Article

Canadian HomicideAn Investigation of Crime-Scene Actions

May 2006
Homicide Studies 10(2):118-139

Authors:

John Jay College of Criminal Justice

Recent literature suggests that different styles of homicide will most appropriately be reflected in the different types of behaviors committed by offenders at a crime scene. These distinctions, it has been proposed (e.g., Salfati, 2000), can best be understood using an instrumental and expressive thematic framework for the way the offender acts at the crime scene. Multidimensional analysis was carried out on the crime-scene actions derived from 75 Canadian single-offender, single-victim homicides, with the aim to replicate these earlier studies. A multivariate structure resulted, encompassing both hypothesized styles. Results are discussed in terms of implications for cross-national similarities and differences in the thematic structure of homicide and explorations regarding future avenues for research regarding crime-scene classification.

Expressiveness and Instrumentality of Crime Scene Behavior in Spanish Homicides

Article

Full-text available

Nov 2019
Int J Environ Res Publ Health

One of the current trends in the study of criminal profiling consists of developing theoretical and methodological typologies to offer information of operational use in police investigations. The objective of this work was to verify the validity of the instrumental/expressive model, so as to establish homicide typologies based on modus operandi relationships, characteristics of the victims, and characteristics of perpetrators. The sample consisted of 448 homicide cases registered in the database of the Homicide Revision Project of the Office of Coordination and Studies of the Spanish Secretary of State and Security. Through multidimensional scaling and cluster analysis, three expressive homicide subtypes were identified (expressive-impulsive, expressive-distancing, and expressive-family), as well as two instrumental homicide subtypes (instrumental-opportunist and instrumental-gratification). The expressive homicide typologies accounted for almost 95% of all of the studied cases, and most of the homicides occurring in Spain were found to take place between individuals who know one another (friends, family members, intimate couples/ex-couples). The findings from this study suggest that the instrumental/expressive model may be a useful framework for understanding the psychological processes underlying homicides, based on the study of relationships between the crime and aggressor characteristics, which may be very helpful in the prioritization of suspects.

Disaggregating Homicide: Changing Trends in Subtypes over Time

Article

Jun 2019
CRIM JUSTICE BEHAV

Sara Skott

Due to the heterogeneity of homicide, certain subtypes of homicide might have remained stable or even increased over time in the overall context of decline. Adding to the research attempting to identify a standardized classification system of homicide, this study used a novel, sophisticated statistical approach (multilevel latent class analysis [MLCA]) and an inductive theoretical stance to identify subtypes of homicide in Scotland and to examine how these types have changed over time. Using variables relating to the victim, offender, and the incident of homicide, four between-level types with three within-level classes of offenders in each type were identified. The findings showed that while all homicide types demonstrated an absolute decrease, domestic homicides had demonstrated a relative increase over time. Implications for policy, theory, and practice are discussed.

Adopting the Bottom-up Approach and Cluster Analysis on North American and European Male Serial Killers: A Follow-up Study

Article

Jan 2018

Adopting the Bottom-up Approach and Cluster Analysis on North American and European Male Serial Killers: A Follow-up Study

Article

Full-text available

Nov 2017

This study explores the application of the FBI's organised-disorganised classification to North-American and European male serial killers. Adopting the same method as Taylor, Lambeth, Green, Bone and Cahillane's 2012 study, 52 crime scene criteria were used to categorise the murders committed by 25 male European and 25 male North-American serial killers. Applying content analysis, murders committed were dichotomously coded for the presence or absence of crime scene criteria using numerous secondary sources. Two separate agglomerative hierarchical cluster analyses using Ward's method as the clustering algorithm formed two clusters for the North-American and two for the European serial killers. There were differences in the crime scene criteria for clusters between North-American and European serial murders. The 'bottom-up' approach resulted in clusters from the crime scene criteria demonstrating that there are problems associated with classifying traits as simply organised and disorganised. All clusters comprised of a degree of core organised traits-consistent with Canter, Alison, Alison and Wentink's (2004) assumption that all serial killings require a degree of organisation. Further examination of frequency of occurrence measures suggests there are subtle but inherent differences between the MO of North American and European serial killers.

An Analysis of Crime Scene Behavior in Korean Homicide

Article

Aug 2017

The aim of the current study is to identify themes of crime scene behaviors in a sample of 487 Korean homicides and test whether these themes are linked to offender characteristics. A content analysis of police information was first conducted and then a multidimensional scale approach was used to identify themes in the homicide data. The exploratory thematic structure showed four factors that confirmed the instrumental/expressive themes as being useful in differentiating homicides: sex-arousal, cognitive, overkill-blood, and impulsive. These four themes were compared with the previous themes identified in Western studies of homicide. Finally, the current findings support the idea that there are relationships between crime scene behavior themes in homicide and offender characteristics.

Exploration of Crime-Scene Characteristics in Juvenile Homicide in the French-Speaking Part of Belgium

Article

Apr 2017

This study explores modeling crime-scene characteristics of juvenile homicide in the French-speaking part of Belgium. Multidimensional scaling analysis was carried out on crime-scene characteristics derived from the court files of 67 individuals under 22 years old, who had been charged with murder or attempted murder (1995-2009). Three thematic regions (Expressive: multiple offenders; Instrumental: theft; Instrumental: sex/forensic awareness) distinguished types of aggression displayed during the offense. These themes reaffirm that the expressive–instrumental differentiation found in general homicide studies is valuable when attempting to discriminate juvenile homicides. The proposed framework was found useful to classify the offenses, as 84% of homicides were assigned to a dominant theme. Additionally, associations between crime-scene characteristics and offenders’ characteristics were analyzed, but no associations were found, therefore failing to provide empirical support for the homology assumption. Cultural comparisons, as well as the influence of age on the thematic structure are discussed.

La violencia en la escena del crimen en homicidios en la pareja

Article

Full-text available

Dec 2015

El homicidio en la pareja, considerado un problema social, no ha sido analizado en España en relación a la escena del crimen (EC). La presente investigación aborda el tipo de violencia ejecutada, instrumental vs. expresiva, en la EC de asesinatos, homicidios o tentativas y sus diferencias en función del sexo del homicida. A partir de una muestra formada por 322 casos extraídos de sentencias judiciales firmes mediante el Protocolo de Análisis del Crimen Violento en Homicidios Familiares, se analizó la conciencia forense, la estructuración y la conducta criminal. Los resultados apoyan estudios precedentes desarrollados en otros países mostrando el predominio de comportamientos expresivos en homicidios entre los miembros de la pareja sin existir diferencias significativas en función del sexo de los agresores, si bien aparece un mayor uso de las conductas de apuñalamiento y envenenamiento en mujeres homicidas.

The Nature of Instrumentality and Expressiveness of Homicide Crime Scene Behaviors: A Review

Article

Full-text available

Jul 2015
TRAUMA VIOLENCE ABUS

Homicide offender typologies developed based on crime scene behaviors have practical utility for scholarly and criminal investigative endeavors. Hence, there has been an increasing interest to develop empirical and testable offender typologies. Specifically, the present study offers a review of the instrumental/expressive offender dichotomy, which is developed primarily based on the analysis of (nonsexual) homicide crime scene behaviors. The validity of the instrumental/expressive dichotomy of homicide offenders have been supported by various studies that sampled population from different countries. In addition, the extant literature indicates that the instrumental and expressive categories could further be expressed in different subthemes or dimensions. Implications for practice in the aspect of suspect prioritization as well as for research are discussed. © The Author(s) 2015.

Perfiles descriptivos de los homicidios expresivos e instrumentales en España: un estudio de casos.

