Forensic Psychology
The Top-Down Approach
The theory:
Offending profiling
- Narrow the list of suspects and generate hypotheses about the likely offender.
The American approach
- FBI interviews with 36 murderers. Data from the crime scene matches the category and then
predicts other characteristics.
Organised and disorganised offenders
- Organised = targets victim, high IQ, skilled job, high control, married.
- Disorganised = little planning, impulsive, low IQ, unskilled job, failed relationship.
Constructing an FBI profile
1. Data assimila
2. Crime scene classification
3. Crime reconstruction
4. Profile generation
Evaluation:
Research support
- 100 serial killings (smallest space analysis) supported organised category (Canter et al.).
Counterpoint
- Most killers have multiple contrasting characteristics, and don't fit into one ‘type’ (Godwin).
Wider application
- Applied to burglary, 85% rise in solved cases in the US (Meketa).
Flawed evidence
- Interview sample small, not random, similar kinds of offender, non-standard questions (Canter et
al.).
Personality
- Top-down profiling is based on behaviour consistency, however situational factors may matter
more (Mischell).
The Bottom-Up Approach
The theory:
Profile emerges from analysis of the crime scene.
Investigative psychology
- Interpersonal coherence - crime scene behaviour reflects everyday behaviour.
- Time and place - dwelling place.
- Forensic awareness - previous crimes.
The Top-Down Approach
The theory:
Offending profiling
- Narrow the list of suspects and generate hypotheses about the likely offender.
The American approach
- FBI interviews with 36 murderers. Data from the crime scene matches the category and then
predicts other characteristics.
Organised and disorganised offenders
- Organised = targets victim, high IQ, skilled job, high control, married.
- Disorganised = little planning, impulsive, low IQ, unskilled job, failed relationship.
Constructing an FBI profile
1. Data assimila
2. Crime scene classification
3. Crime reconstruction
4. Profile generation
Evaluation:
Research support
- 100 serial killings (smallest space analysis) supported organised category (Canter et al.).
Counterpoint
- Most killers have multiple contrasting characteristics, and don't fit into one ‘type’ (Godwin).
Wider application
- Applied to burglary, 85% rise in solved cases in the US (Meketa).
Flawed evidence
- Interview sample small, not random, similar kinds of offender, non-standard questions (Canter et
al.).
Personality
- Top-down profiling is based on behaviour consistency, however situational factors may matter
more (Mischell).
The Bottom-Up Approach
The theory:
Profile emerges from analysis of the crime scene.
Investigative psychology
- Interpersonal coherence - crime scene behaviour reflects everyday behaviour.
- Time and place - dwelling place.
- Forensic awareness - previous crimes.
