Discussion Board 9 MICHEL

Geographic Profiling

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As other tools of profiling , geographic profiling (GP ) also presents numerous limitations which affect its effectiveness and credibility The technique requires a large sample size for it to be effective thereby making it futile in everyday policing as from a practical perspective , serial crimes do not occur often . Moreover , in some areas where the rate of crime is very low , GP may be not applicable . GP is useful where numerous crimes with similar traits occur within

a specific locality , meeting such conditions is tricky as most criminal activities are widely distributed and vary in terms of their characteristics . Such situations make finding a stable anchor point intricate thereby reducing significantly the chance of making an arrest

Besides sex offences and homicides , GP can also be used for arsonists and marauders . This can be attributed to the fact that arsonists and marauders confine their operations within a specific locality thereby making GP an important tool for tracking and arresting the offender However , GP should be used in conjunction with other profiling techniques to enhance its effectiveness and eliminate limitations

The circle theory of environmental range supports conclusively the assertion that crimes committed by criminals are home-based and a buffer zone is prominent between them and the crime scenes . The circle theory asserts that a relationship exists between the offender 's choice of crime locations and his operation base (Canter Larkin , 1993 . This theory is based on cognitive mapping in...