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Qualitative Crime Pattern Identification

Monday, October 30, 2023

MO Variable "Contact" Helps in Analysis

I wrote this post in 2021 in another blog, and all these variables appear in the book Elements of Crime Patterns, along with others, in a different format. 

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In an ideal world, it would be easy for officers to collect as much data as was relevant to link serial crimes. But officers are human - they are rushed, are not trained to see the point of all this extra work, and possibly are forced by their data entry fields to leave out important information.

Some information is later collected by detectives who also are rushed, do not see the point of sharing with analysts, or don't ask enough good questions.

Nevertheless, here is a short example list of how a suspect and victim make contact when there are crimes against persons. Analyzing the modus operandi for commonalities when looking for serial crimes should include this variable: CONTACT.

Suspect/Victim Contact Facilitated by One of More of These Variables:

Though an Advertisement 
Ambushed Victim 
Lured Victim
Both In an Entertainment Place 
Forced Entry in Dwelling/Building/Vehicle
Hitchhiked with Victim 
Home/Residence Invitation 
Known to Victim 
Through Mail 
Through Email
In Cyberspace
Rang/Knocked for Entry
Suspect a Pedestrian 
Suspect a Relative 
Suspect an Employee 
Suspect a Former Employee 
Victim Entered Suspect's Business 
Victim a Hitchhiker 
Victim a Pedestrian 
Victim Drugged by Suspect
Suspect Entered Victim's Business 

What other means of contact would you put on this list?

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