OFFENDER TYPOLOGIES

In criminal psychology, offender typologies are used to classify

individuals based on various factors such as their personal, psychiatric,
and psychological characteristics, as well as situational and
environmental factors. Here are some key points to understand about
offender typologies:

1. Offender Definition: An offender is someone who violates laws or

rules, leading to criminal behavior. Not all law violations are
considered crimes, as civil offenses like breaches of contract may
not be classified as crimes.
2. Classification Basis: Offender typologies can be based on personal,
psychiatric, psychological, situational, or a combination of these
factors. It is important to consider an individual's criminal history
when classifying them.
3. Acute and Chronic Offenders: Individuals who commit a single
crime differ from those who repeatedly engage in criminal
behavior. Classifying offenders as acute (momentary) or chronic
(habitual) helps understand their patterns of criminal activity.
4. Artificial Classification: Classifying offenders, similar to classifying
plants or animals, is somewhat artificial since individuals may
possess characteristics that can belong to multiple groups. Despite
the limitations, classification is necessary for effective diagnosis,
treatment, and prediction of future behavior.
5. Legal Classification of Crimes: Crimes are classified by the law
based on the type of offense committed, such as crimes against
persons, property, or the state. However, many offenders may fit
into multiple crime categories due to the nature of their offenses.
6. Manifest and Symptomatic Criminals: Offenders can be categorized
as manifest criminals (e.g., gangsters) who commit crimes primarily
against society, or symptomatic criminals (e.g., kleptomaniacs)
whose crimes express inner conflicts. Most offenders manifest
some form of inner conflict.
7. Theories of Offender Classification: Various theories have been
proposed for classifying offenders. Lombroso proposed criminal
types based on physical characteristics, while Ferri distinguished
 between occasional and habitual offenders. Von Liszt emphasized
penological and sociological viewpoints, and Goring classified
criminals into physical, mental, and moral types.
8. Kretschmer's Constitutional Classification: Kretschmer correlated
physical appearance with mental condition, proposing athletic,
asthenic-schizothymic-leptosomic, and pyknic personality types.
He associated serious crimes with the asthenic-schizothymic-
leptosomic body build and less serious crimes with the pyknic
body build.
9. Individual Examination: Classifying offenders should consider
individual factors, including reactions, predisposition, and
environmental influences. A comprehensive examination helps
identify the causative factors and the offender's place in the
classification system.
10. Purpose of Classification: The purpose of offender
classification is to determine how to handle offenders rationally,
whether through legal processes, corrections, or psychiatric
interventions. An operational approach should consider the
offender's background, immediate situation, and personality.
11. Acute and Chronic Offenders: Offenders can be divided into
acute (momentary) offenders and chronic (habitual) offenders
based on the severity, frequency, and duration of their criminal
behavior.
12.Types of Offenders: Offenders can be further classified based on
their behavior, such as opportunists, experimenters, inadequates,
pedophiles, ephebophiles, pederasts, nonexclusive offenders,
exclusive offenders, and sex offenders.
• Opportunist: An opportunist offender seeks out his/her victim’s regularly
until caught.
• Experimenter: This type of offenders abuses as a part of sexual exploitation.
• Inadequate and opportunistic: This type of offender is mentally inadequate or
has a stunned mental development.
• Pedophile: A pedophile has no sexual interest in adults and is sexually
attracted to only prepubescent children, under the age of thirteen.
• Ephebophile: An ephebophile is sexually attracted to only post- pubescent
children, adolescents between the ages of fourteen and eighteen.
• Pederast: This type of offender engages in anal intercourse with boys under
the age of eighteen.
• Nonexclusive: This type of offender is married or in a relationship with
another adult but clearly desires children sexually and uses every opportunity
to find situations where sexual contact with a child can happen.
• Exclusive offender: This type of offender is attracted only to children.
• Sex offenders: A sex offender is an individual who is either an ephebophile or
a pedophile.

