Question 1

According to the text, profiling is regarded as a(n) _____ technique.

Accepted Answer

Profiling is often considered an unvalidated technique because it lacks consistent scientific evidence to support its effectiveness and reliability.

Question 2

Killers that can be described as carefully selecting their victims are referred to as:

Accepted Answer

Organized killers are known for planning and carefully selecting their victims, as opposed to disorganized killers who act impulsively and often leave behind evidence. Serial killers can fall into either category of organized or disorganized, and stalkers refer to individuals who harass and intimidate their victims but may not necessarily result in physical harm.

Question 3

One of the characteristics thought to be indicative of childhood maladjustment has been identified among quite a few serial killers. It is:

Accepted Answer

Cruelty to animals is known to be a red flag for potential childhood maladjustment and has been reported in the backgrounds of many serial killers. It is often seen as an early warning sign of aggression and lack of empathy, which can escalate into violent behavior towards humans in later life. Studies suggest that up to 70% of animal abusers may also engage in other forms of violent behavior towards people. The other options, such as mental illness, extroversion, and temper tantrums, are not necessarily indicative of childhood maladjustment or serial killer behavior.

Question 4

In a study examining the effectiveness and accuracy of profiling, police detectives indicated that the vast majority of profiles were _____ and they helped in solving _____ of the cases.

Accepted Answer

The study suggests that most profiles were not accurate and contributed to solving a very small percentage of cases, less than 5%.

Question 5

Psychological profiling mostly relies on _____ of a particular profiler.

Accepted Answer

The answer of Psychological profiling mostly relies on _____ of...

Question 6

Killers that tend to be more impulsive and select victims more randomly are referred to as:

Accepted Answer

Disorganized killers tend to be more impulsive and lack planning, leading to random victim selection. Organized killers, on the other hand, are planned, deliberate, and select specific victims. Stalkers refer to individuals who engage in persistent and unwanted attention towards a target, but not necessarily a killer. Impetuous killers may exhibit impulsive behavior but may not necessarily have a pattern of random victim selection.

Question 7

Which of the following is a correct statement?

Accepted Answer

While there are anecdotes and case studies of profiling being helpful, there is a lack of systematic research on its effectiveness. Therefore, option D is the correct statement.

Question 8

Many serial killers seem to prefer to use _____ methods of killing, such as _____.

Accepted Answer

Many serial killers prefer to use intimate methods of killing, such as strangulation or torture, as it provides them with a sense of power and control over their victim. Guns and knives are also commonly used by serial killers, but they are not necessarily preferred methods. Distant methods of killing, such as bombs or other explosive devices, require planning and technical expertise, and are therefore less common among serial killers. Guns and poison can also be used as distant methods of killing, but they do not provide the same level of personal contact and control that intimate methods do.

Question 9

Rational thinking, in serial killers, is often:

Accepted Answer

Rational thinking in serial killers is often impaired due to their distorted perception of reality and their inability to empathize with their victims. This impairment may contribute to their violent actions and lack of remorse.

Question 10

When detectives were asked in a study about their views of profiling, most said they found it:

Accepted Answer

According to the question, most detectives found profiling "helpful." Therefore, the best choice is A).

Question 11

The process of drawing inferences about a suspect's personality, behavior, motivation, and demographic characteristics based on crime scene information is referred to as:

Accepted Answer

Profiling is the process of analyzing crime scene information to draw inferences about a suspect's personality, behavior, motivations, and demographic characteristics. This is done by trained professionals known as criminal profilers, who use their expertise to create a psychological profile of the perpetrator. Profiling is often used in criminal investigations to help narrow the focus of the investigation and to better understand the suspect's motivations, which can aid in their capture and prosecution.

Question 12

In a study by Pinizzotto and Finkel (1990) comparing the accuracy of profiles developed by trained profilers with those of students, it was found that _____ created more accurate profiles _____.

Accepted Answer

The study found that trained profilers created more accurate profiles than students, but this was particularly true for sex offenses.

Question 13

Profiles are created primarily for the purpose of:

Accepted Answer

Profiles are primarily created to aid in ongoing investigations by developing leads and providing a better understanding of the suspect. While they may involve studying criminal investigation techniques, their purpose is not solely for this reason. Additionally, their purpose is not to embarrass investigators for pursuing wrong suspects, as this would be counterproductive to the goal of solving the crime.

Question 14

According to the text, _____ is considered to be the first individual to develop a criminal profile when working on the Jack the Ripper case.

Accepted Answer

The text states that "Dr. Thomas Bond is considered to be the first individual to develop a criminal profile when working on the Jack the Ripper case." Therefore, the correct answer is choice letter B.

Question 15

When assessing for common traits among stranger rapists, Mokros and Alison (2002) found that there was _____ among criminals who committed similar crimes.

Accepted Answer

Mokros and Alison (2002) found that there was no demographic resemblance among criminals who committed similar crimes, indicating that stranger rapists do not share common demographic traits.

Question 16

The characteristics of serial killers seem to have _____ though there _____ common to all serial killers.

Accepted Answer

The answer of The characteristics of serial killers seem to...

Question 17

Victims in a string of murder cases were all mutilated in a specific way, which makes profilers think of this feature as the _____ that may reveal something about the perpetrator's personality.

Accepted Answer

The term "signature" refers to a unique and consistent pattern that a perpetrator leaves on their crime scene that reveals their personality and helps authorities identify them. In this case, the specific way that the victims were mutilated is likely the perpetrator's signature, which may reveal important information about them.

Question 18

Most serial killers are _____ males of _____ intelligence.

Accepted Answer

Most serial killers are statistically white males of average intelligence, according to criminological studies.

Question 19

Holmes and Holmes (2010) have categorized serial killers into four types: visionary, mission-oriented, hedonistic, and power-oriented. Subsequent research showed that _____.

Accepted Answer

Subsequent research has shown that most serial killers exhibit traits from multiple categories, rather than strictly fitting into a single type. It is also worth noting that the categorization of serial killers is not universally accepted and has been criticized for oversimplifying a complex phenomenon.

Question 20

Many serial killings appear to have some level of:

Accepted Answer

Many serial killers have exhibited evidence of violent sexual fantasies, which may be a contributing factor to their violent behavior. This has been observed in the cases of notorious serial killers such as Ted Bundy and Jeffrey Dahmer. While some serial killers may have religious beliefs, a desire for a grandiose sense of self, or obsessive-compulsive tendencies, those traits are not as commonly observed as violent sexual fantasies.

Quiz 5: Section 2: Criminal Profiling and Psychological Autopsies