Psychology & Crime Offender Profiling I

Lesson objectives To examine the purpose, process and effectiveness of offender profiling. To apply an approach and create your own profile of a killer

create a mind map of what you think offender profiling is Starter create a mind map of what you think offender profiling is helps to narrow the number of suspects for police to investigate Offender profiling

Introduction to Offender Profiling Profiling has become a famous type of psychologist work through popular television programmes such as CSI, Waking the Dead and films like Silence of the Lambs. Real profiling is actually quite misunderstood and its success is debateable. Throughout this topic we will study the effectiveness of profiling. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WToUQ5aT1uA&fe ature=related

What is offender profiling? There is no single definition. Different profilers use different approaches and techniques. The use of profiling techniques may date back as far as 1888 (the time of Jack the Ripper). Traditional policing involves analysing physical evidence such as: Fingerprints Bloodstains Shoe prints DNA evidence.

How is offender profiling different from traditional policing? Criminal profilers looks at additional clues left by the criminal such as: The type of victim The type of crime The location The time of day or night Specific features of a crime What is taken or left behind. All of these features can tell us more about the type of person who committed the crime

What is offender profiling? Profiles are most commonly used for serious offences such as rape, murder (especially sexual murder), arson and kidnapping. A criminal will not change their normal behaviour when they commit a crime. This is known as criminal consistency. A criminal can be therefore be tracked over many crimes, as each time the criminal leaves behind a trace of him or herself.

The aims of offender profiling What are the aims of offender profiling? Does offender profiling really work? Explain your answer. (pg.'s 186-187 in your textbook) Extension task: Discuss and write down the strengths and weaknesses of offender profiling.

Offender profiling-case study John Duffy ‘the railway killer’-facts 26 attacks between 1982-1986. 3 murders between 1985-1986. All the offences were committed against young women. All the offences were committed in and around London, near railway stations.

Murder victim details activity Complete the table the by giving the details of 3 of John Duffy’s murder victims. (pg. 188 in your textbook)

Questions What was similar between the murders of Alison Day and Anne Lock? What was similar between the murders of Maartje Tamboezer and Anne Lock?

David Canter’s profile Outline the profile created by David Canter. Do you think the profile was accurate? Explain your answer.

Review & reflect Using your post-it notes, write down 5 facts about profiling and then stick them on the whiteboard at the front of the class