Modus Operandi

Modus Operandi

Modus Operandi (MO) is derived from a Latin word which means the operating method. It’s defined as the strategies, techniques and tools that the criminal uses while they are committing a crime. Modus Operandi of a criminal often changes and is modified based off their experiences. It is described as patterns of repetitive activities which are devised through a thought process and behaviors that proceed after and during the criminal activity. A criminal’s signature, in contrast to MO, isn’t referred to as the pattern or completion of a criminal activity but refers to a specific personal touch that the criminal uses every time he commits a crime.

     Forensic Psychology can be defined as applying psychology to field of criminal investigation and law. Forensic Psychologists often study the behavior of individuals helping to identify suspects for law enforcement. There are two basic aspects of measurable and identifiable criminal behavior that are studied in the field of forensic psychology which are modus operandi (MO) and the offender’s signature. Many people believe these two terms are very similar when in fact they are very different.

Modus Operandi

     Modus Operandi (MO) is generally defined “in criminology, distinct pattern or manner of working that comes to be associated with a particular criminal” (Britannica, 2015).  All criminals have an MO. They consist of certain techniques, habits and peculiarities in behavior with three basic objectives. These objectives are to complete the crime, affect escape and avoid being captured. Many serial offenders perfect their MO as they become more skilled and matured. A criminals MO can remain the same but can often change over time once the criminal becomes more skillful at committing a specific crime. Criminals establish their MO generally early in their career but can become better and better over time. There are many different MO’S that criminals use but a few examples are the type of restraints used on a victim, wound patterns, type of weapon used, tape found of victim, or even tools used to gain entry into a victim’s home (Douglas, 2011).  A criminal may use rags to gag his victims to help keep them quiet so he won’t get caught. Over time he goes from using rags to masking tape, his continuous use of them defines his MO.

Offenders Signature

       “An offender's criminal signature is his "calling card," going further than simply the actions needed to carry out a crime. It is the personal and unique expression or ritual of a crime scene -- what the offender does to satisfy his emotional and psychological needs” (Freeman, 2014).  An offender’s signature is a distinct behavior that never changes. An offender’s signature is often personal and unique. A few examples of a criminal’s signature are the level of injury to victim, specific location, ejaculation, urination or defecation at crime scene, personal items taken from crime scene or anything specifically left at the crime scene by the offender. You may hear that a serial killer takes the women’s wedding rings of the victims he kills, this would be defined as his signature. The Zodiac Killer of the 1960’s and 70’s had a very distinct signature. He left a Zodiac at all the crime scenes. He killed a total of 37 people but only 5 can be officially confirmed because this killer was never caught (Bio, 2015).

Background Information

     Modus Operandi is an ancent concept that dates back to 19th century. A police constable in England Major L.W. Atcherley, developed a 10 point system to identify a criminal’s MO. The factors included place of crime, point of entry and method of entry to name a few. All of the factors addressed the offenders method of doing things. “The driving force of a signature is the reason for its stability” (Castillo, 2007). The signature is derived from the offenders fantasies. These fantasies are developed at a young age and are refined into an obsession as time progresses. The signature is only used to fulfill the offender’s personal fantasy. The offenders fantasy never changes this is why his signature always stay the same.

       
Differences

        It is very important to know the differences between an offenders MO and signature. The easiest way to remember the difference is a criminals MO is the way the crime was committed whereas the signature is what is beyond what it takes to commit the crime. An MO is a procedure and a signature feeds on emotional needs. Modus Operandi is a criminals deliberate actions while committing a crime, victimology, is developed over time to suit needs of particular crime and mainly only required actions needs to successfully commit the crime. Signature is a unique and integral behavior part of the offender’s behavior and goes beyond the actions needed to commit a crime. It is a personal expression or ritual that is based on fantasies of the offender. The signature aspects remain constant and enduring part of each offender and never changes. The only thing the two have in common is they both include actions of the criminal during the crime and both significant in linking crimes.