The Bottom-Up Approach Flashcards

(9 cards)

1
Q

What is the Bottom-Up approach?

A
  • Aims to generate a picture of the offender (e.g characteristics, routine and social background) through analysis/evidence at the crime scene
  • Unlike the top-down approach it does not begin with fixed typologies
  • Profile is data driven (much more grounded in psychological theory)
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2
Q

What is Investigative Psychology?

A
  • Applies statistical procedures/psychological theory to the analysis of crime scene evidence
  • Aim to establish patterns of behaviour in order to develop a statistical database which acts as a baseline for comparison
  • details of an offense, can be matched against this to reveal important details about the offender and whether a series of offences are linked
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3
Q

What is the concept of Interpersonal Coherence?

A
  • The way the offender behaves at the crime scene may reflect the way they behave in everyday life
  • E.g some rapists want to humiliate their victims whereas some are more apologetic (Dwyer) may reflect their views regarding gender generally
  • Time and place are key variables
  • forensic awareness describes those who have been the subject of police interrogation as they be more mindful of covering their tracks
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4
Q

What is Geographical Profiling?

A
  • Uses info about the location of linked crime scenes to make inferences about the home of the offender: crime mapping
  • Based on spatial consistency (people commit crimes in a limited space)
  • assumes serial offender ‘work’ in areas familiar to them and provides investigators with a ‘centre of gravity’ includes offenders base
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5
Q

What is Canters Circle Theory?

A
  • Pattern of offending forms a circle around the offenders home base and leads us to describe offenders in two ways:
  • The marauder (operates close proximity to home base)
  • The Commuter (travels away from residence to commit crime)
  • Gives insight into the nature of the offense e.g planned or opportunistic, also may reveal factors e.g mode of transport, employment status etc
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6
Q

How did Canter come up with his theory?

A
  • assisted police in the capture of John Duffy who carried out 24 sexual attacks on women and 3 murders near railway stations
  • Canter analysed geographical info and was able to draw up an accurate profile
  • Correctly assumed where he lived, his marital status, his height and certain physical feature e.g acne
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7
Q

What is the evidence for the Bottom-up Approach?

A
  • Canter and Heritage analysed 66 sexual assaults cases (smallest space analysis)
  • Several behaviours were identified as common e.g impersonal language
  • Each individual displayed a characteristic pattern of behaviours
  • Supports basic principles of investigative psychology - people are consistent in their behaviour
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8
Q

What is further research support for geographical profiling?

A
  • Lundrigan and Canter, using smallest space analysis, 120 murder cases involving serial killers
  • Found spatial consistency in the behaviour of the killers
  • Location of each body disposal site created a ‘centre of gravity’ which is likely their home base
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9
Q

What is one limitation of geographical profiling?

A
  • May not be sufficient on its own
  • It is dependant on the quality of data the police can provide which is not always accurate or reported (estimated 75% of crimes not reported at all)
  • calls into question the utility of an approach that relies on the accuracy of geographical data
  • May not be enough to catch an offender
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