Offender Profiling Series
Profiling
Property Crimes
Edited by David Canter & Laurence Alison (2000)
back to Profiling
Property Crimes
Profiling Property Crimes
Laurence Alison. Warren Rockett, Steven Deprez &
Steven Watts
Bandits, Cowboys and Robin's Men: The Facets
of Armed Robbery
This chapter identifies variations in robbery behaviour
as a function of narrative role. We argue that this is related to the
degree of impulsivity and planning as manifest in the crime scene behaviours.
144 British robberies were pooled from two pilot study data sets. Three
dominant roles were identified. These reflect the qualities of planned/non
impulsive professionalism, planned/impulsive terrorism and unplanned/impulsive
aggression. The fourth possible category of unplanned/non impulsive did
not exist illustrating that non-impulsive behaviour can only occur if
the robbery is planned - i.e. planning is a necessary condition for reducing
impulsivity. We then consider that planning and impulsivity are related
to a labelling system adopted within a framework well known within criminal
circles. We outline the behavioural structure of these roles and the importance
of their symbolic meaning to the robbers themselves. We conclude that
the narrative structure of these roles is directly reflected in the degree
of planning and the ability to remain calm and rational during the offence.
Laurence Alison is
currently employed as a lecturer at the Centre for Investigative Psychology
at the University of Liverpool. Dr Alison is developing models to explain
the processes of manipulation, influence and deception that are features
of criminal investigations. His research interests focus upon developing
rhetorical perspectives in relation to the investigative process and he
has presented many lectures both nationally and internationally to a range
of academics and police officers on the problems associated with offender
profiling. He is affiliated with The Psychologists at Law Group - a forensic
service specialising in providing advice to the courts, legal professions,
police service, charities and public bodies.
Steven Deprez has
been a research assistant for the Centre for Investigative Psychology,
at the University of Liverpool. He has recently completed a BSc in Psychology
at University of Surrey.
Warren Rockett has
been a Surrey Police Officer for 24 years. During that time he worked
as a uniform 'bobby', as a divisional detective, and at Headquarters.
In 1987, he pioneered the use of screens to protect child witnesses at
court following a sexual abuse investigation. As a Detective Sergeant
with the Drug Squad, he was the second in command of an investigation
that uncovered Europe's first Cocaine Factory. In 1993 he was awarded
a MSc in Investigative Psychology at the University of Surrey. His dissertation
was titled, 'Understanding the Variations between Robbers: The First Stage
in a Behavioural Approach to Robbery Investigation'. This was a unique
piece of research not previously undertaken. Currently he is a Detective
Chief Inspector with responsibility for specialist crime operations. He
leads murders and other serious crime investigations, and has 12 Commendations
for outstanding police work to his credit.
Steven Watts is
a Police Officer with 22 years of service in the Hampshire Constabulary
in Southern England. The vast majority of his service has been within
the Criminal Investigation Department, during which time he has been an
operational Detective, except for a period of one year when he studied
for and achieved the Masters Degree in Investigative Psychology. Steve
is currently a Detective Superintendent, Crime Co-Ordinator, and responsible
for major crime investigation in the east of Hampshire including the area
surrounding Portsmouth and for the Isle of Wight.
