Offender Profiling & Psychological Explanations for Offending

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Outline what is meant by geographical profiling in forensic psychology.

(2 marks)
Geographical profiling is the study of spatial behaviour in relation to crime and offenders. It focuses on the location of crime as clues as to where offenders live, work, and socialise.
1 of 6
Briefly explain the top-down approach to offender profiling.

(2 marks)
The top-down approach has categories of the organised and disorganised offender, and believe that this is pre-existing in the mind of the offender. Evidence from the crime scene and other details of the crime, victim, and context are then used to fit the
2 of 6
One method of offender profiling involves categorising offenders as either organised or disorganised offenders. Briefly explain one limitation of this method of offender profiling.

(2 marks)
This approach is based on a sample of 36 serial sex offenders. Therefore, this means that these findings cannot be generalised to all offenders, as not all offenders commit crimes of the same nature. For example, a robbery can't be compared to a murder.
3 of 6
Which two of the following statements about Eysenck's theory of the criminal personality are true?

A - The criminal personality avoids sensation-seeking situations.
B - The criminal personality cannot be conditioned easily.
C - The criminal personality h
B - The criminal personality cannot be conditioned easily.

E - The criminal personality scores highly on neuroticism.
4 of 6
Outline one cognitive distortion shown by offenders who attempt to justify their crime.

(2 marks)
Minimisation is one cognitive distortion shown by offenders who attempt to justify their crime. This is when offenders explain the consequences as less significant than they actually are.
5 of 6
Briefly discuss two criticisms of Eysenck's theory of the criminal personality.

(4 marks)
It has been suggested that there are many different types of criminal personality, depending on what types are involved and how they are carried out. Therefore, the idea that there is one criminal personality 'type' has been criticised as being over-simpl
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Other cards in this set

Card 2

Front

Briefly explain the top-down approach to offender profiling.

(2 marks)

Back

The top-down approach has categories of the organised and disorganised offender, and believe that this is pre-existing in the mind of the offender. Evidence from the crime scene and other details of the crime, victim, and context are then used to fit the

Card 3

Front

One method of offender profiling involves categorising offenders as either organised or disorganised offenders. Briefly explain one limitation of this method of offender profiling.

(2 marks)

Back

Preview of the front of card 3

Card 4

Front

Which two of the following statements about Eysenck's theory of the criminal personality are true?

A - The criminal personality avoids sensation-seeking situations.
B - The criminal personality cannot be conditioned easily.
C - The criminal personality h

Back

Preview of the front of card 4

Card 5

Front

Outline one cognitive distortion shown by offenders who attempt to justify their crime.

(2 marks)

Back

Preview of the front of card 5
View more cards

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