Article

Full-text available

Dec 2023

Néstor García-Barceló

Uno de los principales retos existentes en la investigación científica sobre homicidios se ha centrado en la elaboración de tipologías criminales que resulten de utilidad para los investigadores policiales. Algunos de los modelos que tradicionalmente han explicado y clasificado los homicidios han sido la dicotomía Instrumental/Expresivo y el modelo Sistema-Acción, habiendo encontrado el primero de ellos gran respaldo en la literatura científica acerca de su utilidad. Esta investigación pretende describir las características de los homicidios simples instrumentales y expresivos en España a través del estudio de 27 casos de homicidio. Para la recogida de información se llevaron a cabo entrevistas semi-estructuradas con los agresores en prisión y para la descripción de los casos se utilizaron técnicas estadísticas univariantes y bivariantes. Los hallazgos sugieren que, a nivel descriptivo, existen algunas características diferentes en los homicidios instrumentales y los expresivos, especialmente en cuanto al sexo y las conductas de modus operandi.

What Have We Learned From Offender Profiling? A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of 40 Years of Research

Article

Full-text available

Dec 2018

In the 4 decades since offender profiling (OP) was established, hundreds of journal articles, books, book chapters, reports, and magazine articles have been published on the topic, and the technique has been used by countless law enforcement agencies around the globe. However, despite the popularity and extensive literature published on OP, very little is known about its evolution, current state, or findings of the field to date. Therefore, this study presents a systematic review and meta-analysis of 426 publications on OP from 1976 through 2016. Results of this systematic review suggest that there have been considerable improvements in the scientific rigor and self-assessment being conducted in the discipline, although in total, few studies have used a strong empirical approach to develop new profiles. Even fewer evaluations of the effectiveness of OP have been conducted. The first summary of offender profiles proposed for major crimes in OP literature is also presented, with results indicating some recurrent themes in profiles, but wide variations in the number, name, and description of the profiles often found. A meta-analysis of case linkage analysis research indicates that this area is statistically sophisticated, and has yielded moderate to strong accuracy rates for linking crimes to a single offender. Finally, the first analysis of the most prolific authors, researchers, departments, and outlets for OP research, and the methods, approach, and most cited publications in OP are identified. Suggestions for future research on OP and the potential impact that this may have on policy and practice are also discussed. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2018 APA, all rights reserved).

Sex Difference in Homicide: Comparing Male and Female Violent Crimes in Korea

Article

Full-text available

Nov 2017

The comparison of the South Korean male and female homicide offenders’ characteristics and crime scene behaviours is presented in this study. A total of 537 cases of homicide offenders prosecuted in Korea between 2006 and 2010 were analyzed in terms of offenders’ characteristics, victim–offender interaction, places of crime, and crime scene actions. Significant differences between male and female offenders were revealed in prior criminal history, offenders’ personal characteristics, choice of victim, crime scene behaviours during and after the homicide, and choice of weapon. The parallel with the gender differences in homicides found in Western countries is discussed as well as the possible explanations for the gender-related characteristics found in this study.

Expressive Partner Homicides in Spain: Differences according to Agressors Sex

Article

Full-text available

Jun 2016
J Forensic Med

Introduction: Although the important concert about partner homicides, there are no scientific studies in Spain. The main aim of this study is to analyze differences in Spanish partner homicides between aggressor's sex with a) crime perpetration: attempted or completed and b) criminal process: pre-crime, offence and post-crime behavior. Method: We used Basa Data "Protocolo de Análisis del Crimen Violento en Homicidios Familiares", composed by firmed sentences of family homicides in Spain. Specifically, we analyzed a sample of 323 partner homicide firmed sentences, mostly men. Results: The results show that attempted crimes are more associated with men, and completed homicides with women. Regarding pre-crime behaviors, the existence of previous conflict and previous break up are more associated with men. In criminal context, instrumental behaviors are more related with women while expressive behaviors don't show relation with aggressor's sex; to strangle the victim is more associated with women. Finally, none of post-criminal behaviors show relation with aggressor's sex. Discussion: The results regarding pre-crime and post-crime behaviors are consistent with precedents studies in other countries, also the predominance of expressive behaviors in both, men and women. Concerning to crime perpetration, it hasn't been found previous studies comparing it with offender's sex in partner homicides.

Is the Sexual Murderer a Unique Type of Offender? A Typology of Violent Sexual Offenders Using Crime Scene Behaviors

Article

Full-text available

Sep 2014

Jay Healey

The empirical literature on sexual homicide has posited the sexual murderer as a unique type of offender who is qualitatively different from other types of offenders. However, recent research has suggested that sexual homicide is a dynamic crime and that sexual assaults can escalate to homicide when specific situational factors are present. This study simultaneously explored the utility of the sexual murderer as a unique type of offender hypothesis and sexual homicide as a differential outcome of sexual assaults hypothesis. This study is based on a sample of 342 males who were convicted of committing a violent sexual offense, which resulted in either physical injury or death of the victim. A series of latent class analyses were performed using crime scene indicators in an attempt to identify discrete groups of sexual offenders. In addition, the effects of modus operandi, situational factors, and offender characteristics on each group were investigated. Results suggest that both hypotheses are supported. A group of offenders was identified who almost exclusively killed their victims and demonstrated a lethal intent by the choice of their offending behavior. Moreover, three other groups of sex offenders were identified with a diverse lethality level, suggesting that these cases could end up as homicide when certain situational factors were present

Is the Sexual Murderer a Unique Type of Offender?

Data

Full-text available

Jul 2015

Unique type of offender Sexual Abuse

Data

Full-text available

Jul 2015

Offender and Offence Characteristics of School Shooting Incidents

Article

Mar 2015

School shootings are a concern due to their impact in the local community. This paper aimed to (a) establish frequent characteristics of the offender and offence, (b) explore the differences between offenders who are over the age of 18 years and those who are younger, and (c) consider the underlying themes of the offence characteristics. Data were collected on 28 cases through accessing resources such asWest Law and case studies. The majority of the offenders were Caucasian and US citizens and suffered from depression. Their offences were primarily well planned, involved more than three deaths, and resulted in the offender committing suicide. Pearson’s chi-square test and Fisher’s exact test identified significant differences between the two age groups. Offenders who were 18 years of age or under were more likely to experience depression, be US citizens and be linked to the school. Additionally, offenders who were 18 years of age or under were more likely to have stolen their weapons and made threats prior to the incident. Smallest space analysis revealed four thematic regions in relation to the offence characteristics: making an impact, delivering amessage, doing unrestrained activity, and targeting specific individuals. These findings have implications for risk assessment and furthering understanding. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

The added value of behavioural information in crime scene investigations

Article

Full-text available

Nov 2022

Forensic and behavioural science are often seen as two different disciplines. However, there is a growing realization that the two disciplines should be more strongly integrated. Incorporating psychological theories on human behaviour in forensic science could help solving investigative problems, especially at the crime scene. At the crime scene it is not just about applying scientific methods to analyse traces; these traces must first be perceived and categorized as relevant. At the crime scene, the behavioural perspective of an investigative psychologist could play an important role. In this study, we examine to what extent (1) investigative psychologists detect deviant behavioural cues compared to forensic examiners when investigating a crime scene, (2) forensic examiners can find the relevant traces that can be associated with this behaviour and (3) the availability of a psychological report highlighting these behavioural cues helps forensic examiners in finding more relevant traces. To this end, a total of 14 investigative psychologists and 40 forensic examiners investigated a virtual 3D mock crime scene. The results of this study show that investigative psychologists see significantly more deviant behavioural cues than forensic examiners, and that forensic examiners who receive a psychological report on these cues recognize and collect significantly more traces that can be linked to deviant behaviour and have a high evidential value than examiners who did not receive this information. However, the study also demonstrates that behavioural information is likely to be ignored when it contradicts existing beliefs.

