Abstract
Behavioural crime linkage (BCL) analyses offender crime scene behaviour with the aim of identifying groups of crimes that share similar (and distinctive) behaviours. This allows police to infer that the same person/s were responsible for crimes, allowing them to be “linked” as a crime series. Successful BCL can increase the quantity and quality of evidence available to the police, which increase the likelihood of apprehending and successfully prosecuting the offender. This chapter will review the theoretical framework underpinning BCL (behavioural consistency and behavioural distinctiveness) and summarise key literature on rape and sexual assault - including the latest, cutting-edge, collaborative work jointly-led by academics and law enforcement practitioners. The chapter will also outline (using real life case studies) how BCL can be used to support the investigation of sexual offences, and will critically discuss future research directions and how this work might enhance the detection, prosecution, and prevention of serial sexual offending.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Title of host publication | Preventing Sexual Violence |
| Subtitle of host publication | Problems and Possibilities |
| Editors | Stephanie Kewley, Charlotte Barlow |
| Publisher | Policy Press |
| Chapter | 7 |
| Pages | 111-130 |
| ISBN (Print) | 978-1529203769 |
| Publication status | Published - Jul 2020 |