By understanding offender typologies, professionals in the criminal

justice system can better diagnose, treat, and manage offenders, as well
as predict their future behavior.

Juvenile Delinquency:

1. Juvenile delinquency refers to the violation of the law by a child who is under
18 years old and is not considered an adult. There are two types of behaviors
associated with juvenile delinquency:
 Status offenses, such as drinking, smoking, truancy, and running away
from home, which are treated by the juvenile justice system.
 Delinquent offenses, including violent acts like murder, rape, armed
robbery, assault, vandalism, etc.
2. Substance abuse is one factor that is highly correlated with delinquency. While
substance abuse doesn't directly cause delinquency, it often leads to mental
and physical health problems, which can contribute to delinquent behavior.
3. Poverty is another major factor associated with delinquency. Research
suggests that high rates of delinquency are linked to poverty and poor
welfare. Lack of income, unpaid school fees, and insufficient funds for basic
needs can contribute to delinquent activities, especially among children from
disadvantaged families.
4. Boredom and lack of productive activities can lead to delinquency. Youngsters
with excess energy and free time may seek excitement and engage in activities
that conflict with the law. Keeping young people occupied with meaningful
and productive pursuits, such as sports or adventure activities, can help
prevent delinquent behavior.
5. Migration from rural areas to urban areas in search of employment can
contribute to delinquency. Frustration and annoyance resulting from taking up
 jobs below their qualifications and expectations can lead to violence and other
delinquent activities.
6. Lack of education and skills is a significant factor in delinquency. Limited
access to education and job opportunities can lead to frustration and
disappointment, pushing youngsters toward delinquent behavior.
7. Dysfunctional families, characterized by broken relationships, constant
quarrels, violence, neglect, and lack of affection, contribute to delinquency.
The absence of a supportive family environment necessary for a child's
development can increase the likelihood of delinquent behavior.
8. Exposure to violence during childhood can result in psychological trauma and
later manifest as delinquent behavior. Children who have experienced violence
and abuse within their families are more likely to engage in delinquent
activities as they grow up.
9. Peer influence plays a significant role in delinquency. Associating with deviant
peers has been found to have a positive correlation with delinquent behavior.
Efforts should be made to educate and train young people to form positive
relationships and avoid associations with delinquent peers.
10. Effective intervention strategies for preventing delinquency include
interpersonal skill development, social skill training, anger management, and
reducing exposure to deviant peers. Community-based interventions, such as
providing recreational facilities and after-school programs, can also be
effective in reducing delinquency. Factors like age, gender, prior delinquent
activities, and family support system should also be considered in
interventions.
11. Collaboration between education, mental health services, juvenile justice, and
community programs is crucial in reducing delinquency rates and providing
support to at-risk youth.

Forensic Psychology and Crime Investigation:

Crime:

 Crime refers to an act that violates the legal code and laws of a society.
 It is the breach of rules or laws, punishable by a governing authority.
 Not every violation of the law is considered a crime, as some may be civil
offenses.
 Crimes are generally seen as offenses against the public or the state, distinct
from offenses against private parties.
 Different definitions of crime exist, considering social, cultural, and legal
perspectives.
Types of Crimes:

1. Crimes against persons:

 Offenses committed against individuals, such as murder, rape, robbery,
and aggravated assault.
 Examples: A person physically attacking another individual or sexually
assaulting someone.
2. Crimes against property:
 Involves causing harm to another person's property, including burglary,
theft, and arson.
 Examples: Breaking into someone's house and stealing their belongings
or deliberately setting fire to a building.
3. Hate crimes:
 Crimes targeting individuals or property based on prejudice against a
particular religion, caste, community, or group.
 Examples: Vandalizing a place of worship or assaulting someone due to
their ethnicity.
4. Crimes against morality:
 Actions that violate societal moral values, such as illegal gambling,
prostitution, and drug use.
 Examples: Engaging in illegal drug trafficking or participating in illegal
gambling activities.
5. White-collar crime:
 Fraudulent activities committed by individuals of high social status in
the context of their occupation.
 Examples: Insider trading, embezzlement, and tax evasion by business
professionals or government officials.
6. Organized crimes:
 Criminal activities involving control over large illegal enterprises, such
as drug trafficking, weapon smuggling, and money laundering.
 Examples: A criminal syndicate operating a drug trafficking network or
engaging in illegal arms trade.