The Action System Model: A Typology of Spanish Homicides

Article

Full-text available

Sep 2020

The Action System model offers a scientific foundation to the differentiation and classification of crimes, based on behavioral indicators, allowing the establishment of relationships between the actions carried out by the offender on the crime scene and their characteristics. Although it was originally developed for application to fires, its utility has been tested in distinct criminal typologies, with few studies having considered homicides. The objective of this study was to examine the effectiveness and validity of the Action System model to differentiate thematically between the structure of the homicides and to create a typology of simple homicides in Spain, based on the relationships between the modus operandi, characteristics of the victims and characteristics of the offenders. The sample consisted of 448 homicides. Four homicide typologies were identified: Expressive, Adaptive, Integrative and Conservative, which represent 87.5% of the studied cases. Expressive homicides are impulsive, with offenders having criminal records and previously knowing their victims. Adaptive homicides are linked to robberies and sexual aggressions, in which the victim and offender are strangers. Integrative homicides take place in the family environment, specifically female offenders and femicides. Conservative homicides are very well planned, highlighting the presence of post mortem actions. The findings of this work suggest that the Action System model is a useful theoretical framework for the identification of variations in criminal behavior and understanding of the psychological processes underlying the homicides. These results have practical implications in the academic setting, since they offer a global perspective as to how simple homicides in Spain may be differentiated, also within the framework of criminal profiling, specifically, suspect prioritization.

“Drop the Body”: Body Disposal Patterns in Sexual Homicide

Article

Jun 2020
INT J OFFENDER THER

The current study investigates body disposal patterns in sexual homicide and examines whether offender’s behavior differ between solved and unsolved cases. To address these two research questions in line with rational choice perspective, a series of logistic regression analyses was conducted on a sample of 250 solved, and 100 unsolved sexual homicide cases in Canada. Within solved cases, results show that if victim is a prostitute, body found concealed, and found lying face down, it is likely the body was moved. For unsolved cases, the role of victim as a prostitute, and body recovered outdoors suggest that the body was moved. Further, results indicate that post-crime phase factors predicted the most whether the victim’s body was moved in solved cases. Whereas within unsolved cases, crime-phase factors contributed the most at predicting whether the body was moved post-homicide. Theoretical and practical implications from this study are discussed.

Crime Scene Behaviors and Characteristics of Offenders with Mental Illness: A Latent Class Analysis

Article

Jan 2020

The current study aimed to identify distinct types of crime scene behaviors based on the criminal planning and motivation of offenders with mental illness in South Korea. Furthermore, our study examined the relationships between the identified types of crime scene behaviors in terms of the offenders' sociodemographic characteristics, modus operandi, and types of mental illness. Utilizing latent class analysis, the associations between crime scene behavior types and offender characteristics such as demographic factors, crime scene actions, and criminal information were empirically investigated. In particular, based on a sample obtained from a national police database of offenses committed between 2006 and 2014, four offense groups were identified: (i) instrumental-planned, (ii) instrumental-unplanned, (iii) expressive-unplanned, and (iv) hybrid. Additionally, significant relationships were found between offense styles and offender characteristics as well as criminal backgrounds. The findings suggest that mental disorders influence the types of actions exhibited by offenders during the commission of their crime. The results are discussed in terms of their theoretical and practical utility to criminal investigation.

Qualitative Structural Theory: A Basis for Decision-Making

Article

Full-text available

Jul 2019

David Canter

The development of analyses of qualitative data that reveal their underlying structure, using the facet framework, are reviewed in the present article. These provide the basis for a general theory of the inherent structure of most qualitative data, an aspect that other approaches typically only allow for with quantitative data. This broadens the application of Facet Theory beyond its usual remit with quantitative measures. It also provides a conceptual model, or “theory,” that combines ordered (modulating) and non-ordered (radial) facets for many different contexts. Results from “qualitative structural theory” (QST) are shown to be open to interpretation as a form of Narrative Action System. Although the power of QST has been illustrated in many areas, in this article three contrasting areas of application are discussed, which each uses a different form of non-metric multidimensional scaling (MDS). One is the exploration of variation in the actions of arsonists revealed through Smallest Space Analysis (SSA). A second is the modeling of consumer choice of chocolates using Multidimensional Scalogram Analysis (MSA). The third is the differentiation of genuine and false claims of rape using Partial Order Scalogram Analysis by Co-ordinates (POSAC). The practical implications of these QST models to assist decision making are briefly discussed.

MATCH: A New Approach for Differentiating & Linking Series of Sex Worker Homicides and Sexual Assaults

Article

Apr 2019

Sex workers as a group are one of the more common targets in serial homicide, yet the most likely to go unsolved. Part of the reason for this is the difficulty in linking individual crime scenes to a series, especially in those series where offenders not only target sex worker victims but also target non-sex worker victims. Inconsistencies in both victim targeting and behaviors engaged in across series add to the difficulties of linking and solvability in these types of crimes. The current study aimed to add to the current body of literature on serial crime linkage by examining not only the most salient behavioral indicators useful for crime scene classification of serial homicides that involve sex worker victims but also examine the trajectories of behavioral change that can help link apparently inconsistent crime scenes and proposes the new Model for the Analysis of Trajectories and Consistency in Homicide (MATCH). The study examines 83 homicide series, including 44 (53%) series where all victims were sex workers and 39 (47%) series that included a mix of sex workers and non-sex worker victims. Using the MATCH system allowed for the majority of series to be classified to a dominant trajectory pattern, over half as many as a traditional consistency analysis that focusses on behavioral similarity matching. Results further showed that Sex Worker Victim series were almost three times more consistent across their series than Mixed-Victim series, not only in victim selection but also in the overall behavioral patterns. Findings are discussed in line with theoretical and psychological issues relating to understanding the nature of behavioral consistency and the importance of going beyond simple matching toward a model that allows for the identification of consistency in seemingly inconsistent series, as well as investigative implications relating to linking serial crimes.

A Cross-Cultural Comparison of Canadian and Korean Sexual Homicide

Article

Mar 2019

Sexual homicide is a crime of rare occurrence. However, crime severity surveys ranked this form of sexual violence as the second most serious crime. Despite an increase in recent years in the publication of empirical studies on sexual homicide, most of these studies originate from Western countries. Therefore, to our knowledge, no studies to date have tested whether the country where sexual homicides are committed influences the way these crimes are executed by the offenders. The current study attempts to shed additional light on the sexual homicide offender (SHO) by comparing Korean and Canadian SHOs as well as comparing both groups of SHOs with a group of nonsexual homicide offenders (NSHOs). Findings suggest that both Korean and Canadian sexual homicide cases present not only similar patterns but also some specific differences, mainly related to their criminal history, the offender's age, forensic awareness, and some modus operandi characteristics such as the type of violence and the use of a weapon. Findings are discussed in light of cultural differences between the two countries.

Body Part Removal: A Thematic Exploration of U.K. Homicide Offenses

Article

Full-text available

Nov 2018

Body part removal (BPR) is a rare homicide phenomena, which emerges as a result of a variety of motives. Fifty-eight BPR U.K. homicide cases were analyzed. Findings indicated key characteristics within BPR murder offenses, with most offenders males; aged around 31 years; knew their victims; with presence of alcohol, drugs, and mental health issues; and more than two thirds of the sample had previous convictions, more than 50% for theft. Offense behaviors showed "multiple wounds" and "victim naked" as highest frequency, with the head as the most frequently removed body part. Smallest space analysis (SSA) identified two behavioral themes (expressive and instrumental) with 62.1% of cases classified as one of these. The study has provided the largest U.K. sample of BPR homicide, furthering understanding this type of offense and the offenders who commit it.

Sex Worker Serial Homicides: Linking Series & Profiling Offenders

Presentation

Oct 2018

For details of this work please see: https://www.researchgate.net/publication/331501443_MATCH_A_New_Approach_for_Differentiating_Linking_Series_of_Sex_Worker_Homicides_and_Sexual_Assaults

The patterns of homicide offence characteristics and their associations with offender psychopathology

Article

Full-text available

Sep 2018

Previous research suggests different crime scene patterns reflect differences in the background characteristics of the offender. However, whether differences in crime scene patterns are related to offender, psychopathology remains unclear. We hypothesise that schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, and depressive illness will each associate to a specific homicide crime scene pattern. Homicide data were obtained from the National Confidential Inquiry into Suicide and Homicide by People with Mental Illness. Our sample comprised 759 homicides committed by offenders in contact with mental health services in the year preceding the offence and with an available psychiatric report. We used joint correspondence analysis to examine patterns between different methods of homicide, circumstances of homicide, victim gender, and victim age groups. Three homicide patterns were identified: male conflict homicide, intimate female homicide, and child homicide. Additionally, each homicide pattern was associated with one or more mental illnesses. Results are discussed in terms of the possible role of psychopathology in “offender profiling” research.

