
Offender Profiling
Students compare the top-down approach used by the FBI with the British bottom-up approach to offender profiling. They will evaluate the effectiveness of investigative psychology and geographical profiling.
About This Topic
Students compare the top-down approach used by the FBI with the British bottom-up approach to offender profiling. They will evaluate the effectiveness of investigative psychology and geographical profiling.
Key Questions
- What are the key differences between top-down and bottom-up profiling?
- How does geographical profiling help police locate serial offenders?
- Is offender profiling a rigorous science or an intuitive art?
More in Forensic Psychology
Biological Explanations of Offending
This topic investigates historical and modern biological theories of crime, including atavistic form, genetics, and neural explanations. Students will debate the ethical implications of biological determinism in the legal system.
2 methodologies
Psychological Explanations of Offending
Students examine Eysenck's theory of the criminal personality, cognitive distortions, and differential association theory. They will also look at psychodynamic explanations such as the inadequate superego.
2 methodologies
Dealing with Offending Behaviour
An evaluation of the aims of custodial sentencing and its psychological effects on inmates. Students will also explore behaviour modification, anger management, and restorative justice programmes as alternatives or supplements to prison.
2 methodologies