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Understanding Geographical Profiling Techniques
Oct 3, 2024
Geographical Profiling in Investigative Psychology
Introduction
Objective
: Provide information on the likely location of an offender's base rather than personal characteristics.
Application
: Helps investigators prioritize search areas by estimating the geographic location of an offender’s home, work sites, or familiar areas.
Principles of Geographical Profiling
Non-Random Crimes
: Crimes are often committed in logical locations.
Least Effort Principle
: Offenders choose options requiring the least effort. Proximity matters if options are equally attractive.
Distance Decay
: Crime frequency decreases with distance from the offender's home, avoiding immediate proximity to reduce recognition risk.
Influences on Crime Location Choice
Mental Schemata/Maps
: Internal representations of areas based on personal experiences.
Influenced by how one interacts with an environment.
Example: Car drivers vs. public transport users have different mental maps.
Familiarity
: Offenders prefer areas they are familiar with, feeling 'safe.'
Can be linked to home, work, or leisure activities.
Familiarity might result from deliberate interactions with an area.
Offender Types
Marauder
: Offends based on home as a base.
Offenses farthest apart can indicate home within the circle created between them.
Commuter
: Travels away from home to offend.
Commuters commit crimes closer geographically than marauders.
Challenges in Differentiating Offender Types
Contextual Features
: Specific victim needs can affect crime site choice.
Crime Evolution
: Offender’s mode may evolve, complicating certainty.
Spatial Bias
: Missing crime data can skew analysis.
Geographical Profiling Tools
Computer Programs
: Assist in profiling with different calculations, costs, interfaces, and outputs.
Allows customization to specific areas.
Allows exploration of case impacts on geographical maps.
Limitations
: Programs rely heavily on accurate input data.
Example: Requires accurate locations and assumptions about offender’s residence stability.
Conclusion
Effectiveness
: Geographical profiling may not add value if existing investigative methods are deemed sufficient by investigators.
Practical Use
: Offers prioritized geographic areas but depends largely on input accuracy.
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