The effect of mental disorder on crime scene behaviour, its consistency, and variability

Jessica Woodhams, Kinga Komarzynska

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceedingChapter

Abstract

Mentally disordered individuals have been reported to show more consistent offense behavior than individuals without such disorders (Argyle, 1967, as cited in Davies, 1992). Indeed, within the crime linkage literature, it has been proposed that offenders with more severe pathology will be more consistent in their offending behavior (Santtila et al., 2008). Consistency in offense behavior by mentally disordered individuals following hospitalization is also a subject of research in its own right, in terms of the literature on offense-paralleling behavior (Daffern, Jones, & Shine, 2010). If mental disorder or illness results in greater consistency in offense behavior, as suggested, this could enhance crime analysts’ abilities to link offenses by such offenders, providing that they also show distinctiveness in their crime scene behavior.
Original languageEnglish
Title of host publicationCrime linkage
Subtitle of host publicationtheory, research and practice
EditorsJessica Woodhams, Craig Bennell
PublisherCRC Press
Chapter4
Pages55-82
Edition1
ISBN (Electronic)9780429253409
ISBN (Print)9781466506756
Publication statusPublished - 27 Oct 2014

Publication series

NameAdvances in police theory and practice
PublisherCRC Press

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