Louise Almond

Pragmatic solutions to offender profiling and behavioural investigative advice

This paper outlines a brief history of the evolutionary trajectory of offender profiling and illustrates the three broad strands (investigative, clinical, and statistical) that emerged in the 1970s–1990s. We then indicate how a more pragmatic, interdisciplinary 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 a range 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 suggestions and recommendations for further research and relevant 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.

Youths who sexually harm: A multivariate model of characteristics

Abstract This study investigates the variations in characteristics that exist among youths who sexually harm (YSH). Three conceptually distinct sets of background characteristics are hypothesized from the literature relating to whether the YSH was abused, delinquent or impaired. Forty-one characteristics were drawn from an extensive and detailed review of the files of 300 cases. The pattern of co-occurrence of the presence or absence of these characteristics was revealed by a non-metric multidimensional scaling procedure, smallest space analysis (SSA). The results provide empirical support for three distinct background themes as 215 (71%) of the youths could be assigned to one dominant background theme (abused, delinquent or impaired). The findings have implications for the ways in which practitioners differentiate between young people who sexually harm.

TEST OF THE ARSON ACTION SYSTEM MODEL IN AN INCARCERATED POPULATION

Canter and Fritzon (Legal and Criminological Psychology, 3, 73–96, 1998) proposed a new model of differentiating arsonists based on the action system model. This is a replication of their study utilising interviews with 65 inmates from one prison, HMP Grendon. A smallest space analysis (SSA) supported an action system model of four distinct modes, adaptive, expressive, integrative and conservative, reflecting Canter and Fritzons four distinct themes of arson (Canter and Fritzon, 1998). Two themes relate to expressive acts–(a) those arsons targeted at a person and (b) those at an object. The remaining two relate to instrumental acts–(c) those targeted at a person and (d) those at an object. Using four scales, which related to the four themes, 55 (85%) of the acts could be assigned to either one or two adjoining themes. The study gives further support to the utility of the action system model and the model of firesetting behaviour proposed by Canter and Fritzon, when using a different method of data collection with a sample of serious offenders.

Trends of indecent images of children and child sexual offences between 2005/2006 and 2012/2013 within the United Kingdom

Abstract Little is known about the trends of indecent images of children (IIOC) offences, as UK criminal justice figures are unavailable within official crime data. This study aims to explore the rates of conviction and the relationship between IIOC offences and child sexual abuse offences from 2005/2006 to 2012/2013. The results indicated a continuing increase in offences of take, permit, distribute IIOC, rape of a child under 13, sexual activity of child under 16 and abuse of children through prostitution or pornography. Six out of a possible 17 correlations were significant, with the strongest correlation found between take, make, distribute IIOC and rape of a female under 13. Explanations for the findings are discussed and the utility of comprehensive prevalence figures for different stakeholders involved in addressing this crime issue.

Factors associated with contact child sexual abuse in a sample of indecent image offenders

Abstract This study explored a sample of 244 UK adult male offenders convicted of offences involving indecent images of children (IIOC): 120 had a previous contact child sexual offence (defined as dual offenders) and 124 had no evidence of an offence against a child (defined as non-contact offenders). Offender groups were compared regarding their socio-demographic characteristics, previous convictions and IIOC possession. Key discriminatory factors that differentiated dual offenders were: access to children, previous offence history, sexual grooming and possession of IIOC that depicts similar-aged victims. In contrast, non-contact offenders could be identified from their greater amount and wider range of IIOC possession. The results suggest a homology between Internet behaviours, IIOC possession and victim selection. Implications for law enforcement agencies are discussed in terms of assisting investigative prioritisation by identifying those most at risk of committing sexual abuse against children.

Male-on-Male Sexual Assaults: An Analysis of Crime Scene Actions

While the concept of male victimization is not a new phenomenon, the sexual assault of a male is a relatively new notion, emerging over the last 30 years in social research literature. Studies of female rape, pedophilia, and juvenile sex offenders have suggested that different styles of offending are reflected in the different types of behaviors committed by offenders at the crime scene. These studies suggest that there are three distinct themes of behavior: Control, Hostility, and Involvement. Using the crime scene actions of 305 male-on-male sexual assault from a U.K. national police database, multidimensional analysis was carried out. The proposed framework was found to be a useful way of classifying male-on-male sexual assaulters with 74% displaying a dominant theme. These resulted in 42% classified as displaying hostility, 23% as control, and 9% as involvement. Implications and suggestions for future research are discussed.

