Geographical Profiling And Criminal Justice System – Tracking The Spatial Patterns Of Serial Offenders
- IJLLR Journal
- Jun 15
- 2 min read
Dr. Tarakeshwari D. Bulusu, Visiting Faculty, Faculty of Law, The Maharaja Sayajirao University of Baroda
ABSTRACT
Some crimes occur on the spur of the moment, some randomly and some are pre-meditated. In crimes that are pre-meditated, the offender makes decisions pertaining to the choice of the victim, location of crime, the mode of transportation, etc. The offender makes these decisions based on risks; convenience and the benefits associated with the commission of crime. Pre- meditated crimes involve a pattern or modus operandi. These patterns become more evident in cases where series of crimes have been committed by the same offender(s). The choice of place or area identified for commission of crime plays an important role. Research has shown that offenders commit crimes in places with which they are familiar. Therefore, the place where the crime has been committed plays an important role in tracing the criminal’s likely place of residence or workplace and in apprehending him. Tracing the place of residence or workplace from the scene of crime is termed as Geographical Profiling (GP). GP helps in narrowing down the area of investigation, the pool of suspects and emerges as a very potent tool in criminal investigation. Various software like Rigel and Dragnet have been developed incorporating the principles of GP to trace the offenders. While GP is extensively used in the western countries, India is lagging behind in its application. GP is studied extensively by Criminologists in India, however, its research from the perspective of Law and Criminal Justice System is wanting. The writer of this paper analyzed the studies from various countries like U.K, U.S.A, Japan and Australia to assess the efficacy of GP and its tools like Rigel and Dragnet. The study only revealed the effectiveness of GP and its various tools, especially in crimes committed by serial offenders. Based on these findings, the writer makes a strong case for its integration into the criminal justice system of India.
Keywords: Geographical Profiling, Criminal Investigation, Criminal Justice System, Rigel, Dragnet.
