Discussion Post
A criminal investigative analyst must understand the different goals and limitations of the criminal investigative analysis process and its many different approaches. The clinical approach has a different goal than the actuarial approach. Both are beneficial but in different ways. It is the role of the criminal investigative analyst to determine the best approach for each case.
In this Discussion, you compare the clinical to the actuarial approaches to criminal investigative analysis and determine the limitations and biases of each.
To prepare for this Discussion:
Review the Learning Resources concerning approaches in criminal investigative analysis.
Explain the goals and limitations of the criminal investigative analysis process. Explain the difference between a clinical and actuarial approach to criminal investigative analysis, providing an example of how and when to use each. Describe some common biases involved in the investigative analysis proceed.
Reference
1) Bartol, C. R. & Bartol, A. M. (2010). Criminal & behavioral profiling. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.
• Chapter 3, "Scientific Approaches to Crime Scene Profiling" (pp. 57-92)
2) Turvey, B. E. (2012). Criminal profiling: An introduction to behavioral evidence analysis (4th ed.). San Diego, CA: Academic Press.
• Chapter 4, "The Mental Health Professional's Contribution to Criminal Profiling" (pp. 101-121)
• Chapter 5, "An Introduction to Behavioral Evidence Analysis" (pp. 121-140)
3) Alison, L., Goodwill, A., Almond, L., van den Heuvel, C., & Winter, J. (2010). Pragmatic solutions to offender profiling and behavioural investigative advice. Legal and Criminological Psychology, 15(1), 115-132. doi:10.1348/135532509X463347.