Behavioural crime linking in serial homicide

Santtila, Pekka; Pakkanen, Tom; Zappalà, Angelo; Bosco, Dario; Valkama, Maria; Mokros, Andreas

doi:10.1080/10683160701739679

Cited by 70 publications

(83 citation statements)

References 27 publications

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“…Indeed, given the variation in linking accuracy scores reported across studies of serial homicide (e.g. Bateman & Salfati, 2007;Godwin, 1998;Salfati & Bateman, 2005;Santtila et al, 2008), it is crucial to determine if the results reported here generalize across other data sets. Until such research is carried out, it is important to view the serial homicide results with an appropriate degree of caution (the same of course is true for the serial burglary results).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 85%

Another look at across-crime similarity coefficients for use in behavioural linkage analysis: an attempt to replicate Woodhams, Grant, and Price (2007)

Melnyk

Bennell

Gauthier

et al. 2011

Psychology, Crime & Law

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In the absence of physical evidence, investigators must often rely on offence behaviours when determining whether several crimes are linked to a common offender. A variety of factors can potentially influence the degree to which accurate linking is possible, including the similarity coefficient used to assess across-crime similarity. The current study examines the performance of two similarity coefficients that have recently been compared to one another, Jaccard's coefficient (J) and the taxonomic similarity index (D s ), using samples of two crime types, serial homicide (N 0237) and serial burglary (N 0210). In contrast to previous research, the results indicate that D s does not significantly outperform J with respect to linking accuracy. In addition, both coefficients lead to higher levels of linking accuracy in cases of serial homicide compared to serial burglary. Potential explanations for these findings are presented and their implications are discussed.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 85%

Another look at across-crime similarity coefficients for use in behavioural linkage analysis: an attempt to replicate Woodhams, Grant, and Price (2007)

Melnyk

Bennell

Gauthier

et al. 2011

Psychology, Crime & Law

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“…This reported variation in behaviour does not seem to be related to task type, task demands, or valence as they have been discussed in the personality psychology literature. Hazelwood and Warren (2003) and Santtila et al (2008) also report how an offender's mood, mental state, and the external circumstances of a crime can affect the consistency of offending behaviour. It is possible that mood and mental state affect the perceived valence of a situation and the external circumstances affect task demands.…”

Section: Distribution Of If(victim Gives Order)-then(offender X) Contmentioning

confidence: 94%

“…Such writings advise practitioners of case linkage to consider the possibility that the situation may lead to 'aspects of the crime being diluted, modifi ed or interrupted' (Hazelwood & Warren, 2003, p. 590) and to 'be prepared to discuss any dissimilarities noted across the series of crimes and why they do not negatively impact the opinion' (Hazelwood & Warren, 2003, p. 594). Yet, whilst it is commonplace for the situation to be considered in practice, and whilst some researchers recognise that the situation may affect consistency (Santtila et al, 2008), empirical research on case linkage has not yet investigated whether incorporating the interaction between the situation and the behaviour improves linkage accuracy. This is not surprising, since even in personality psychology, there are few studies on this topic (Furr & Funder, 2004).…”

Section: Situational Similarity Between Crimesmentioning

confidence: 96%

“…Santtila et al (2008) recently observed in their study of murders that the immediate murder of the victim meant that the victim's behaviour had little effect on the offender's behaviour. They explain 'in some of the murders included in the present study the victim was shot immediately at the beginning of the event, leaving the offender free to express his personality and psychological needs with the body of the victim without any behavioural interference from the victim ' (p. 19).…”

Section: Distribution Of If(victim Gives Order)-then(offender X) Contmentioning

confidence: 97%

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Incorporating context in linking crimes: an exploratory study of situational similarity and if‐then contingencies

Woodhams

Hollin

Bull

2008

Journal Invest Psychology

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“…This objective is not simple, because a profile needs to be distinct and unique enough to reveal something about the motive, intent, or signature of a specific offender [35]. These researchers examined 116 murders committed by 23 murderers in Italy.…”

Section: Case Linkage In Profiling Serial Murdermentioning

confidence: 99%

Serial Murder Profiling: Our Contemporary Understanding

Edelstein¹

2016

J For Med Leg Aff

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In this article we examine if, and to what extent, profiling can help to solve serial murder cases. We consider the unique characteristics of serial murder and their relationship to profiling, and examine the benefits and limitations of offender profiling. We conclude that using profiling as an investigative tool may help to capture serial murderers and prevent further murders. Notwithstanding, profiling does not guarantee, solving each serial murder case, due to both the limitations of profiling as an objective investigative tool and the distinct characteristics of serial murderers, making them difficult to profile.Keywords: Serial Murder; Profiling; Crime Scene; Geo-Profiling; Modus Operandi; Signature Serial Murder Profiling: Our Contemporary UnderstandingThough serial murder is a relatively rare occurrence, it causes great concern among the general public. The fact that most serial murderers are classified as sane (possessing antisocial personality disorders) is even more worrisome [1].Movies, books, and television series (such as Crime Scene Investigation (CSI) and Criminal Minds) have generated a certain degree of public conception that forensics and the ability to think like a murderer can solve every occurrence of serial murder. It is important to remember that profiling (criminal profiling or offender profiling), in its different forms and contexts such as crime scene analysis, personality analysis, spatial analysis is at most an important tool for police investigations. Advocates of profiling relate to it as a science while critics of profiling refer to it as an art form [2].The effectiveness of profiling in general, and profiling of serial murder specifically, has not been widely studied. Hodges and Jacquin [3] argued that only two-thirds of murder cases in the United States have been solved, with the unsolved third of murders including at least some serial murders. They maintain that the efficiency and accuracy of criminal profiling has not been investigated sufficiently, although their findings suggest that law enforcement officials have a higher rate of accuracy using profiling than other investigative methods.Other critiques include the fact that the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) refuses to report on the efficiency of using profiling in solving cases of serial murder, which raises questions about the method [4]. Conversely, recently published books and articles attempt to identify the important tools that profiling uses, and their significance as investigative tools [5].This article proposes that the use of profiling as an investigative tool for murder cases, specifically cases of serial murder, is marked by many inadequacies, stemming in part from problematic criminology typology, as well as human error. However, continued development of the theoretical tools, empirical testing, and improved training, can change profiling into a more reliable and PO Box 13001, Beersheba, Israel 84536, E-mail: arnonede@gmail.com efficient investigative tool for solving murder cases in general, ...

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Behavioural crime linking in serial homicide

Cited by 70 publications

References 27 publications

Another look at across-crime similarity coefficients for use in behavioural linkage analysis: an attempt to replicate Woodhams, Grant, and Price (2007)

Another look at across-crime similarity coefficients for use in behavioural linkage analysis: an attempt to replicate Woodhams, Grant, and Price (2007)

Incorporating context in linking crimes: an exploratory study of situational similarity and if‐then contingencies

Serial Murder Profiling: Our Contemporary Understanding

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