Offender
Profiling Series: Vol 1
Interviewing and Deception
Edited by David Canter & Laurence Alison
(1999)
back to Interviewing
& Deception
Interviewing and Deception
Adam Gregory
The Decision to Die: The Psychology of
the Suicide Note
This chapter examines the content of "genuine"
and "simulated" suicide notes. Through the use of a multivariate
approach, it shows how 66 suicide notes may be discriminated with respect
to nine variables. Where the analysis facilitated the separation of
these variables into two groups. The first broadly reflects measures
of content whilst the other is characterised by measures of structure.
A second anlaysis demonstrated that the five measures of content best
discriminated between genuine and simulated notes. It is proposed that
collectively these five variables reflect the degree to which an individual
has internalised the decision to die. Further analysis suggests that
within content measures there exist two sub-divisions, whereby genuine
notes may be identified through an analysis of lexical components with
respect to psychological themes deemed characteristic of a genuine wish
to die.
Adam Gregory has
been an employee of the Behavioural Science Section (BSS) of Surrey
Police since completing his B.Sc (Hons) in Psychology at the University
of Surrey in 1994. His role within the BSS, as a Behavioural Consultant,
is to provide investigative support to Police personnel across a wide
range of policing issues. These issues include tackling violent crimes
such as sexual assault and homicide as well as higher volume crimes
like burglary, autocrime and drug related offences. The Section is headed
by Mr Rupert Heritage having grown out of the Offender Profiling Unit
which he established in 1993. Profiling work is still undertaken by
the section at a national and international level.
