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CASE 1
Question 1 - Construct a crime scene assessment from the
given information in order to assist the investigating team in
better understanding the offence from a psychological and
behavioural perspective.
The case of Amanda Bell has all the elements of a sexually
motivated homicide. The features that categorise this case as a
sexual homicide include the absence of clothing on the bottom part
of the victims body, the positioning of the body, the victims bra
pushed above her breast and the evidence of sexual injury
sustained.
In a case of a struggle, slippers would be the first thing to be
discarded because it requires grip. It would therefore be possible
that the victim was approached close to where her slippers were
found. However other items of clothing being found at the same
location of the slippers suggest the perpetrator may have scattered
her clothes. Another possible sequence of event is that she was
assaulted and killed and then discarded at the location where her
body was eventually found. It would be possible to distinguish
whether or not the victim was killed where she was found by
examining the injuries on her body in relation to the state of which
her body was found in.
The abrasions on her head and arms indicate struggling against the
perpetrator whilst being restrained, whilst the bruises to her lower
part of the body indicate she was alive during the sexual assault.
The victim would have been an easy target because of her young
age, active lifestyle, routine and distinctive belonging (yellow bike).
The young age of the victim overpowering her would not require a
great deal of effort. Her active lifestyle such as cycling and baking
with neighbours shows she is the type to get involved socially with
people. This would increase her exposure and make her a target
because the more active a person is the more likely they will be
recognised and the more likely they would be picked as a victim.
There is nothing to suggest she took a different route while cycling.
Her earphones can add to her vulnerability because her hearing
would be affected and therefore she would be unable to anticipate
anyone approaching her.
The route of her cycling is also a risk factor. The environment of
route is in close proximity to the woodland area which would allow
abduction and disappearance to be carried out without much notice.
In addition the woodland covers a large area which would reduce
the chances of being seen even in daylight. In comparison to the
route the victim normally takes, the green pond area is larger and

far less populated and has fewer roads close by. The green pond
area is essentially a safer place to assault and dispose a victim.
Q2. informed initial opinion about inferred characteristics of the
offender(s) mental state, personality and possible social and
personal background.
Since the case bears the sings of a sexually motivated attack, the
characteristics of the case can help build an image of the
perpetrators behaviour. The contusions and lacerations that spread
across the victims body highlight the severity of violence used in
restraining and assaulting the victim. This as well as the violent
manner used in the murder can indicate that the offender is acting
out of anger. It also suggests that the sexual assault carried out is
not primarily done for sexual gratification but instead carried out as
an expression of anger. It may well be the offender is expressing his
anger specifically towards females and this is highlighted in the use
of the victims sanitary towel. In addition, the restraining of the
victim can suggest the offender is athletic and is able to overpower
his victim. Furthermore the ripping of the victims clothes and the
use of the victims clothes as ligature as well as the abrasions
directed at the vagina and anal canal can be seen as an outburst of
rage directed to dehumanize the victim.
Another important element of the case to consider is the lack of
preparation. This is again highlighted in the use of the victims
belonging as restraining tools. It is evident that the offender utilised
opportunistic weapons because the use of the earphones and part of
the clothing as restraints indicates the sudden attack with little or
no planning ahead. However this is not to suggest that the offender
had not premeditated the attack. The offender does show aspects
of an organised personality. This is shown in the lack of evidence left
behind. However the sudden and quick aspect of the attack
suggests the offender is likely to act on impulse rather than thinking
ahead. The location of the belongings indicates the offender is
aware of the geographic location as it would have been more
difficult to attack closer to the blue pond area. It is therefore
possible to speculate the offender lives locally and has no troubling
getting around the area. It would then be easier for the offender to
navigate around the crime scene and exit through various points
without raising suspicion. The close location of the coast can enable
the offender to abandon any evidence or even possibly wash any
evidence away to reduce chances of raising attention.
The elements mentioned above fit the offender into the category of
an anger retaliation rapist. This is highlighted in the rapid
acceleration of force used from physical to sexual abuse and
murder.

