TOP-DOWN
An offender profile outlines the type of person likely to have OFFENDER PROFILING:
committed the crime. It is based on prior experiences and
uses computer databases to analyze what is already known.
APPROACH
Top-Down Approach – FBI (-) Reductionist – too simple
Canter et al gathered data from 36 sexually motivated serial Offenders are not simply either organized or
killers, including Ted Bundy to develop this approach disorganized. It may be that they feature both types in
Categorizes murderers into type types: their crimes. An offender may start off being
disorganized and become more organized as they
Constructing an FBI profile: develop their modus operandi.
1. Data assimilation – profiler reviews evidence
2. Crime scene classification (-) Limited application / use
Organized offenders – premeditated, planned, average to high Top Down typology can only be applied to sexually
intelligence and employed motivated serial killers, because of the original sample
Disorganized offenders – crime committed in moment of they interviewed.
passion, leave crime scene messy i.e. leave evidence, less
socially competent and unemployed (-) Outdated theories of personality
3. Crime reconstruction – sequence of events, behavior of The approach is used on outdated theories of
victim etc. personality being stable. External, situational factors
4. Profile generation – hypothesis relates to the likely can be major influences on offending, and they are
offender e.g. demography, age, behavior constantly changing.
, OFFENDER PROFILING: Does not begin with fixed typologies. Instead, the profile is data driven and
emerges as the investigator engages in deeper and more rigorous scrutiny of
BOTTOM-UP APROACH the details of the offence. Generated a picture of the offender.
Investigative psychology (+) Evidence supporting investigative psychology
Attempt to apply statistical procedures, alongside psychological theory, to the analysis Canter and Heritage conducted a content analysis of 66
of crime scene evidence. sexual assault cases using smallest space analysis to identify
This develops a statistical database, which acts as a baseline for comparison.
Specific details can be matched against the statistical database and reveal information
correlations of behavior. 5 variable characteristics were
about the offender e.g. personal history. identified as common in most cases including impersonal
Time and place are also important as to where the offender lives. language and lack of reaction to the victim. This shows how
statistical techniques can be applied.
Geographical profiling
Uses information to do with the location of linked crime scenes to make inferences (+) Evidence supporting geographical profiling
about the likely home or operational base of an offender. This is known as crime Lundrigan and Canter collated info from 120 murder cases
mapping. involving serial killers in the USA. Smallest space analysis
Also used in conjunction with psychological theory to create hypotheses about how revealed spatial consistency in xthe behavior of the killers. The
the offender is thinking as well as their modus operandi.
location of body disposals were in different locations from
This assumes that serial killers restrict their crimes to geographical areas that they
are familiar.
previous’, creating a center of gravity, where the offender was
Often the offenders base is the middle of the spatial pattern. Can also help based. This supports Canter’s claim that spatial information is
investigators make educated guesses about where the offender is likely to strike a key factor in determining the base of an offender.
next – jeopardy surface.
Offenders investigate team insight into the nature of the offence e.g. whether it was (+) Scientific basis
planned or opportunistic, mode of transport, employment status, approximate age. Bottom-up profiling is more objective and scientific than the
Canter’s circle theory proposed two models offender behavior. top-down approach as it is more grounded in scientific
The marauder – who operates in close proximity to their home base evidence and psychological theory, and less driven by
The commuter – who is likely to have travelled a distance away from their usual speculation and hunches.
residence.
An offender profile outlines the type of person likely to have OFFENDER PROFILING:
committed the crime. It is based on prior experiences and
uses computer databases to analyze what is already known.
APPROACH
Top-Down Approach – FBI (-) Reductionist – too simple
Canter et al gathered data from 36 sexually motivated serial Offenders are not simply either organized or
killers, including Ted Bundy to develop this approach disorganized. It may be that they feature both types in
Categorizes murderers into type types: their crimes. An offender may start off being
disorganized and become more organized as they
Constructing an FBI profile: develop their modus operandi.
1. Data assimilation – profiler reviews evidence
2. Crime scene classification (-) Limited application / use
Organized offenders – premeditated, planned, average to high Top Down typology can only be applied to sexually
intelligence and employed motivated serial killers, because of the original sample
Disorganized offenders – crime committed in moment of they interviewed.
passion, leave crime scene messy i.e. leave evidence, less
socially competent and unemployed (-) Outdated theories of personality
3. Crime reconstruction – sequence of events, behavior of The approach is used on outdated theories of
victim etc. personality being stable. External, situational factors
4. Profile generation – hypothesis relates to the likely can be major influences on offending, and they are
offender e.g. demography, age, behavior constantly changing.
, OFFENDER PROFILING: Does not begin with fixed typologies. Instead, the profile is data driven and
emerges as the investigator engages in deeper and more rigorous scrutiny of
BOTTOM-UP APROACH the details of the offence. Generated a picture of the offender.
Investigative psychology (+) Evidence supporting investigative psychology
Attempt to apply statistical procedures, alongside psychological theory, to the analysis Canter and Heritage conducted a content analysis of 66
of crime scene evidence. sexual assault cases using smallest space analysis to identify
This develops a statistical database, which acts as a baseline for comparison.
Specific details can be matched against the statistical database and reveal information
correlations of behavior. 5 variable characteristics were
about the offender e.g. personal history. identified as common in most cases including impersonal
Time and place are also important as to where the offender lives. language and lack of reaction to the victim. This shows how
statistical techniques can be applied.
Geographical profiling
Uses information to do with the location of linked crime scenes to make inferences (+) Evidence supporting geographical profiling
about the likely home or operational base of an offender. This is known as crime Lundrigan and Canter collated info from 120 murder cases
mapping. involving serial killers in the USA. Smallest space analysis
Also used in conjunction with psychological theory to create hypotheses about how revealed spatial consistency in xthe behavior of the killers. The
the offender is thinking as well as their modus operandi.
location of body disposals were in different locations from
This assumes that serial killers restrict their crimes to geographical areas that they
are familiar.
previous’, creating a center of gravity, where the offender was
Often the offenders base is the middle of the spatial pattern. Can also help based. This supports Canter’s claim that spatial information is
investigators make educated guesses about where the offender is likely to strike a key factor in determining the base of an offender.
next – jeopardy surface.
Offenders investigate team insight into the nature of the offence e.g. whether it was (+) Scientific basis
planned or opportunistic, mode of transport, employment status, approximate age. Bottom-up profiling is more objective and scientific than the
Canter’s circle theory proposed two models offender behavior. top-down approach as it is more grounded in scientific
The marauder – who operates in close proximity to their home base evidence and psychological theory, and less driven by
The commuter – who is likely to have travelled a distance away from their usual speculation and hunches.
residence.
