Homicide Classification: The Expressive/Instrumental Classification and Hybrid Crime Scenes

• In Event: Profiling & Linking - At the Intersection of Theory and Practice

Abstract

Studies have shown that the nature of the relationship between individuals involved in homicide is reflected in offenders’ crime scene behaviors and can serve as a basis of categorization (Salfati, 2000). The expressive/instrumental classification of homicide proposed by Salfati (Salfati, 2000; Salfati and Canter, 1999) reflects these ideas. Previous research has established that the expressive/instrumental model can classify approximately 60% of homicide cases in datasets (e.g. Salfati, 2000; Salfati & Haratsis, 2001). However, this model cannot account for the remaining 40% of cases, which researchers refer to as hybrids. Hybrid cases limit the strength of empirical support for the expressive/instrumental classification and, at this point in time, researchers have yet to investigate these cases in depth. Understanding the behavioral make-up of these cases and how the interplay between persons and situations impact hybrid cases has important implications for homicide classification. The present study addressed these gaps in the literature.

Authors

• Dara C. Drawbridge, Northeastern University

• C. Gabrielle Salfati, John Jay College of Criminal Justice