The scattering of the victims belonging suggests the offender may

have done this after the murder. This is because it is unusual to find
the victims sandals and knickers in one place, while her jeans and
bike are located elsewhere. If this is true, it would suggest the
offender is confident and this particular gesture can be an
expression of arrogance. Another reason that suggests the offender
is confident is the timing of the attack because the attack took place
in daylight.
However a conflicting reason for the time of the attack can be
because of opportunity.
Within the crime scene, the offender displayed both disorganised
and organised traits (Ressler et al 1988). The apparent lack of
preparation indicates the offender is disorganised in his crime. It
also highlights that the offender lives locally as they are unlikely to
venture out of their community. On the other hand, the use of
restraints and the severity of violence as well as the lack of physical
evidence suggests the offender can fit into the organised category.
Finally, judging from statistics on sexual homicide, the likelihood is
high that the offender is male and of the same ethnicity as the
victim.
Q3
Suggest further lines of enquiry resulting from the
above analyses._ Within further lines of enquiry you may wish to
consider the identification of additional information which may
assist the behavioural interpretation of events, BUT do say how you
expect this will help the analysis.
The nature of the violence in this case points attention to the
possible violent past of the offender, violence that is perhaps
directed towards females. It would then be likely that a past history
of violence is evident in the life of the offender. The previous history
of the offender may not directly show aggression towards females
but aggression as a whole. The offender might have engaged in
violent altercations in the past or experienced trauma early in
childhood that were unresolved perhaps due to ineffective social
environment. This is because successful attempts at addressing
early traumas generally lead to a decrease in the effect of these
traumas later on in life. (Brugees et al 1984). Poor parenting and
early traumatic experiences may therefore be additional themes
that can be used as an interpretation of the offender. Rage and
anger can be the result of maladaptive responses of negative social
experiences which are displayed in the murder.
Since the offender probably lives in the community it unlikely there
was a need for a vehicle in this offence. This is because the offence
was carried out in a wooded area and there would be no need for
transportation.
It is highly likely that the offender left behind traces that would
identify him such as footprint. Since there was a great deal of

interaction between the offender, victim and the crime scene it

would be likely traces of the offender can be tracked as far as the
coastline. However with an organised personality, it is likely that the
offender would have considered this and avoided leaving behind
traces. This further shows he is a confident calculating person. The
knowledge of the woodland indicates the person in question can
navigate effectively and would have frequented the area before. It
can be that the offender likes to venture out and explore his
surroundings before offending. This would suggest the offender is
able to choose his potential crime scene carefully and foresee
forthcoming events.
CASE 2
1.

What alternative
support?

offence

scenarios

would

this

account

There are two possible scenarios in this case. John might have
possibly had his drink spiked by the people he eventually left with.
In this scenario the use of date drugs would have been used to
restricts the victims inhibitions with the intention of taking
advantage of him. This would mean if his drink had been spiked, it
would have been done intentionally with the purpose of taking
advantage of him. This scenario is supported by johns reaction of
assaulting the male he had woken up to and frantically leaving the
scene of the assault without remembering where he was.
However this sequence of events is not supported with the actions
of the victim. This is because he had disposed the clothes he was
wearing the night before which would have contained vital
information. Also not remembering the place where the assault had
taken place would put the victims evidence at risk. The sensations
felt by the victim suggest he might have been a participant in the
situation. This leads to another scenario whereby John might have
been a participant in what had happened who might have
experienced guilt after consenting. It becomes contradictive when
he gives precise evidence with pauses which indicates he would
think carefully before giving an answer. Also by identifying the
perpetrators as foreign it would appear he is attempting to
distance himself from them. In addition, his friends covering for him
without being told what had happened to him weakens his version
of events and questions his honesty.

3.

Describe the actions of commonly used date rape drugs and

their likely effects on the giving of evidence.

Date rape drugs work in similar manner compared to alcohol in that

it reduces inhibition. This is because it is mainly used with alcohol or
sometimes soft drinks. They are particularly dangerous when

mixed with alcohol because they combine to have a powerful

aesthetic effect. The effects of date rape drugs such as gamma
hydroxybutyrate acid (GHB) usually mirrors and enhances the side
effects of alcohol. Because of their similar actions it is often difficult
for victims to distinguish the difference of side effects. Victims of
date rape drugs report feelings of nausea, physical impairment and
dizziness, slurred speech and most worryingly amnesia (Girard
2008). The amnesia experienced would make it difficult to recall
certain events in detail and would be an important factor when it
comes to reporting incidences. The effects of the drugs decrease the
chances of apprehending possible offenders and if a person cannot
recall important details, they are very likely to fill the gaps in with
what they think happened. Victims who suffer from short memory
loss as a cause of date rape drugs would not be able to recall giving
their consent and would also be unable to give their version of
events when giving evidence. Without that, it would be a hard task
to establish whether or not sexual contact between a victim and a
possible offender was voluntary or not. In order to sustain a
conviction, other aspects of the situation must be considered. In
essence, the amnesia associated with these drugs can have a
massive impact in cases of sexual nature.

