Deck 5: Section 3: Criminal Profiling and Psychological Autopsies

Question 1

Whereas _____ profiling relies on instinct, _____ profiling relies on maps and mathematics.

A) criminal; psychological
B) psychological; mathematical
C) musical; actuarial
D) psychological; geographic

Answer 1

psychological; geographic

Question 2

Which of the following is NOT characteristic of most serial killers?

A) A history of childhood abuse.
B) Brain injury that impairs rational thinking.
C) The use of firearms in killing.
D) The use of alcohol or drugs before killing.

Answer 2

The use of firearms in killing.

Question 3

According to the text, easily observable characteristics such as race SHOULD NOT be used for the purpose of classifying people as suspects because:

A) large groups of innocent people are likely to be harassed as a result.
B) suspects may mask themselves to obscure or alter visible characteristics.
C) these characteristics can change over time.
D) these characteristics are listed in identifying documents.

Answer 3

large groups of innocent people are likely to be harassed as a result.

Question 4

Behavioral investigative advice (BIA) offers help to investigators on all of the following, EXCEPT:

A) whether a crime might be part of a series of crimes.
B) what questions to ask during police interviews.
C) how to use the media to lure the suspect into making a mistake.
D) what personality traits can be inferred from crime scene evidence.

Question 5

Somebody has murdered a dark-haired pre-pubescent girl in the area last year and left her mutilated body near the train tracks. This year, another dark-haired girl of about the same age was murdered and her body left near the train tracks in the same general area. According to the textbook, can it be a serial killer's job?

A) Yes because there are enough similarities between the two cases.
B) Not conclusive because there were less than 3 cases with similarities.
C) Only if there is DNA evidence left on the scene of both crimes.
D) It is either a serial killer or a mass murderer.

Question 6

A British study found that police detectives found profiling _____, and the profiles helped catch a perpetrator in _____ of the cases where profiles were developed.

A) helpful; the majority
B) not useful; none
C) helpful; a very small proportion
D) not useful; very few

Question 7

The distinctive, personal aspect of the crime that presumably reveals the personality of the killer is known as a(n):

A) attribution.
B) anchor.
C) biological marker.
D) signature.

Question 8

The hypothesized 4 categories of serial killers suggested by Holmes and Holmes (2010) are _____, and most serial killers _____.

A) overlapping; do not fit neatly into the categories
B) very telling; belong to the power-oriented type
C) useful in crime investigations; are apprehended as a result of being categorized correctly
D) above testing; do not agree to provide data for scientific studies

Question 9

Which of the following types of serial killers is most likely to be psychotic, as hypothesized by Holmes and Holmes (2010)?

A) Hedonistic
B) Power-oriented
C) Mission-oriented
D) Visionary

Question 10

The hypothesized differences between organized and disorganized killers:

A) can lead to easy identification of a suspect.
B) were not confirmed in empirical studies.
C) earned the Nobel prize for the authors of the typology.
D) were extensively tested in field experiments.

Question 11

Studies found that profilers were _____ than other people at guessing some characteristics of murder perpetrators. The overall accuracy rates of their profiles were _____.

A) slightly better; pretty low
B) slightly better; pretty high
C) less accurate; still high
D) significantly better; amazingly high

Question 12

Mokros and Alison (2002) analyzed 100 stranger rapes for the presence of 28 characteristics of the rapists who committed them and found:

A) most of the 28 characteristics present in nearly all of the crimes.
B) no discernable demographic resemblance between criminals that committed very similar crimes.
C) clear demographic grouping of criminals who committed very similar crimes into distinct categories.
D) that almost none of the 28 characteristics were present in any of the crimes.

Question 13

Psychological autopsies are typically used in cases involving:

A) serial murder.
B) equivocal death.
C) mass murder.
D) unequivocal death.

Question 14

Most serial murder cases _____ solved by diligent police work _____ profiles.

A) are not; but rather by
B) are not; nor by
C) are; with a huge help from
D) are; and not by

Question 15

Which of the following is NOT characteristic of an organized murderer as hypothesized by the organized/disorganized distinction?

A) Average or above average intelligence.
B) Sexually incompetent.
C) Controlled mood during crime.
D) Geographic mobility.