Youths who sexually harm: A multivariate model of behaviour

Abstract This study investigates the variations in behaviour displayed by young people who sexually harm, as previous research has shown that they are not a homogeneous sample. Three conceptually distinct sets of behaviour were hypothesized, relating to various modes of interaction between the young people with harmful sexual behaviour (HSB) and their victim, victim as object, victim as person and victim as vehicle. Thirty-three behaviours were drawn from an extensive review of the files of 300 youths who had sexually harmed. The pattern of co-occurrence of the presence or absence of these behaviours was revealed by a multidimensional scaling procedure, Smallest Space Analysis (SSA). The results provide empirical support for three distinct behavioural themes; 258 (86%) of the youths could be assigned to one dominant mode of interaction (victim as object, victim as person or victim as vehicle). The findings have implications for the ways in which practitioners differentiate between young people with HSB.

Young People with Harmful Sexual Behaviour: Do Those with Learning Disabilities Form a Distinct Subgroup?.

Abstract The study examines 102 young people with Learning Disabilities (n=51) and without a learning disability (NLD; n=51) to explore ways in which LD young people with harmful sexual behaviours (HSB) should be recognized as a subgroup requiring specialized treatment and intervention. Throughout this comparison of perpetrator, victim and abuse characteristics the similarities between the two groups are confirmed repeatedly. NLD young people had experienced domestic violence more often at home and had a history of property offences, lending support to suggestions of their more generalized criminality. Contrary to expectation, there were no significant differences in terms of victim choice. LD young people did engage in ‘nuisance’ behaviours, e.g. exposure, but they also engaged in a wide range of offence behaviours, e.g trickery. NLD young people, however, exhibited an even wider range of offence behaviours, e.g. vaginal penetration. Investigative and treatment implications are discussed.

Female Sex Offenders An Analysis of Crime Scene Behaviors

The concept of the female sex offender (FSO) is a relatively new phenomenon within the social research literature. Studies of female rape, male rape, pedophilia, and juvenile sex offenders have suggested that different styles of offending are reflected in the different types of behaviors committed by offenders at the crime scene. These studies suggest that there are three distinct themes of behavior: Hostility, Impersonal, and Involvement. Multidimensional analysis is carried out on 35 crime scene behaviors of 73 FSOs from U.K. and U.S. law reports. The proposed framework was found to be a useful way of classifying FSOs with 84% displaying a dominant theme. These resulted in 52% classified as displaying Involvement, 17% as Control, and 15% as Hostility. Finally, the implications and suggestions for future research are discussed.

Assisting the Investigation of Stranger Rapes: Predicting the Criminal Record of U.K. Stranger Rapists From Their Crime Scene Behaviors:

Davies, Wittebrood, and Jackson (1997) were among the first to investigate whether offense behaviors are predictive of criminal history, with the findings of their paper then utilized by the National Crime Agency (NCA) Behavioral Investigative Advisors (BIAs) when assisting rape investigations. The aim of the study was to replicate this seminal paper with a larger contemporary sample of U.K. stranger rapists as identified by NCA. Data from 474 adult male stranger rapists were obtained in relation to 22 crime scene behaviors and nine preconviction variables. Results indicated significant differences between the Davies et al. original data set and this contemporary data set in both the behaviors and the preconvictions they displayed. The contemporary sample was significantly less likely to use sighting precautions, use violence, and take fingerprint precautions. This sample was also significantly less likely to have any of the preconviction crime types, with the exception of drugs offenses. When exploring the current data set of stranger rapists, statistical analyses indicated a number of key offense behaviors that were able to predict the criminal history of stranger rapists. However, contrary to previous research, no behaviors were found to be associated with sexual offense preconvictions. The results highlight that behaviors and characteristics of stranger sex offenders have changed since the 1990s. The implications for practice are discussed.