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)
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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