Mechanical profiles of murder and murderers: An extensive review

Article

Apr 2018
Malays J Pathol

Introduction: Murder is an extreme form of violent crime which occurs across all social, cultural, and ethnic spheres. It is therefore, crucial to understand the nature and the extent of mechanical profiles of murder and murderers. The purpose of this article is to review such critical aspects of murder in a nutshell. Methods: An archival research methodology was employed in this study where relevant search for literatures on these mechanical aspects related to murder was made across search engines such as Google Scholar and Elsevier with relevant articles selected for this review. Results and discussion: This review discusses in an in-depth manner, pivotal mechanical profiles which include motives, methods of killing, choice of weapon, settings, targeted body parts, and murder victim concealment. In-depth understanding of each mechanical aspect offers an opportunity to the public at large to expand their knowledge on murder prevention manners which is vital for crime prevention efforts in the future.

Classification of Planning and Violent Behaviours in Serial Homicide: A Cross-National Comparison Between South Africa and the US

Article

Sep 2014

Recent literature suggests that different ‘styles’ of homicide will most appropriately be reflected in the different types of behaviours committed by offenders during the crime. In the last few years, there has been a move to standardise classification systems of single homicides and establish their cross-national generalisability. Literature on serial homicide to date has mostly centred on homicides occurring in the US. However, national differences due to factors such as culture, national identity, political, and socio-economic circumstances may decrease the applicability of these models or certain aspects thereof in other countries and thus must be evaluated. The present study tested the applicability in the South African context of a recently developed US-based serial homicide crime scene classification framework. Specifically, this study compared the thematic differentiation in planning and violent behaviours that the offenders engage in and how this differentiation compares with that in the US. The sample consisted of 25 homicides that were in total responsible for the murder of 267 victims. Results indicated that overall, the framework is useful and applicable in the South African sample, but important environmental and contextual constraints must be taken into account. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

South African Serial Homicide: A Victim-Focused Behavioural Typology

Article

Full-text available

Aug 2014

This current study assessed the value of the Interpersonal Model in differentiating serial homicide offences in South Africa, notably in terms of how the offender may display behavioural patterns that are indicative of them dealing with the victim as a Person, an Object, or a Vehicle. The sample consisted of 302 offences committed by 33 offenders that occurred from 1953 to 2007 in South Africa. Multidimensional scaling analysis was used to test the Interpersonal Model and results indicated that crime themes did not directly correspond to the threefold model. Instead, two crime scene types were present: Victim as Object (where the focus was on tangible gains, interaction with the victim throughout the phases of the crime was limited, and victims included men and live women) and Victim as Vehicle (where the victim might be construed as a conduit through whom the offender could realise their specific psychological needs, the interaction was extensive, and victims tended to be vulnerable). South African serial homicides did not appear to have a specific sub-theme of Victim as Person, suggesting that the themes engaged in centred more on instrumentally focused actions but in qualitatively different ways. However, victim types were integral to the overall behavioural model. Using the Victim as Object/Vehicle dichotomy, 85.7% of the offences could be seen to engage dominantly in one of the two patterns at the crime scene. This not only supported the results of a twofold model, but having these many offenders showing a dominant crime scene type also shows that the model is an excellent representation of serial homicide offending in South Africa. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

South African Serial Homicide: Offender and Victim Demographics and Crime Scene Actions

Article

Full-text available

Aug 2014

There is an abundance of literature on serial homicide from a Western perspective that outlines operational definitions, types of offenders and how they prey upon their victims. However, currently, there is a lack of studies that compare serial homicide in different countries. The current study aims to give an overview of the demographics of serial homicide offenders and victims in South Africa and compare these to the demographics of offenders and victims from other currently available empirical studies of other countries. The sample consisted of 33 out of the total 54 solved series in South Africa between 1936–2007, which includes a total of 33 offenders, 302 victims, and 254 crime scenes. Results of the sample as a whole showed that South African serial homicide offenders are similar to offenders in other countries in terms of their actions at the crime scene and victim choice, with some notable exceptions. Additional analysis looked at the offender's consistency of targeting certain types of victims across their homicide series in comparison with the patterns of serial homicide offenders in other countries. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Characteristics of Canadian Youth-Perpetrated Homicides

Article

Full-text available

Sep 2013
CRIM JUSTICE BEHAV

Youth-perpetrated homicide has considerable impact on our society and justice system. Unfortunately, youth-perpetrated homicide is an understudied crime and even less research has been conducted specific to a Canadian population. Two decades ago, Meloff and Silverman published the most thorough examination of youth-perpetrated homicide in Canada. Since that time, it has been proposed that the motivations and characteristics of youth violence have changed in a number of important ways. The present study expands on previous limited empirical studies and investigation into features of youth homicides using a sample of 105 Canadian youth homicide offenders. A number of important differences were observed. For instance, there were substantially more multiple-perpetrator, stranger, and instrumental homicides. Results are considered in relation to trends observed in Canada and the United States.

Understanding the variation in offender behaviour and risk factors in cases of homicide perpetrated against the UK homeless population between the years 2000 and 2022

Article

Feb 2024

The homeless population remains understudied, and their victimisation is unreported, especially homeless victims of homicide. With the number of people faced with homelessness increasing, the heightened rates of victimisation for violent crimes throughout this population becomes even more concerning. A review of the literature revealed an absence of meaningful research beyond basic descriptive statistics of rates of homeless homicide in the UK. The current study explores the behavioural variation and risk factors associated with the victims and perpetrators of 19 cases of homeless homicide in the UK. A content analysis was first conducted to derive 22 case variables. Smallest Space Analysis was then employed to analyse the cases according to the variables selected. The themes produced in the SSA output were comparable to that of Canter's Victim Role Model: Victim as Object, Victim as Person and Victim as Vehicle. The current study lays a foundation for developing an understanding of the variation in behaviour across cases of homeless homicide and may serve to inform preventative measures.

Homicide Outside the Family Sphere: Confession in Police Interrogation, Offender Motivation and Characteristics – An Exploratory Study

Article

Dec 2022
HOMICIDE STUD

This study aimed to describe extrafamilial homicide offenders’ confessions in police interrogation. The Quebec Coroner’s office supplied data from 76 homicide files including coroner reports. Pearson’s Chi-squared analyses showed that the offenders were significantly different according to confession type for the method used and the antisocial, borderline, and narcissistic personality disorder traits. A two-step cluster analysis revealed three profiles: Confession—quarreler and sexual; Confession—quarreler and mental illness; No confession—quarreler and criminality. Our findings further our understanding of confessions in police interrogation by adding psychological variables and could allow investigators to refine their interrogation strategies.

Homicidal sharp force cases: An 11-year autopsy-based study

Article

Mar 2022

Sharp force injuries represent a major constituent of physical assaults and homicidal fatalities, especially in countries with strict firearm legislations. In forensic investigations, the examination of homicidal sharp force cases remains a challenge for both determining the cause and manner of a death. The aim of this study is to analyze the patterns of homicidal sharp force cases in Northern Tunisia. We perform a descriptive study with a retrospective data collection over an 11-year period (January 2007–December 2017). During the study period, 405 cases of homicidal sharp force casualties were observed. The mean age was 33.9 years, with a range of 2 months–89 years. We note a male predominance (male to female ratio of 4.7), most of who were single (91.2%). The casualties lived mainly in urban areas (68.4%) and were unemployed or daily workers in 61% of cases. Assaults occurred mainly during summer (52.4%) at weekends (38%) in a public place (62.4%) with essentially one perpetrator (68.6%) who was an acquaintance of the deceased in 32.6% of cases. The injuries were primarily located in the thorax (75%) and were associated with defensive wounds in the upper limbs. The most frequent cause of death observed was hemorrhage (82.9%). The analysis of patterns in homicidal sharp force cases allows us to construct specific preventive measures that target young males. Lesion analysis aids forensic specialists in following a thorough autopsy to determine the causes of death.

