Editing Geographic profiling (section)

==Considerations==
In developing a geographic profile, there are important factors to consider:<ref>Wortley and Mazerolle 2008, p. 143.</ref>
*Crime locations
A crime will contain evidence. The evidence found at the location provides information leading to the offender and victim's prior location, clues as to where they may have gone, as well as information depicting what happened. Collecting and comparing clues from numerous crime locations influences the development of the offender's patterns.
*Offender type
According to Dr. Kim Rossmo there are four different types of offenders with regard to geographic profiling.  
Hunter: the hunter singles out a specific victim without leaving his home territory. He will commit crimes where he lives.  
Poacher: a poacher will travel out of his home territory to do his hunting. 
Troller: A troller will realize an opportunistic encounter while occupied in other activities and then strike. 
Trapper: a trapper will draw the victim into him using different seemingly harmless situations. 
*Hunting Methods
Hunting process can be broken down into two parts. (1) The search for a suitable victim, and (2) the method of attack. 
*Target backcloth (the spatial opportunity structure of crime sites)
“Target or victim backcloth is important for an understanding of the geometric arrangement of crime sites; it is the equivalent of the spatial opportunity structure  (Brantingham & Brantingham, 1993b). It is configured by both geographic and temporal distribution of “suitable” (as seen from the offenders perspective) crime targets or victims across the physical landscape. The availability of particular targets may vary significantly according to neighborhood, area, or even city, and is influenced by time, day of week, and season; hence, the term structural backcloth is also used.”<ref>pg. 127. Geographic Profiling by Dr. Kim Rossmo</ref>
*Arterial roads and highways 
Large roads and highways play a huge part in crime strictly because it how both criminals and victims are forced to travel. Crimes will often cluster around freeway exits and entrances.
*Bus stops and train stations
These are two forms of rapid transportation that may also be used by offenders and victims and can be hot spots in certain areas. 
*Physical and psychological boundaries
Offender and victim alike are both restrained by physical boundaries such as rivers, lakes, oceans or highways. Psychological boundaries may also affect movement, for example a black offender may not travel into a white neighborhood for fear or being identified. 
*[[Land use]]
*Neighbourhood demographics
Certain offenders prefer a certain ethnicity of victim, if so then he may hunt in different neighborhoods affecting spatial crime patterns. 
*Routine activities of victims
Understanding the routine of a victim may provide insight into how the offender searches for his victims. 
*[[Singularity theory|Singularities]]
*[[Forced migration|Displacement]]

Incorporating these factors in a profile can lead to a geographic pattern where it sheds light on an offender's mobility, method of transportation, ability to navigate boundaries and most importantly, the possible residential location. It is important to recognize such spatial intentionality, to determine the offender's comfort zone and their desire to commit crimes in locations where they feel a sense of familiarity. However, the reality may be more complex since an offender may have multiple spatial anchor points, such as home, workplace or the residence of their significant other.<ref>Lersch 2007, p. 250.</ref>