. Identified curly hair and dark skin. Found in African descent. Controversy and social sensitivity.
Genetic explanation
+Lange, 13 MZ 17 DZ, 10 MZ had co twin in prison, 2 DZ. -Sample size is small, may be due to environment growing up.
+Mednick 1984, 13,000 danish adoptees, no family convictions meant 13% of adoptees were convicted, just biological parent had 20%, both adoptive and biological 24%