Masking in murder: An exploratory study into the act of covering the victim’s face in UK homicide

Article

Dec 2021

Previous literature suggests that covering of a homicide victim's face by an offender indicates a pre‐existing relationship. Operational definitions discriminate between three forms of victim covering (i) Masking (ii) Cloaking and (iii) Concealment. 126 UK homicide cases were examined to explore whether any evidence‐based investigative inferences could be supported in cases of victim covering viewed through an instrumental/expressive framework. No statistically significant differences were found between face covering behaviour and the relationship between victim and offender, previous convictions, and offender age, although there was a high frequency of elderly female victims of masking. The findings are discussed in relation to offender‐profiling.

Making sense of senseless murders: The who, what, when, and where?

Article

Full-text available

Apr 2021
BEHAV SCI LAW

The phenomenon of "senseless" or "motiveless" homicide refers to homicides that lack an objective external motivation. Despite the unique challenges these homicides pose to police, few empirical studies have been conducted on the topic and existing studies are limited to clinical studies using small samples. To overcome existing empirical shortcomings, the current study used a sample of 319 homicide cases where no motive was established during the investigation to describe the "who" (offender and victim characteristics), "what" (modus operandi, crime characteristics), "where" (encounter, crime, and body recovery associated locations), and "when" (time of the crime) of the entire criminal event. Findings provide insight into the entire crime-commission process and suggest a different dynamic to "senseless" homicide from what has been described in previous literature. Implications for police investigative practice are discussed.

Street corner decisions: an empirical investigation of extortionist choices in El Salvador

Article

Jan 2021

Carlos Ponce

This paper identifies offender choice patterns associated with extortion subtypes in El Salvador, Central America. Previous research attributes the rise of extortion in the country to the evolution and propagation of Los Angeles-born street gangs Mara Salvatrucha (MS-13) and Barrio 18. Data from a unique business victimisation survey is used to analyse 53 decisions in 869 reported cases. The study borrows a multidimensional scaling method used in criminal profiling research to identify offender choice patterns. Cases are classified into extortion subtypes based on identified choice groupings. Key offender choices and location features are compared across extortion subtypes. Offender choice patterns identified in the study are consistent with systemic and opportunistic extortion described in previous literature. About a third of the cases are designated as hybrid extortions due to the blend of choice structuring properties they exhibit, which combines aspects of both systemic and opportunistic extortion.

Section: Criminal and Cultural Behavior Bibliography

Research

Full-text available

Apr 2019

Michael Hochrein

This represents one of several sections of "A Bibliography Related to Crime Scene Interpretation with Emphases in Geotaphonomic and Forensic Archaeological Field Techniques, Nineteenth Edition" (The complete bibliography is also included at ResearchGate.net.). This is the most recent edition of a bibliography containing resources for multiple areas of crime scene, and particularly outdoor crime scene, investigations. It replaces the prior edition and contains approximately 10,000 additional citations. As an ongoing project, additional references, as encountered, will be added to future editions. The impact of one’s culture on daily activities is inescapable. That impact, whether conscious or not, must in some ways extend to the commission of crimes as well as victim reactions. The compiler witnessed this in the investigation of the abduction and murder of a young Bosnian girl who had resettled in the United States with more than 8,000 other refugees from the Balkan Wars of the early 1990s. The ease with which her neo-Nazi murderer was able to enter the homes of the Bosnian refugees, and ultimately kidnap this victim, was partly the result of the cultural experiences of the victimized families who feared law enforcement in their home country and so were reluctant to report the preadtor who introduced himself into their community as a health inspector. This category includes citations beyond those about death rituals and includes references about criminal psychology, cultural studies, and forensic psychiatry. A greater understanding of the psychological and cultural motivation subjects might have in committing crimes will impact approaches to searching for, and processing, evidence. One need not be a behavioral scientist or criminal profiler to realize that a subject diagnosed with paranoia might dispose of a victim in a manner different than a sociopath. An example of cultural influence in the selection of a victim’s disposal site is the case of Jeremiah James Bringsplenty. Accounts of this 1992 case included that of the abuse and murder of Jeremiah by family acquaintances who were babysitting the infant in his Clarksville, Tennessee home. Both the victim and the subjects were of Native American ancestry. The subjects left Tennessee for the Rosebud Reservation in South Dakota with plans to bury Jeremiah near relatives. Because of decomposition, however, they were forced to stop outside Lincoln, Nebraska to bury the remains. This section also contains references valuable for investigators interviewing subjects and witnesses. This category and “General and Cultural Anthropology of Death” overlap to some degree. The examples or accounts examined in the resources within this section involve a spectrum of physical traumas which might befall victims of homicide or suicide. For that reason, the reader/research should also look in Taphonomy-Trauma for related citations. (3305 citations)

INFORME SOBRE EL HOMICIDIO. España. 2010-2012

Technical Report

Full-text available

Nov 2018

Primer informe nacional sobre el homicidio en España, fruto del análisis pormenorizado de 632 atestados de la Policía Nacional y de la Guardia Civil por hechos esclarecidos, ocurridos entre 2010 y 2012 (inclusive). Implicando a 871 autores y 661 víctimas mortales. Se facilitan descriptivos de características de autor, víctima y hecho; y se profundiza en el homicidio con componente sexual, los relacionados con las drogas, las diferencias existentes entre los ámbitos urbano y rural, la mujer homicida, influencias de la nacionalidad de los autores, y apuntes sobre las distancias recorridas por los autores. Todo ello en el marco del perfilamiento inductivo y la policía predictiva.

Crime Scene Behavior Analysis on Homicide in Korea

Article

Nov 2011

Criminal psychology, second edition

Book

May 2017

David Canter

This thoroughly updated and revised new edition provides an essential overview of a full range of psychological contributions to the understanding of crime and the processes of dealing with offenders and helping their victims. From the cognitive, developmental and social processes that influence a diverse range of crimes, including burglary, fraud, rape and murder, to the challenges faced by the police and courts in investigating crime or securing reliable testimony, the text is packed with pedagogical features that bring this fascinating subject to life. These include boxes highlighting key topics or issues around research methods, further reading and suggested essay titles. Also including chapters on rehabilitation in prisons and the psychology of victims, the text examines hot topics such as gang membership and terrorism, as well as discussing how psychology may better understand criminals and criminal behaviour in the future. It builds to a comprehensive and accessible introduction to the field. It will be ideal for students across psychology, criminology and socio-legal studies and law.

Social values and delinquency of Russian youth

Article

May 2017

This article analysed youth attitudes towards social values, youth’s delinquent behaviour, and the relationship between the two were analysed. A sample of ninth-grade school students (n = 1747) was surveyed in a Russian city (Volgograd) in 2000. A latent class analysis was conducted to identify different groups of youth based on their attitudes towards social values. Three latent groups were identified: indifferent, competitorcentred, and traditional youth. More specifically, the study examined if youth perceptions of societal values determine their participation in violent offenses. All crimes were grouped as either instrumental violence (e.g., robbery or extortion) or non-instrumental violence (e.g., assault or threat with weapon). The results show that the competitor-centred youths are proportionally more criminal (35% of instrumental and 34.6% non-instrumental violent crimes) than the other groups. The traditional youths are least criminal of all.

Classification of serial homicide and comparison of serial homicide with single homicide in Japan

Article

Full-text available

Jan 2018

It is reported that there are no victim-offender relationships in serial homicides, so offender profiling is useful for resolution of serial homicide cases. The present study aimed to describe characteristics of serial homicide offenders as a part of offender profiling and compare characteristics of serial homicide with those of single homicide offenders. We found that serial homicide characteristics were divided into 3 types (Destruction, Mission, and Antisocial). On the other hand, single homicide characteristics were divided into 4 types, which included Domestic in addition to the 3 types mentioned above. Overall, serial homicide offenders try to avoid detection of their murders compared to single homicide offenders. However, there was not much difference between the patterns of serial homicides and those of single homicides. Therefore, we conclude that there are few qualitative differences between serial and single homicide offenders.