CASE 3
1. What are the salient case details in the information provided
and how would you characterise the arsons and attempted
arsons as a series?
A common theme stands out in both the attempted arson and
actual arsons. First of all, there isnt a specific target which would
rule out the perpetrator(s) had targeted a specific member of
society in terms of race or social class. There was also nothing to
indicate the arsonist differentiated between private and public
places. There was also no direct injury to anyone, which suggests
the motives behind the fires might be mainly vandalism. Another
aspect that supports the vandalism account would be the
targeting of both public and private properties. However, most
vandalism arsons tend to be carried out by younger people and
their arsons demonstrate little planning and sophistication.
(Kocsis 2002).
The intricacy of the petrol bombs used in the cases described
shows planning and premeditation. The use of accelerants would
rule out younger offenders because they are less likely to obtain

petrol than older males. The arsons and attempted arsons are
related because they follow the same sequence. Suspicious
packages are placed outside public and private places with no
demands, threats or previous altercations. A common theme with
the arsons is the acceleration of the attempts. It can be argued
the offender is becoming more skilled since the first failed
attempt. If there is a link between the person in the argument
and the arsons, it would suggest the arson are carried out as a
form of revenge that is not directed to one person but towards
society as a whole. Revenge arsonists fit the description of the
case as they are older and more skilful than other types of
arsonist.
2. What can be inferred about the mental habits and motivation of
the arsonist, on the assumption that only one person is
involved?
Although the first attempt was unsuccessful at causing a fire, it
can assumed that the arsonist is an organised person. This is
because the unorganised arsonist is more likely to use
opportunistic materials and is also more likely to leave evidence
behind such as fingerprints as the result of his/her opportunistic
arsons. The organised arsonist would be consistent, following a
set of patterns that are highlighted in the cases. Packages are
almost always found outside the doors of the victims. Similar
components are also found in the bombs which suggest the
arsonist is organised who follows the same routine. This is also
highlighted with the lack of communication between the offender
and victims. The sole arsonists fire setting can be triggered by
anything from an argument to a break up of relationship to
alcohol abuse. What may seem as a minor quarrel with someone
might trigger their serial offending. This is because the arsonist
perceives the negative social situation they experienced as a
societal form of rejection and they therefore feel wronged by
society. This highlights the faulty thinking of the state of mind of
the offender. There is no further evidence to suggest this type of
arson is influenced by profit or has underlying sexual reasons
because there are no such reports to validate this assumption.

CASE 4

1. What sequence of events would account for all of the physical

findings?
The fact the assault happened in the lounge where there isnt much
room to move around suggests that the death of the victim would
not have been carried out by a stranger. If this was carried out by
and intruder, the small lounge area would have been disorganized.
The untouched Christmas presents and undamaged furniture
suggests the victim did not anticipate the assault. It is fair to deduce
that the victim and perpetrator knew each other. Another important
factor that further supports the belief the victim and offender knew
each other is the absence of any signs of forced entry.
The blood in the bath may indicate the assault started there and
carried on to the living room where she was found, or the victim
may have been assaulted and killed and later moved there. If the
victim was indeed moved to the lounge after being killed, it would
explain the lack of disorganization in the lounge. The victim could
have also been assaulted and killed in the lounge area and the
perpetrator could have rearranged the items back to where they
should be. This would have been easier to carry out if the offender
knew the victim because they would know where things are placed.
The injuries on the hands are probably defensive wounds that show
signs of a struggle to fight off the offender.
In the bathroom, the filled bath suggests the victim might have
been attacked there. On the other hand, it can be possible the
offender used the bath to get rid of any evidence. But if this was the
case, the bath would be emptied after its use. Therefore it is safe to
assume the victim had been assaulted in the bath.

2. What emotional states is the offender likely to have experienced,

and in what order are they likely to have occurred?
The multiple stab wounds on the lower and top part of the victims
suggests the offender experienced different mind states. There is
nothing to suggest the murder had elements of sexual motivation.
The stab wounds in the stomach area suggest the offender may
have been reacting with anger and the victim is a vehicle through
which the offender expresses this anger and frustration. This can be
due repressive rage that is triggered suddenly by situations such as
a minor argument with the victim. The weapon used in the murder
may have been chosen spontaneously however stabbing as a form
of attack is an extreme one and can be seen as a cathartic
expression of concentrated anger.
The difference in the location of stabbing supports the belief the
offender experienced emotions such as anger and rage while
stabbing the victims stomach and had the intention to fatally

wound and kill when stabbing the top part of the body. This
suggests the offender is likely to act out on impulse more so than
carefully plan the offence. The action of the offender after the
murder such as wrapping the victim in towels and quilts may
suggest the offender experienced a change of emotion such as guilt,
remorse and fear. The actions of the offender may also have been
carried out in order to conceal the crime and avoid detection and
this shows hints of fear. The change of emotion experienced by the
offender is likely to have gone from unprovoked anger to guilt and
lastly fear and the behavioural actions of the offender highlight this
transformation of emotions.

Holmes, R. (1989). Profiling violent crimes. Newbury Park: Sage Publications.

Ressler, R., Burgess, A. and Douglas, J. (1988). Sexual homicide. Lexington, Mass.:
Lexington Books.
Kocsis, R. and Cooksey, R. (2002). Criminal Psychological Profiling of Serial Arson
Crimes.International Journal of Offender Therapy and Comparative Criminology, 46(6),
pp.631-656.