Process / pipelineForensic analysis and pattern matching
Crime Linkage Analysis
Crime linkage analysis is a forensic method that determines whether a series of crimes were committed by the same offender based on behavioral and modus operandi (MO) similarities. Developed systematically by Craig Bennell and colleagues in the early 2000s, crime linkage applies statistical and similarity-matching techniques to establish offender attribution. The method is essential in serial crime investigation, where establishing linkage enables consolidation of investigation resources, geographic profiling, and offender-focused surveillance.
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Sources
- Bennell, C., Canter, D. V., & Alison, L. J. (2002). Linking commercial burglaries by modus operandi: Tests using regression and ROC analysis. Science and Justice, 42(3), 153-164. DOI: 10.1016/S1355-0306(02)71816-3 ↗
- Brants, L., de Ridder, H., & de Ridder, A. (2009). Offender linking in serial homicide. Forensic Science International, 171(2-3), 97-103. DOI: 10.1016/j.forsciint.2006.09.009 ↗
- Tonkin, M., Santtila, P., Bull, R., & Bond, J. W. (2012). A systematic review of decision support tools for case linkage. Forensic Science International, 221(1-3), 1-13. DOI: 10.1016/j.forsciint.2012.02.008 ↗