Crime and Criminality: A multidisciplinary approach

Book

Jan 2016

Sandie Taylor

The question of 'why' and 'how' certain individuals are drawn towards behaving in a way that contravenes the 'Law of the Land' is not an easy one to address. Researchers from various different fields have nevertheless attempted to develop theoretical explanations for the existence of different types of crime and why some individuals commit such acts. Crime and Criminality draws on criminology, sociology, psychology and neuroscience to offer a balanced perspective of crime, the criminal and criminality. Coverage includes: • a comprehensive discussion of theoretical approaches to criminal behaviour, including biological, social and 'rational choice' approaches; • an analysis of legal and social definitions of crime and how these definitions influence the way specific behaviours are labelled as criminal; • an examination of different types of crime and criminals, from delinquents to 'psychopaths' and sex offenders; • an exploration of different ways in which crime is predicted, including risk assessment and offender profiling and an overview of investigative techniques. Addressing a broad range of topics and offering a synthesis of competing theoretical explanations of criminality, this book is essential reading for students taking courses in criminology, criminal psychology, criminal behaviour, forensic psychology and psychological criminology.

Homicide crime scene analysis: An investigative psychology approach

Article

Jan 2013

C. Gabrielle Salfati

An empirical framework of control methods of victims of human trafficking for sexual exploitation

Article

Full-text available

Jan 2015

Although human trafficking for sexual exploitation is a frequently discussed area in current research, especially on the way that human traffickers control their victims, a recurrent problem is the lack of empirical basis. The present study examines control methods (or conditions) used against 137 victims of human trafficking for sexual exploitation. A multidimensional scaling analysis (smallest space analysis (SSA-I)) of 23 control methods (and conditions) derived from a content analysis of police files from the Netherlands revealed three distinct forms of control. These could be interpreted in terms of Canter’s Victim Role model that has been the basis for differentiating offending styles in other violent interpersonal offences. Further analysis showed a relationship between these control styles and different types of prostitution. The three Victim as Object, Victim as Vehicle and Victim as Person modes are consistent with different control methods identified in previous research.

Pragmatic solutions to offender profiling and behavioural investigative advice

Chapter

Apr 2013

This paper outlines ab rief historyo ft he evolutionaryt rajectoryo fo ffender profiling and illustrates the threebroad strands (investigative, clinical,and statistical)that emerged in the 1970s–1990s. We then indicate how am ore pragmatic,i nterdisciplinary practitioner–academic model has emerged in recent years and go on to describe the range of contributions that are now made across the criminal justice field. More recently termed 'behavioural investigative advice' in the UK, the paper then argues that whilst ar ange of potential contributions exist (from linking crimes, risk assessment, provision of bad character evidence, investigative interviewing advice, to geoprofiling), the nature of the process by which that contribution occurs is not yet well understood. The review of these potential contributions concludes with several suggestionsa nd recommendationsf or furtherr esearch andr elevant methodologies by which to conduct that research. This includes the requirement to combine conceptual and theory-driven models alongside empirically driven statistical approaches, as well as the requirement to more precisely delineate and describe how contributions are made by behavioural experts through cognitive task analyses and associated methods. Several countries' police services regularly employ the assistanceo fp sychologists in relation to the prevention, management, and investigation of crime (Alison, 2005). Although some of what theya re engaged in might be described as offender profiling, the supportf rom psychologists over the last 10 years, in the UK at least,m ight be more accurately described as behavioural investigative advice (BIA; ACPO,2 006). The older term offender profiling hasd eveloped an almost mythic status in popular literature and drama (Herndon, 2007), although, as this paper will demonstrate, in its best understood but narrow definition, it hasfailed to make much operational impact.

Is the Sexual Murderer a Unique Type of Offender? A Typology of Violent Sexual Offenders Using Crime Scene Behaviors

Article

Full-text available

Sep 2014

Improvement of Thematic Classification in Offender Profiling: Classifying Serbian Homicides Using Multiple Correspondence, Cluster, and Discriminant Function Analyses

Article

Oct 2014

This paper investigates thematic classification of homicides for the purpose of behavioural investigative analysis (e.g. offender profiling). Previous research has predominantly used smallest space analysis (SSA) to conceptualise and classify offences into thematic groups based on crime scene behaviour data. This paper introduces a combined approach utilising multiple correspondence analysis (MCA), cluster analysis (CA), and discriminant function analysis (DFA) to define and differentiate crime scenes into expressive or instrumental and impersonal or personal crimes. MCA is used to derive the latent structural dimensions in the crime data and produce quantitative scores for each offence along these dimensions. Two-step CA was then utilised to classify offences. Offence dimensional scores were then used to predict cluster membership under DFA, producing cluster centroids corresponding to MCA dimensions. Centroids were plotted on the MCA correspondence map to simultaneously conceptualise crime classification and the latent structure of the Serbian crime data. Classification of offences based on MCA dimensional scores were 91.5% accurate. This MCA–CA–DFA approach may reduce some of the more subjective aspects of SSA methodology used in classification, whilst producing a product more amenable to objective and cumulative review. Implications for offender profiling research utilising SSA and this approach are discussed. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Pragmatic solutions to offender profiling and behavioral investigative advice

Article

Feb 2010
LEGAL CRIMINOL PSYCH

The Structure of Crime-Scene Actions in Finnish Homicides

Article

Full-text available

Nov 2001
HOMICIDE STUD

The structure of crime-scene actions in Finnish homicides was analyzed using the theoretical distinction between instrumental and expressive aggression. Thirty-eight crime-scene actions were derived from the files of single-offender, single-victim Finnish homicides (N = 502). A multidimensional scaling procedure was used to investigate their structure. An expressive core indicating an emotional and impulsive attack without any indication of planning or post-mortem dealing with the body was found. Over 40% of the cases had no additional variables present. A distinction between expressive and instrumental types of aggression was observable in the rest of the crime-scene actions. The instrumental actions were further divided into subthemes indicating either a sexual or a resource-acquirement theme. Likewise, the expressive actions were divided into three subthemes, where the main emphasis had to do with the use of firearms, hiding and moving the body, and removing parts of the body.

A multivariate model of sexual offence behaviour: Developments in ‘offender profiling'. I

Article

Full-text available

Sep 1990

The extrapolation of characteristics of criminals from information about their crimes, as an aid to police investigation, is the essence of ‘profiling'. This paper proposes that for such extrapolations to be more than educated guesses they must be based upon knowledge of (1) coherent consistencies in criminal behaviour and (2) the relationship those behavioural consistencies have to aspects of an offender available to the police in an investigation. Hypotheses concerning behavioural consistencies are drawn from the diverse literature on sexual offences and a study is described of 66 sexual assaults committed by 27 offenders against strangers. Multivariate statistical analyses of these assaults support a five-component system of rapist behaviour, reflecting modes of interaction with the victim as a sexual object. The potential this provides for an eclectic theoretical basis to offender profiling is discussed.

Unobtrusive Measurement: Using Police Information for Forensic Research

Article

Full-text available

Aug 2001

This article explores how unobtrusive research methods popularized by Webb et al. (1966) can be utilized in forensic research. In particular, the value of the approach is considered with special reference to examining investigative processes and criminal behaviour. Webb et al.’s three non-reactive types of unobtrusive measures (physical traces, archival material and simple observation) are discussed in relation to a variety of types of material collected across the course of police enquiries. The breadth and variation of this material is emphasized with special consideration of its utility for research. We illustrate how the limitations and benefits identified by Webb et al. are echoed within the forensic domain and how close attention to the methods of collecting such material developed by researchers may improve the effectiveness of investigations.

