Can you identify a suspect from a crime

Can you identify a suspect from a crime scene? Discussion How do the police narrow down their choice of suspects using forensics and behavioural sciences?

How have psychological theories been applied in crime detection? Unit 1 – Assessment Criteria 1. 2 Describe individualistic theories of criminality.

What evidence can be found at a crime scene? Offender profiling Forensics Choice of victim Crime patterns DNA Hair Blood Location Fingerprints Shoe and footprints Offender characteristics Things said to victim

What evidence can be found at a crime scene? Forensics • • • Blood Hair Fingerprints Shoe and footprints DNA Offender profiling • • • Choice of victim Things said to victim Location Crime patterns Offender characteristics

Assumptions of offender profiling • Information can be taken from a crime scene and used with psychological theories to provide a personality picture of the offender. • Offender profiling can be used for serious crimes such as murder or rape, particularly for repeat offences.

Approaches to offender profiling The American Approach A classification system is developed using interviews with known offenders. The British Approach Looks at the crime scene and develops an image of the actual offender

American Approach Characteristics of a sex killer? Known characteristics White Male Unmarried Unemployed Unskilled Psychiatric or alcohol problems • Dysfunctional families • Sexual interest in pornography, fetishism, voyeurism. • • •

Key names to research • David Canter (British approach) • Robert Ressler (American approach)

The Railway Rapist (1994) • David Canter described the Railway Rapist with some accuracy. • He was one of 2, 000 suspects, but Canter’s profile helped in the arrest.

Profiling can be unhelpful • The Rachel Nickell case (1992). • Colin Stagg fitted a profile prepared by Paul Britton, but there was no evidence. The police focussed on Stagg and overlooked the real killer, Robert Napper, who went on to kill again.

Independent study • Research the Colin Stagg case on the Internet. • Find out more about the failure of profiling in this case. • Create a simple, one page learning poster to remind you of the case and issues it raised about profiling.

Discussion questions Discussion What are the strengths of profiling? What are the weaknesses of profiling? Does profiling simply reinforce stereotypes of criminals? Who would be best to draw up profiles, experienced police officers or clinical psychologists?

To what extent do you agree? Agree There are ethical issues with profiling Profiling is a valuable application of individualistic theory Profiling can lead police to focus on one type of person, perhaps overlooking the criminal Profiling is a waste of police money Disagree

Useful downloads Worksheet: Powerpoint:

Do further reading and research on offender profiling. Make revision lists of arguments in favour or rejecting the usefulness of offender profiling. INDEPENDENT STUDY BEFORE THE NEXT TOPIC

Scenario A major city in the UK… We have experienced a number of bomb attacks. There is a distinct pattern to the events, but no obvious political motive, and no one has claimed responsibility. No-one has yet been killed and no serious damage has been done, however, public fear is rising and there is the possibility of harm.

Assessment skill Write a short report (one side of A 4) applying one psychological theory of the origins of crime to the scenario. Make a reasonable suggestion as to whether offender profiling might be useful in this case. Refer to previous cases where offender profiling has been used. Do not copy and paste from any website or textbook. Refer to the sources that you used.

Final self review How has your understanding of psychological approaches affected or changed your opinions towards criminals or criminal behaviour?