Empirical tests of the homology assumption in criminal profiling
Thesis (M.Sc.)--Memorial University of Newfoundland, 2009. Psychology Includes bibliographical references (leaves 41-47) A fundamental assumption in criminal profiling, known as the homology assumption, is that criminals who exhibit similar crime scene actions have similar background characteristics...
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ftmemorialunivdc:oai:collections.mun.ca:theses4/54328 2023-05-15T17:23:33+02:00 Empirical tests of the homology assumption in criminal profiling Doan, Brandy, 1972- Memorial University of Newfoundland. Dept. of Psychology 2009 vi, 67 leaves Image/jpeg; Application/pdf http://collections.mun.ca/cdm/ref/collection/theses4/id/54328 Eng eng Electronic Theses and Dissertations (8.13 MB) -- http://collections.mun.ca/PDFs/theses/Doan_Brandy.pdf a2975991 http://collections.mun.ca/cdm/ref/collection/theses4/id/54328 The author retains copyright ownership and moral rights in this thesis. Neither the thesis nor substantial extracts from it may be printed or otherwise reproduced without the author's permission. Paper copy kept in the Centre for Newfoundland Studies, Memorial University Libraries Criminal behavior Prediction of Criminals--Psychological testing Typology (Psychology) Text Electronic thesis or dissertation 2009 ftmemorialunivdc 2015-08-06T19:22:02Z Thesis (M.Sc.)--Memorial University of Newfoundland, 2009. Psychology Includes bibliographical references (leaves 41-47) A fundamental assumption in criminal profiling, known as the homology assumption, is that criminals who exhibit similar crime scene actions have similar background characteristics. The homology assumption was tested by first classifying, with a pre-existing typology, a sample of arsonists (N = 87) and robbers (N = 111) into different crime types and then comparing the similarity of their background characteristics. Study 1 tested the homology assumption with Canter and Fritzon's (1998) arson typology, and for Study 2, Alison, Rockett, Deprez and Watts' (2000) robbery typology was used. Results showed that using pre-existing typologies to classify crimes into mutually exclusive types was not easily accomplished. Notwithstanding classification difficulties, the homology assumption was violated in 56% of the comparisons between the different types of arsonists and in 67% of the comparisons between the different types of robbers. Overall, these two studies failed to provide empirical support for the homology assumption for typology-based profiling practices. These findings indicate that using established typologies to profile offenders might not be very useful. Future research endeavors that wish to examine the validity of the homology assumption should first seek reliability with typologies across several geographic regions. Thesis Newfoundland studies University of Newfoundland Memorial University of Newfoundland: Digital Archives Initiative (DAI) |
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Memorial University of Newfoundland: Digital Archives Initiative (DAI) |
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English |
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Criminal behavior Prediction of Criminals--Psychological testing Typology (Psychology) |
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Criminal behavior Prediction of Criminals--Psychological testing Typology (Psychology) Doan, Brandy, 1972- Empirical tests of the homology assumption in criminal profiling |
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Criminal behavior Prediction of Criminals--Psychological testing Typology (Psychology) |
description |
Thesis (M.Sc.)--Memorial University of Newfoundland, 2009. Psychology Includes bibliographical references (leaves 41-47) A fundamental assumption in criminal profiling, known as the homology assumption, is that criminals who exhibit similar crime scene actions have similar background characteristics. The homology assumption was tested by first classifying, with a pre-existing typology, a sample of arsonists (N = 87) and robbers (N = 111) into different crime types and then comparing the similarity of their background characteristics. Study 1 tested the homology assumption with Canter and Fritzon's (1998) arson typology, and for Study 2, Alison, Rockett, Deprez and Watts' (2000) robbery typology was used. Results showed that using pre-existing typologies to classify crimes into mutually exclusive types was not easily accomplished. Notwithstanding classification difficulties, the homology assumption was violated in 56% of the comparisons between the different types of arsonists and in 67% of the comparisons between the different types of robbers. Overall, these two studies failed to provide empirical support for the homology assumption for typology-based profiling practices. These findings indicate that using established typologies to profile offenders might not be very useful. Future research endeavors that wish to examine the validity of the homology assumption should first seek reliability with typologies across several geographic regions. |
author2 |
Memorial University of Newfoundland. Dept. of Psychology |
format |
Thesis |
author |
Doan, Brandy, 1972- |
author_facet |
Doan, Brandy, 1972- |
author_sort |
Doan, Brandy, 1972- |
title |
Empirical tests of the homology assumption in criminal profiling |
title_short |
Empirical tests of the homology assumption in criminal profiling |
title_full |
Empirical tests of the homology assumption in criminal profiling |
title_fullStr |
Empirical tests of the homology assumption in criminal profiling |
title_full_unstemmed |
Empirical tests of the homology assumption in criminal profiling |
title_sort |
empirical tests of the homology assumption in criminal profiling |
publishDate |
2009 |
url |
http://collections.mun.ca/cdm/ref/collection/theses4/id/54328 |
genre |
Newfoundland studies University of Newfoundland |
genre_facet |
Newfoundland studies University of Newfoundland |
op_source |
Paper copy kept in the Centre for Newfoundland Studies, Memorial University Libraries |
op_relation |
Electronic Theses and Dissertations (8.13 MB) -- http://collections.mun.ca/PDFs/theses/Doan_Brandy.pdf a2975991 http://collections.mun.ca/cdm/ref/collection/theses4/id/54328 |
op_rights |
The author retains copyright ownership and moral rights in this thesis. Neither the thesis nor substantial extracts from it may be printed or otherwise reproduced without the author's permission. |
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1766113248679034880 |