Role of Forensic Psychologists in Crime Investigation:

 Forensic psychologists contribute to understanding the behavior and

personality of individuals involved in crimes.
 They collect behavioral characteristics like planning, control, emotion, risk
level, and crime scene organization as evidence.
 Forensic psychologists assist in criminal profiling to identify likely suspects
during investigations.
 They interview suspects, victims, and witnesses, providing expert testimony in
court.
  Forensic psychologists evaluate the mental competence of defendants to
stand trial.
 They help rehabilitate both victims and offenders, addressing psychological
factors contributing to criminal behavior.

Criminal Profiling:

 Criminal profiling, also known as offender profiling, helps law enforcement

identify likely suspects.
 Forensic psychologists develop psychological profiles based on crime scene
state, offender behaviors, personality traits, and environmental factors.
 Profiles assist in understanding the type of person who committed the crime
and provide valuable information for targeting suspects.
 Interviews conducted by forensic psychologists with offenders, witnesses, and
acquaintances contribute to gathering accurate information.

By combining psychological expertise with criminal investigation, forensic

psychologists play a crucial role in understanding and solving crimes. They provide
valuable insights into the behavior, motivations, and characteristics of individuals
involved in criminal activities. Additionally, they contribute to the fair administration
of justice by evaluating mental competence, serving as expert witnesses, and
providing treatment and rehabilitation programs for both victims and offenders.

Criminal profiling is also known as offender profiling and is used by police

and law enforcement agencies to identify likely suspects during their
investigation. Once they have the profile of a certain type of criminal, then
shortlisting criminals and looking for a certain group makes it easier to
identify the culprit. This profiling is an investigative strategy used by law
enforcement agencies to identify likely suspects
Forensic psychologists work out a psychological profile of the offender based
on various aspects like
- The state of the crime scene.
- Behaviours of the criminals in the present situation.
- Behaviours of criminals in different situations.
- Personality traits of different criminals.
- Whether the person is organised, disorganised or a mix of organised and
disorganised personality features.
- Synopsis of the crime and description of the crime scene.
- The weather that prevailed at the time when the crime was committed
- Political and social environment.
- Autopsy report, photos and sketches of the crime scene.
- Background information of the victim.
- Crime assessment which consists of reconstruction of the sequence of
events, behaviours of the offender and victim, classification of the crime,
strategies used by the victim, stages in committing the crime, motivation
for committing the crime, and crime scene dynamics.
Thus, based on the above a criminal profile is created that can help in
understanding the type of person who committed the crime, and the person's
behaviour in relation to the crime. Further, once apprehended and the accused
offender admits guilt, forensic psychologist conducts a detailed interview to
check the validity of the profiling made by him/ her .
Other questions for which forensic psychologists try to find answer include
whether the crime was planned; was the crime committed on an impulse; and
was there any strong emotional circumstances that led to committing the
crime etc.Yet another question deals with the gender and approximate age of
the offender, his residence or living area and its proximity to the crime scene,
etc. This information is extremely useful to target the culprit.
Also in order to collect the required information the forensic psychologist
conducts a thorough interview of not only the offender but also the witnesses,
relatives, friends and acquaintances who could or are even remotely
connected with the crime. Each of these persons requires a different approach
and interviewing style. To take an example, if a child is a witness to a crime,
interviewing the child is to be very different using other appropriate
techniques like drawing, painting, play etc. On the same line, if the offender
decides to confess, instead of the police, the forensic psychologist could get
the most relevant and factual information using special skills in which they
have been trained. The forensic psychologist uses the offender's profile that
he/ shehas created, to determine the typical approach they have to use so that
correct information and facts are obtained.