Undercontrolled And Overcontrolled Personality Types In Extreme Antisocial Aggression

Article

Full-text available

Jan 1966
Psychol Monogr

Edwin I. Megargee

Physical aggression is typically attributed to inadequate control. While this is the pattern in 1 type of physically aggressive person, it is proposed that in another type, the Chronically Overcontrolled, rigid inhibitions against overt aggressive behavior will be found. Aggression by such people is apt to be of murderous intensity as aggressive impulse must build up to higher levels to overcome such inhibitions and since alternative means of expressing aggression have not been learned. This suggests that in comparison with other criminal groups, a murderously assaultive group will be assessed as less hostile, less aggressive, and more controlled. An empirical study of 4 groups of assaultive and nonviolent delinquents supports this prediction. Implications of this finding for practice and theory are discussed.

The function of aggression and the regulation of aggressive drive

Article

Full-text available

Jul 1964

Seymour Feshbach

Preliminary to the development of a stimulus-mediating response model of aggressive drive, formal definitions are given of instrumental aggressive acts and aggressive drive-mediated behavior. In defining aggressive drive, a distinction is made between expressive aggression and hostile aggression which is illustrated in the difference between the desire to "hit" and the desire to "hurt." Hostile aggression is assumed to be a learned drive whose primary antecedents are past exposure to punishment and present threats to self-esteen. Several procedures for reducing aggression other than performance of an aggressive response are described and the function of diverse measures responsive to changes in expressive aggression, aggressive drive, and aggressive response strength, particularly when evaluating the consequences of an aggressive act, are analyzed. (2 p. ref.)

Facet Theory: Approaches to Social Research

Book

Jan 1985

David Canter

This work has the aim of making facet theory, and the approach to research which derives from it, more accessible to behavioral and social scientists than has been possible in the past. In a first section the book gives the background to the theory and associated methods of analysis, illustrating the major components of the ap proach in use. A second section then provides detailed examples of the applications of the facet approach in developmental, clinical, and environmental psychology, as well as in studies of attitudes and mental performance. The third section provides some further technical details on recent developments in the facet approach as well as a computer program listing. The facet approach to social and behavioral research can be traced at least to the late 1940s (as discussed by Gratch, 1973) and the logical principles on which it is based have clear roots in Descartes' algebra and Fisher's experimental designs.

Aggression: Its Causes, Consequences, and Control

Article

Jan 1993

Leonard Berkowitz

SSA and Facet Theory

Chapter

Jan 1987

Facet theory is introduced. Two examples from research on attitudes on wellbeing are studied. Predictions on the spatial distribution of the points representing the various questions are derived from the definitional properties of the questions. Partial and global predictions are investigated. It is found that the SSA space can indeed be partitioned into regions as predicted. The type of partitionings that emerge here are radexes and a duplex.

Violent Crime

Article

Jul 1978

Culture in Action: Symbols and Strategies

Article

Apr 1986

Ann Swidler

Culture influences action not by providing the ultimate values toward which action is oriented, but by shaping a repertoire or "tool kit" of habits, skills, and styles from which people construct "strategies of action." Two models of cultural influence are developed, for settled and unsettled cultural periods. In settled periods, culture independently influences action, but only by providing resources from which people can construct diverse lines of action. In unsettled cultural periods, explicit ideologies directly govern action, but structural opportunities for action determine which among competing ideologies survive in the long run. This alternative view of culture offers new opportunities for systematic, differentiated arguments about culture's causal role in shaping action.

Greek Homicide

Article

Nov 2001
HOMICIDE STUD

Recent literature suggests that different “styles” of homicide will most appropriately be reflected in the different types of behaviors committed by offenders at a crime scene. These distinctions, it has been proposed, can best be understood using an instrumental and expressive thematic framework to analyze the way the offender acts at the crime scene. Multidimensional analysis was carried out on the crime-scene actions of 210 Greek single-offender, single-victim stranger homicides, with the aim of replicating earlier studies. A multivariate structure resulted, encompassing both hypothesized themes, allowing 63% of the cases to be assigned to dominant styles. Results are discussed in terms of implications for cross-national similarities and differences in the thematic structure of homicide and in terms of future avenues for research.

The Nature of Expressiveness and Instrumentality in Homicide

Article

Aug 2000
HOMICIDE STUD

C. Gabrielle Salfati

One of the main areas of concern regarding offender profiling has been the general lack of extensive empirical studies on the psychological processes underpinning this process. This study aimed to investigate the possibility of establishing a model of homicide behaviors that could be used as a basis for evaluating the scientific validity of offender profiling. A sample of 247 British single offender-single victim solved homicide cases was analyzed using a nonmetric multidimensional scaling procedure known as Smallest Space Analysis. The results indicated that homicide crime scenes could most readily be differentiated in terms of the expressive and instrumental role the victim had to the offender. The backgrounds of the offenders could similarly be differentiated by an expressive/instrumental thematic split. However, when these two elements were combined, there was a substantial mix between crime scene themes and themes of background characteristics. The results are discussed in terms of the validity of classifying homicide into a expressive/instrumental dichotomy and the implications this classification may have for offender profiling.

Sexual Homicide: Patterns and Motives

Article

Jan 1988

Cultural and Subcultural Theories of Homicide

Article

Abstract Academic literature has placed increased focus on understanding the complexities of human trafficking cases, but a gap in literature persists on assessing structural determinants that may impact the number of identified human trafficking arrests. As such, using administrative data on human trafficking arrests from 2013 to 2017, in the present study we examine the influence that macro-level social disorganization indicators, physical characteristics, and criminality rates have on human trafficking arrests in the state of Florida. Results reveal that counties with a higher number of human trafficking arrests were associated with higher levels of residential instability, a greater count of police agencies, as well as, lower levels of concentrated disadvantage and drug arrest rates. We close with directions for future research and anti-trafficking policy recommendations.

Violent Men: An Inquiry Into the Psychology of Violence

Article

Jan 1969

Hans Toch

[This book] provides [a] portrait of chronic predatory offenders, problem police officers, and others with a demonstrated propensity for violent conduct. This revised edition explores the personal motives, attitudes, assumptions, and perceptions of men who are recurrently violent. How patterned and consistent is the violence of such men? What are the dynamics of their escalating encounters? What personal dispositions and orientations are most apt to lead to violence? "Violent Men" contains not only scholarly research on violence, but also a sense of the humanity of violent men. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2012 APA, all rights reserved)

Circumflex Models of Personality and Emotions

Article

Jan 1997

The circumplex model [of personality and emotion] focuses on determining how traits and emotions are structurally similiar, and its underlying assumption is that a relatively seamless circular ordering, or circumplex, is an economical description of the relations among traits and emotions. The circumplex model allows a broader view of personality and of the interpersonal relationships integral to understanding just what makes a personality the way it is. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2012 APA, all rights reserved)

Carrying Firearms for Protection: A Causal Model*

Article

Jan 2007
SOCIOL INQ

The authors develop a causal model of the determinants of carrying firearms for protection. It is argued that the examination of carrying a gun as a dependent variable is methodologically more advantageous than using gun ownership as the dependent variable. Through use of path analysis, the direct and indirect effects on gun carrying behavior are identified. The results suggest most crime specific variables, e.g. fear of criminal victimization, do not directly influence the tendency to carry a gun, although these factors had minor indirect effects on the dependent variable. The most important direct influences on carrying a gun were age, gender, and the belief that the presence of guns is an effective deterrent to crime.

To kill or not to kill? Lethal outcomes in injurious attacks

Article

Nov 1996
CRIMINOLOGY

This research explores the utility of the notion of lethal intent for understanding the outcomes of injurious attacks. We suggest that assailants sometimes kill rather than merely injure victims to avoid either retaliation or criminal prosecution. We hypothesize that, for these tactical reasons, offenders will be more likely to kill when they have no accomplices, when their victims are male or black, and when the victim can identify them. These hypotheses are tested with a merged data set containing information on homicides and nonlethal victimizations involving robbery, rape, and pure assault. The results of multiple logistic regression analyses are largely consistent with theoretical expectations.

