Mapping the Criminal

Bachelor Thesis from the year 2011 in the subject Law - Penology, grade: Gut (65 Punkte), University of Portsmouth (Institute of Criminal Justice Studies), language: English, abstract: Abstract

Geographic profiling is an investigative methodology that tries to determine the most probable residence of a serial offender by a geographical analysis of the majority of the crime locations (Chainey and Ratcliffe, 2005, p.27).

This literature-based dissertation focuses on the efficacy of geographic profiling methods. It aims to find out if recent geographic profiling methods are really supportive to the criminal investigative process and to what extent they can contribute to solve criminal cases. As a structured literature review, it seeks to evaluate the relevant evidence about the use of geographic profiling in terms of criminal detection and practical investigative applicability. This is done by using other completed literature reviews or research reviews, including evidence from these reviews and, additionally, by reviewing the use of GIS (Geographic Information Systems) in recent criminal cases.

This dissertation provides an insight into recent applications of geographic profiling and a presentation of the main profiling systems. The results of this dissertation are achieved by evaluating and comparing data from empirical research and by reviewing the evidence about the efficacy of this technique.

The efficacy and relative success of the application of geographic profiling in criminal investigations are supported by presenting a range of criminal cases solved with the contribution of geographic profiling methods. On the other hand, deficiencies in geographic profiling systems and applications are shown by the presentation of several other independent studies.

Overall, this dissertation concludes that the evidence reviewed suggests that geographic profiling can contribute to solve criminal cases to a crucial extent, i.e. in cases of locating the offender¿s base or predicting where the next offence location is to be found, and thus, this thesis gives strong support for the use of geographic profiling in criminal justice investigations. Finally, the evidence also points to a growing importance of predictive crime prevention applications of this technology in future.