Going Beyond The Mo: Criminal Profiling, Jack The Ripper And Signature Behavior

<p>I’m sure you’ve all watched a film or TV series where a detective at a crime scene asks ‘what’s the MO?’. MO stands for Modus Operandi and it literally means way of working, and it’s what an offender does in order to carry out a crime. For example, a burglar who always uses a glass cutter to gain access to a house is demonstrating an aspect of his or her MO or way of working. From an investigative point of view analysis of the offenders MO can be used to link cases at crime scenes, however, a major stumbling block is that an offenders MO (way of working) can change. <p> Consequently, according to criminal profilers you have to analyse behavior that transcends the MO. Innate behavior that is static and rigid; behavior that remains the same over time. This behavior relates to the things offenders are psychologically compelled to do over and above what it takes to commit the crime, and in the world of criminal profiling, this type of behaviour is known as signature behavior. <p> A very useful two part definition of offender signature is provided by Brent Turvey. <p> 1. Signature behaviors: Those acts committed by an offender that are not necessary to complete the offense. Their convergence can be used to suggest an offender’s psychological or emotional needs (signature aspect). They are best understood as a reflection of the underlying personality, lifestyle, and developmental experiences of an offender <p> 2. Signature Aspects: The emotional or psychological themes or needs that an offender satisfies when they commit offense behaviors. <p> Robert Keppel has written widely on criminal profiling and signature behavior and analysis. In 2002 I was fortunate enough to hear him speak at a forensic science conference in Atlanta. Entitled ‘A signature analysis of the eight Whitechapel murders attributed to Jack the Ripper in 1888’ Robert Keppel's presentation sought to explain the processes involved in linking murder cases through Modus Operandi and signature. <p> The reason I want to include it here is that I remember thinking at the time, and still do, that it provides an excellent way of showing how the MO and signature differ in terms of what they tell you about a particular crime. The following information is taken from Keppel’s abstract in the conference proceedings. <p> Jack the Ripper’s Modus Operandi: <p> He attacked white female prostitutes in their 40’s in a cluster of victims within a short distance of each other. The first four victims Mary Nichols, Annie Chapman, Elizabeth Stride and Catherine Eddowes were killed and found outdoors in the Whitechapel area; then he changed his MO by killing and leaving the fifth victim Mary Kelly, indoors. By choosing to murder Kelly indoors, the killer demonstrated that he was an experienced night time cat burglar and stalker, as he attacked all his victims in the early morning hours when dawn was approaching <p> Jack the Ripper’s signature: <p> (Remember this relates to what he did over and above what was necessary to commit the crime, it transcends the MO) <p> Each victim was posed in a sexually degrading position, intentionally left that way so the discovery of the bodies would startle the people who found them. They were not concealed or hidden away, but placed in locations where they would be easily discovered. The placing of the victims on their back, grotesquely laid out with their throats cut and viscera exposed or missing, reflect the cruel reality of the killer, his total mastery over their bodies. The pleasure for the killer was demonstrating each victims vulnerability. <p> Incidentally Keppel does not believe that all the murders attributed to Jack the ripper where in fact carried out by him. He claims that in the case of three of his alleged victims there were fundamental differences in the signature of the crimes. <p> However, there is no doubt that like his fellow writers on the topic Keppel firmly believes that signature behaviour represents a real and intrinsic part of the offender’s personality. <p> "Hidden among the evidence, often gleaned from the marks and wounds on the victim’s body…these signatures are the only ways the killer truly expresses himself." (Keppel & Burns). <p> For a more detailed account of this and other fascinating topics area visit <a href="http://www.all-about-forensic-psychology.com">www.all-about-forensic-psychology.com</a> <p> <p> <p></p>

Professional Matchmaking Can Help You Get Over Your Destructive Relationship Past

Are you walking around during your dating seeking journey with a destructive relationship magnet in your pocket or around your neck? Are you always falling into destructive relationships that never end well with the happily ever after that you so desperately want? Right there is one cause that your matchmaking efforts have been destructive and are not working correctly. First of all, you most likely are desperate for a relationship and do not want to be alone or cannot handle being alone, even for a short time period. Maybe you're the type of person that is a relationship jumper and once you get out of a relationship, regardless of how it ended, you feel compelled to jump right into another destructive one. You need to learn some matchmaking techniques and figure out why you are compelled to continue with this type of behavior so that you can turn over a new leaf and start getting involved in healthy and mature dating relationships.
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<br>So what constitutes a destructive relationship? A destructive relationship, for starters, is any relationship that is not emotionally healthy and good for your own well being. Your matchmaking efforts have failed you if you continually end up in such dire straits in your love life because destructive relationships cannot and will not end in the happily ever after that you are seeking. It's just not possible. That's the nature of destructive relationships. Destructive relationships blind us to the very unhealthy situation that they make us slaves to and we really need to do our best to get out of that life pattern and step into a new way of thinking.
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<br>One major matchmaking step, which will take you down an opposite pathway from destructive relationships, is to recognize that your behavior is unhealthy for you. Once you see that you are not exhibiting good matchmaking skills and that you are so desperate to be in a relationship, even if it is a destructive one, you will be on the road to a new beginning. Being single is not a bad thing, but only you can really make yourself belief that. The emotional trauma that you are putting yourself in by constantly being involved in destructive relationships is not worth it. When you are desperate to be in a relationship, no matter what, you will be drawn to the destructive types and the destructive types will be drawn to you. Destructive types of people prey on emotionally unstable and desperate people. You owe it to yourself to stand up and chose a good life rather than misguided matchmaking, which is leading you down pathway towards destruction.
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<br>Once you have recognized the error of your ways, you need to surround yourself with supportive people who will aid you in your matchmaking efforts to find a constructive romantic relationship. Before I was married, I was involved in a destructive dating relationship and I still remember that when I finally tore myself away from this person, even though I was one of the "desperate ones", I felt a sense of confidence and strength. However, in my renewed matchmaking attempts for a new life, I needed to surround myself with good friends, whom I called constantly during that initial break up period to help me have the strength not to go back to my misguided matchmaking skills and call my ex-partner again. There is always hope, but you need to take one step at a time and learn to change your destructive behaviors into constructive behaviors.
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<br>About the Author: John Smithe is an experienced writer on the professional singles market and dating industry. He has been writing for quite a while and has had countless articles published. Some of John's most favorite topics to write on include single professionals over 30.<a href="http://members.romancepros.com" rel="nofollow">Romance Pros</a>
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