Individual Differences and the Trait of Aggression

Article

Jun 1989
EUR J PERSONALITY

Aggression, as a variable of psychological study, has the hallmarks of a deeply ingrained personality trait. It is related to genetic and physiological factors; it emerges early in life but is influenced and shaped by a chilďs life experiences; it is consistently associated with gender and is stable or predictable over time and across situations. However, it does not follow that aggression must be viewed as a drive. On the contrary, in this article we argue that aggression is best represented internally as a collection of specific 'scripts' for social behaviour, emphasizing aggressive responding, and the associative structure relating these scripts to each other, to external cues, and to outcome expectancies. The construction and maintenance of these scripts obey well-understood principles of human information processing. Once established, these networks of scripts may be extremely resistant to change. The result is a set of cognitive structures that promote consistent forms of instrumental and hostile aggression over time and across situations.

The environmental range of serial rapist

Article

Mar 1993

A model of individual sexual offenders' spatial activity was developed based upon 45 British male sexual assaulters who had committed at least two assaults. For each offender a separate map was produced indicating the spatial locations of his offences and residence. A Marauder model and a Commuter model of offender's spatial behaviour was proposed. As an elaboration of the Marauder model, the Circle and Range hypotheses were tested against the sample of offenders. Results of the study support the Marauder model showing that most of the sample (87%) move out from their home base in a region around that base to carry out their attacks. The antithetical Commuter model was not supported within the sample. The Circle and Range hypotheses were supported demonstrating that offenders operate within a distinct offence region (in 91% of cases) and that the distance they travel to offend correlates directly with distances between offences (r = 0.93, p < 0.001). The findings clearly indicate that there is a basis for a model of offence venue choice by individuals within the sample. The present study supports the value of a theory of domocentricity within offenders' lives and offers potential applicability to the solving of crimes.

Differentiating stranger murders: Profiling offender characteristics from behavioral styles

Article

Feb 1999

The literature on "offender profiling" suggests that different "styles" of homicide will reflect differences in the background characteristics of the offender. To test this suggestion, hypotheses were drawn from studies of aggression to propose that murder crime scenes would reveal stylistic distinctions in the role of the aggression in the offense. It was further hypothesized that these distinctions would be clearest for those crime scene indicators that reflect the instrument (cognitive) actions that shape the offense rather than the more expressive (impulsive and emotional) components. Hypotheses about associated offender characteristics were also deduced on the assumption that the murder scene theme revealed the killers' typical styles of interpersonal transaction. To test these hypotheses MDS analyses were carried out on the crime scene and offender characteristics derived from 82 single offender, single victim stranger homicides. A multivariate structure resulted, including all three hypothesized styles, allowing 65% of the cases to be assigned to unique styles and a further 36% to be assigned to appropriate hybrids. Offender characteristics related in the anticipated way to the different crime scene styles, providing a basis for law enforcement inferences about offenders in stranger murders.

Hostility and aggression

Jan 1979

D Zillman

Zillman, D. (1979). Hostility and aggression. Hillsdale, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum.

Criminal shadows: The inner narratives of evil

Jan 1994

D V Canter

Canter, D. V. (1994). Criminal shadows: The inner narratives of evil. London: Harper Collins.

A summary and review of cross-national comparative studies of homicide

Jan 1999
125-148

G Lafree

LaFree, G. (1999). A summary and review of cross-national comparative studies of homicide. In M. D. Smith & M. A. Zahn (Eds.) Homicide: A sourcebook of social research (pp. 125-148). London: Sage.

Power, intimacy and the lifestory: Personological inquiries into identity

Jan 1988

D P Mcadams

McAdams, D. P. (1988). Power, intimacy and the lifestory: Personological inquiries into identity. London: Guilford.

Homicide in Canada Homicide in Canada Homicide in Canada 1999 Homicide in Canada

Jan 1997
9

Canada Montreal
Statistics
Canada

Montreal, Canada. Statistics Canada. (1998). Homicide in Canada 1997. Juristat, 18, 2. Statistics Canada. (1999). Homicide in Canada 1998. Juristat, 19, 10. Statistics Canada. (2000). Homicide in Canada 1999. Juristat, 20, 9. Statistics Canada. (2001). Homicide in Canada 2000. Juristat, 21, 9.

Les homicides relies aux motards sur le territoire de la Communaute Urbaine de Montreal de

Jan 1994

H Gignac

Gignac, H. (2001). Les homicides relies aux motards sur le territoire de la Communaute Urbaine de Montreal de 1994 a 2000 [Homicides by motorcycle gangs in the Montreal metropolitan area from 1994-2000] Thesis presented at the Criminology Department of the Montreal University, Canada, in April 2001.

Men of blood: Murder in modern England

Jan 1995

E Leyton

Leyton, E. (1995). Men of blood: Murder in modern England. London: Constable.

Circumplex models of personality and emotions Soci-economic profile of the boroughs 1996 Sexual homicide: Patterns and motives The nature of expressiveness and instrumentality in homicide

Jan 1988
265-293

R Plutchik
H R Conte

Plutchik, R., & Conte, H. R. (1997). Circumplex models of personality and emotions. Washington, DC: American Psychological Association. Public Health Department. (1996). Soci-economic profile of the boroughs 1996. Retrieved from http://www2.ville.montreal.qc.ca/urb_demo/chiffres/profils/districtengl.pdf Ressler, R. K., Burgess, A. W., & Douglas, J. E. (1988). Sexual homicide: Patterns and motives. Lexington, MA: Lexington Books. Salfati, C. G. (2000). The nature of expressiveness and instrumentality in homicide. Homicide Studies, 4, 265-293.

The Guttman-Lingoes non-metric program series

Jan 1973

J C Lingoes

Lingoes, J. C. (1973). The Guttman-Lingoes non-metric program series. Ann Arbor, MI: Michigan Press.

Violent crime Facet theory

Jan 1977

R Block

Block, R. (1977). Violent crime. Lexington, MA: Lexington Books/D.C. Heath. Borg, I., & Lingoes, J. C. (1987). Facet theory. New York: Springer.

The contribution of psychological research to arson investigation

Jan 2000
147-184

K Fritzon

Fritzon, K. (2000). The contribution of psychological research to arson investigation. In D. Canter & L. Alison (Eds.), Profiling property crimes, offender profiling series (Vol. IV; pp. 147-184). Aldershot, UK: Ashgate.

The function of aggression and the regulation of aggressive drive

Jan 1964
257-272

S Fesbach

Fesbach, S. (1964). The function of aggression and the regulation of aggressive drive. Psychology Review, 71, 257-272.

Categorizing homicides: The use of disaggregated data in homicide research

Jan 1999
96-106

R L Flewelling
K R Williams

Flewelling, R. L., & Williams, K. R. (1999). Categorizing homicides: The use of disaggregated data in homicide research. In M. D. Smith & M. A. Zahn (Eds.), Homicide: A sourcebook of social research (pp. 96-106). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.

Soci-economic profile of the boroughs 1996

Jan 1996

Public Health Department. (1996). Soci-economic profile of the boroughs 1996. Retrieved from http://www2 .ville.montreal.qc.ca/urb_demo/chiffres/profils/districtengl.pdf

Internal document of the Major Crime Division

Jan 1986
AM SOCIOL REV
273-286

SPCUM Annual Report. (1997, 1998, 1999, 2000, & 2001). Internal document of the Major Crime Division, Homicide Unit of the Service de Police de la Communaute Urbaine de Montreal. Montreal Police: Montreal, Canada. Statistics Canada. (1998). Homicide in Canada 1997. Juristat, 18, 2. Statistics Canada. (1999). Homicide in Canada 1998. Juristat, 19, 10. Statistics Canada. (2000). Homicide in Canada 1999. Juristat, 20, 9. Statistics Canada. (2001). Homicide in Canada 2000. Juristat, 21, 9. Swindler, A. (1986). Culture in action. American Sociological Review, 51, 273-286.

Canadian HomicideAn Investigation of Crime-Scene Actions

Abstract

No full-text available

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