Profiling: Top-Down Approach Flashcards
What is offender profiling (in general)?
A behavioural and analytical tool that is intended to help investigators accurately predict and profile characteristics of unknown criminals.
Is the top-down approach an American or British approach?
American - used by the FBI.
When was the top-down approach developed?
It was developed by the FBI in the 1970s.
Where was the data used for the top-down approach gathered from?
Gathered from in-depth interviews with 36 sexually motivated serial killers such as Ted Bundy and Charles Manson.
Why is the top-down approach also known as the typology approach?
The method will place crime and the offender into a pre-existing template that places them in one of two categories.
What are the four stages involved in constructing an FBI profile?
- Data assimilation
- Crime scene classification
- Crime reconstruction
- Profile generation
What are the two typologies of the top-down approach?
Organised and Disorganised.
What is data assimilation?
The profiler reviews the evidence (crime scene photographs, pathology reports etc).
What is crime reconstruction?
Hypotheses in terms of the sequence of events, behaviour of the victim etc.
What is the general premise behind classifying offenders as organised or disorganised?
It is thought that these generally correlate with a particular set of social and psychological characteristics that relate to the individual.
Is the following a characteristic of an organised or disorganised criminal:
There are little to no clues left behind at the scene.
Organised.
What is crime scene classification?
Classification as either organised or disorganised.
What is profile generation?
Hypotheses related to the likely offender.
In the top-down down approach, murderers or rapists are classified as what?
One of the two typologies (Organised and Disorganised).
Name some characteristics of a disorganised murder:
- Little planning / preparation.
- Little attempt to hide the evidence at the scene.
- Minimal use of constraint.
- Random, disorganised behaviour.
Name some characteristics of a disorganised offender:
- Lower than average IQ.
- Lives alone, near to crime scene.
- Socially and sexually incompetent.
- Unskilled occupation or unemployed.
- Physically / sexually abused in childhood.
- Frightened and confused at the time of attack.
Is the following a characteristic of an organised or disorganised criminal:
They tend to be in unskilled work or employment.
Disorganised.
Is the following a characteristic of an organised or disorganised criminal:
They may operate with an almost surgically detached precision.
Organised.
Name some characteristics of an organised offender:
- Higher than average IQ.
- Married / co-habiting.
- Socially and sexually competent.
- Skilled occupation.
- Follows media coverage of crime.
- Experiencing anger / depression at time of the offence.
Is the following a characteristic of an organised or disorganised criminal:
They often have a history of sexual dysfunction and failed relationships.
Disorganised.
Is the following a characteristic of an organised or disorganised criminal:
They tend to have a lower than average IQ.
Disorganised.
What are organised offenders?
An offender who shows evidence of planning, targets the victim and tends to be socially and sexually competent with higher than average intelligence.
Is the following a characteristic of an organised or disorganised criminal:
They are usually married with children.
Organised.
What are disorganised offenders?
An offender who shows little evidence of planning, leaves clues and tends to be socially and sexually incompetent with lower than average intelligence.
