CRIME ANALYSIS: CORRELATING CRIME SCENE ACTIONS TO OFFENDER CHARACTERISTICS Dr. Aline Lobato State University of Paraíba – Brazil PhD Investigative Psychology University of Liverpool - England

The Attempt to Explain Crime Different approaches to crime analysis: Developmental: influences on the social and intelectual development of an individual. Social: interactions between the individual and the environment. Biological: genetic defects leading to criminal behaviour. All Searching for the Motives for Crime

The Attempt to Identify Crime Patterns Different patterns to analyse crime: Choice of the Victims Place and Target Selection Geographic Profiling Offender Profiling All Searching for Behavioural Patterns

Analysing Crime Motive - Behaviour Motive Absent Crime Scene Behaviour Present Actions reflecting characteristics Characteristics relating to actions

Analysing Crime Crime Scene Analysis referring to “the careful search for behavioural clues at the crime scene” (Ainsworth, 2001). More effective to give “much more emphasis to a careful consideration of what offenders do, their actions, and the salient characteristics that distinguish one criminal’s actions from another’s, rather than an attempt to build explanations on inferences about putative motives” (Canter, 2000).

Studies on Robbery and Burglary Data Prisons in Northeast Brasil Sample 168 Robbers 148 Burglars Instruments: Anonymous Questionnaires Statistical Procedures: SSA (Smallest Space Analysis) Correlation Tests

Interpersonal Instrumental Study on Robbery - SSA

Interpersonal Behavioural Pattern - Robbery Correlating Actions to Characteristics Actions Characteristics £5 Elementary Education £ Unskilled, Unskilled Father Object Low Value Married Many Times Food Drugs, Barbiturate, Glue Car Parts Alcoholic, Alcoholic Parents Scares Gambling, Psychiatric History Threat Mother Dominant Humiliate Violent Parents and Family Verbal Attack Physical Abuse Physical Attack Crime Person

Instrumental Behavioural Pattern - Robbery Correlating Actions to Characteristics ActionsCharacteristics £100Better Education Object High ValueSkilled, Skilled Father Credit CardDivorced Parents Money-CashCriminal Family CarFirst Conviction – 18 year Takes MoneyMore than 3 Convictions Select Victim CarefullyMaximum Security Prison Weapon, DisguisePass on Immediately Work in GroupProperty Crimes

Instrumental Interpersonal Study on Burglary - SSA

Interpersonal Behavioural Pattern - Burglary Correlating Actions to Characteristics ActionsCharacteristics House Elementary Education School Unskilled, Unskilled Father Restaurant, Clubs Married Many Times Small Shops Drugs, Barbiturate, Glue Garage Alcoholic, Alcoholic Parents Scare, Threat Gambling, Psychiatric History Humiliate Mother Dominant Verbal Attack Violent Parents and Family Physical Attack Physical Abuse Leave Tool at Scene Crime Person

Instrumental Behavioural Pattern - Burglary Correlating Actions to Characteristics ActionsCharacteristics OfficeBetter Education FlatSkilled, Skilled Father FactoryDivorced Parents Petrol StationCriminal Family £ 10,000,00First Conviction – 18 year Escape Route More than 3 Convictions Select Premise CarefullyMaximum Security Prison Weapon, DisguiseProperty Crimes Work in Group

Conclusions Crime Analysis – Statistical Analysis Actions rather than Motives Actions reflecting Offender Characteristics Themes reflecting Behavioural Patterns Stolen items, selected premises, actions towards the victims or property can be related to offender characteristics. Crime Analysis – Actions to Characteristics