Criminological Assessment Essay

1. Introduction
Assessment is a complex & comprehensive process during which certain behavioural aspects, individual needs, and risks of the offender are identified, examined, verified, classified, analysed & evaluated.
This assessment process is based on empirical literature, tested theories, relevant research findings & both personal judgment & experience related to the behaviour in question (Joubert, Hesselink & Marais 2003)
Assessment cannot only be implemented for the planning of prevention & the intervention of treatment activities, but also for effective profiling as well as the prediction of criminal behaviour.

2. Definition of Key Concepts
2.1 Criminal Profiling ( Hard evidence profiling)
According to Turvey 1999, the process of inferring distinctive personality characteristics of individuals responsible for committing criminal acts has been commonly referred to as ‘criminal profiling.’ These include biographic details of the perpetrator, crime-scene analysis, and so on.

2.2 Criminological Profiling (Soft evidence profiling)
According to Joubert, Hesselink & Marais 2003, criminological profiling is the assessment of criminal behaviour which includes assessing the victims’ credibility, motives & causes of the crime, modi operandi, personal & family background, post offence behaviour & appearances.

    2.3 Risk Assessment
The assessment of risk involves predicting how likely it is that the individual will in the future commit crime, or reoffend.

3. Main Views
The main purpose of the profile is to investigate a crime in order to successfully apprehend the perpetrator, provide investigators with relevant leads & strategies & to help gain insight into the offenders state of mind before, during & after the commission of the crime, whereas the main objective of prediction is to identify the risk factors that are involved in reoffending & identifying the areas in which crime is most likely to occur.

4. Profiling as an outcome of Assessment...