Case profiling is a social history investigation that focuses on the psychological and physical characteristics of an offender by gathering crucial information about that offender's character from various crime scenes in order to establish beyond a reasonable doubt whether the offense was committed or not (Turvey, 2011). As a result, conclusions are reached about the significance of motivation based on the available data. For instance, tying a victim indicates that the offender needs to control the situation. Character similarities across different victims and proximity to the victims' places may also provide additional information about the criminal's intended course of action and location. Hence, case profiling is a better method of narrowing down on evidence to prove beyond reasonable doubt that an offender indeed committed a crime (Turvey, 2011).
Bases, on the brief elaboration of case profiling, presented, the paper analyses Ivan Hill's criminal case based on criminology theories and the implication on the case as well as an assessment of the social history investigation regarding the case.
Analysis of the Case based on criminology theories
Ivan Hill; a 45-year-old “60 Freeway Slayer” was charged in the year 2003 based on both telephone calls and DNA evidence linking him to six counts of first-degree murder he committed within a duration of three months between 1993 and 1994 (Rod, 2006).
A brief elaboration on Hill’s life as mentioned by Friedman indicates that Hill’s life was full of misery from child abuse to being a cocaine addict at the adult stage. Furthermore, the offender lost his girlfriend in September 1993 and isolated himself from the family as well as losing his job when tested positive for cocaine. Furthermore, the offender watched his mother being shot by the father on Christmas Day in 1968 when at child age hence the crimes committed were neither deliberate nor planned. However, the statements were rejected by the judge since the results of the actions were worse than the actual acts hence Hill faced a death penalty (Rod, 2006).
Hill’s behavior of serial killing is based on the rational choice theory due to the reasons for motivation to commit such offense. For instance, the offender derives pleasure from committing the crimes due to the past memories. From the case, it is indicated that the killing series happened within a three month period of which the offender was under the influence of cocaine. Therefore, he is only able to think of killing as a source of his motivation. Furthermore, the offered watched when his father shot his mother at his childhood age hence he thinks women are a disgrace, and stubborn thus they deserve to die. In support of the argument, the women that Ivan Hill killed were of the age group of his mother who was 35 years of age. Therefore, Hill’s actions might have been derived from the memories of his mother’s death incident. Based on an elaboration by Cornish and Clark (1985) on rational choice, Ivan Hill made the choice to kill the six victims and planned well on how he would commit the same offense to the following victim (Tania, 2014). This is evident by the sophistication of the killing methodology. The first two victims were strangled without tying their hands and covering their mouth while the others were tied and mouths covered in order for him to gain control of the situation. Secondly, the crimes were done with specific focus. For instance, the victims were women; the mechanism of the deaths was strangling and the location of the crimes was within different areas in the same locality on Pomona freeway route. Lastly, the offender weighed pleasure was much more advantageous than the repercussions (Elizabeth, 2012).
Elsewhere, Ivan Hill’s criminal case is based on Social Process Theory (nurture theory) which elaborates on the family relationship as a factor that decides criminality (Elizabeth, 2011). For instance, if the relationship within a given family setup is positive then people are able to behave as the societal norms require. However, when such relationships are negative criminal, incidences are therefore committed by the siblings or the parents. Ivan Hill’s childhood life as mentioned by the defender is full of misery whereby he was usually abused (Elizabeth, 2011). Furthermore, the offender watched his mother being shot by the father hence he could not expect to succeed in life as the society expects thus he was bound to commit murder at an adult stage. Ivan, therefore, learnt the criminal behavior of killing his father. Lastly, Hill actions are based on Behavior Theory. As indicated in the case, Hill had antisocial behaviors such as being on hard drugs such as cocaine and isolating himself from the family hence he was able to learn how to commit a crime (Elizabeth, 2011).
References
Elizabeth, H. (2011). Social construction: A Study of Theory in Relation to Serial Murder. Criminology & Justice. Accessed on 13th February 2017 from http://criminologyjust.blogspot.co.ke/2011/05/social-construction-study-of-theory-in.html#.WKC_E32BFdg
Elizabeth, H. (2012). Criminological Theory and Implication on Public Policy. Criminology & Justice. Accessed on 13th February 2017 from http://criminologyjust.blogspot.co.ke/2012/10/criminological-theory-and-implications.html#.WKC2u32BFdg
Rod, L. (2006 October 23rd). Gruesome photos set the tone for `60 Slayer' trial. San Gabriel Valley Tribune. Accessed on 13th February 2017 from http://www.sgvtribune.com/general-news/20061023/gruesome-photos-set-tone-for-60-slayer-trial
Tania (2014).Criminology Theories: The Varied Reasons Why People Commit Crimes. Udemy blog. Accessed on 13th February 2017 from https://blog.udemy.com/criminology-theories/
Turvey, B. E. (2011). Criminal profiling: An introduction to behavioral evidence analysis. Academic press.
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