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2001-2002 Seminar Programme



Seminar Day Two
29th January 2002
Psychological Approaches to Offender Profiling and Crime Analysis

Leading Offender Profilers and Crime Analysts discuss the contributions they make to the criminal investigation process and the problems they have encountered in trying to assist the police. Eminent Academics explore the way in which psychological theories, analysis approaches and substantive research findings can be applied to crime analysis and profiling activities and the potential for such contributions in the future.

Speakers to include:
(click on a speakers name or scroll down to see more)

• Dr Adrian West
  (National Crime Faculty)
• Professor David Ormerod
  (University of Hull)
• Dr Laurence Alison
  (Centre for Investigative Psychology)
• Karyn McCluskey
  (Head of Intelligence Analysis, West Mercia Police)

Speakers


Speaker: Dr Adrian West
Affiliation: National Crime Faculty Presentation
Title: "Offender Profiling: Mythical v Professional expectations "

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Speaker: Professor David Ormerod
Affiliation: University of Hull
Presentation Title: "Helping the jury with their enquiries"

Key Points:

1. What should the legal controls (the rules of evidence and the interpretation of those rules by the judges) be seeking to achieve? My suggestion is that the overall aim is to maximise helpfulness to the jury. This is one aspect of the overall design of the rules to maximise:
   • The accuracy of the verdict,
   • The due process safeguards for the accused and
   • An efficient process.
     
     The "helpfulness" concept should be seen to include aspects of:
     
   • Reliability
   • Relevance
     
     And either
     
   • assisting the jury by enhancing their knowledge; or,
     
   • assisting the jury by enhancing their decision-making capabilities
     
     
2. To what extent do the English rules on "scientific" evidence, in general terms, achieve these aims? Do the US alternatives offer a better solution? Is there a danger that the courts in England will latch onto the former US approach of requiring that all novel scientific evidence is demonstrated to be accepted in the scientific community? - "Into the Frying pan?"
   
   
3. What are the implications for the profiler? Will the evidence ever satisfy these judicial tests? Would the evidence ever satisfy my helpfulness test?
   
   
4. Is the "judicial gatekeeping" function performed fairly? Is it protecting the accused? The jury? Both?

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Speaker: Dr Laurence Alison
Affiliation: Centre for Investigative Psychology, University of Liverpool
Presentation Title: The Academic and the Practitioner: The Advocation of an Archiving Resource

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Speaker: Karyn McCluskey
Affiliation: Head of Intelligence, West Mercia Constabulary
PresentationTitle: "Psychological principles using Investigative Psychology and Intelligence Analysis"

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