Problem: How would you respond to this discussion post? Two hundred words or more.
David Canter came up with the term Investigative Psychology. He is well known psychologist who was one of many to make the links between psychology and crime. He came up with this term because he wanted to distance his technique from that of the original investigative technique. He believed his techniques to be superior and better suited for finding the criminal and making the connections needed to solve the crime. As pointed out it in the podcast, it takes two to commit a crime, that is why it is just as important to study the victim as the suspect. Canter believed that even when a crime is conducted there is a "interpersonal transactions", this means certain behaviors are conducted when a certain action is committed. "He argues that the ways in which individuals interact with others is so well rehearsed and ingrained that it will influence all their interactions with others, including the interaction between perpetrator and victim"(Canter 118). Many things people say in society are so well rehearsed sometimes they do not even realize it, like for instance "hey, how are you?". Americans just use this phrase as a polite way of saying hello, but when a foreigner hears this phrase they think a person is actually asking how they are. Little social aspects like this are ingrained in to our interactions without even realizing it, and canter went on to prove that the same is done with criminals and victims. When studying behavior Canter came up with five factors that he believed to be most important to focus on while investigating. The first is residential location, he believed that most criminals would stay in close proximity to where their first crime was committed. The criminal will see this area as a safe and in control. The criminal biography was also important to Canter, this is the way the criminal committed the act, and how well they destroyed forensic evidence if at all. Canter believed that different crimes will be conducted by different types of people that their social characteristics will be present in crimes and it is important to focus on. Personal characteristics were also another factor that was important to focus on. The educational history of offenders was the last factor deemed important enough to focus on. A well rounded background of the offender gives insight to themselves and the personality in which he will commit crimes.
There is much strength to investigative psychology. This form of profiling does a great job to link the offender to the victim and the crime. It focuses a lot of victim testimony and the very small details of the crime. The small behaviors are what usually connects crimes to one another. Canter did a lot of work with rapists and did a couple of prominent studies proving that certain behaviors are conducted during these rapes. For example, if a rapist mutters a phrase during the act or says something demeaning. This personal behavior he conducted will then link him to other rapes. Investigative psychology is focused on facts and recorded observations during crimes. That is why crime scene analysis and victimology is very important when focusing on canter works. Many of the techniques Canter came up with and focused on the FBI and local departments use today.
Although there are many strengths to this type of profiling there are some set backs. The biggest setback is unreported crime. Canters work involves linking one crime to another, but if crimes are not reported it is difficult to link one another. Another example with rapes, a large portion of rapes go unreported by women due to many circumstances. It is around 70% of rapes go unreported, this is the one major drawback of Canters work. He relies heavily on citizens reporting crimes so he can link them through victimology and crime scene inspection. Although in today's world, many people do not call police or report crimes that often, whether it be petty or serious.