In an attempt to find more information on the developing of an offender profile through docket analysis, the researcher utilised sources available in the Greater George area, as well as national and international material. The initial idea was to test the general knowledge of the concept “offender” profiling locally, in order to research and later suggest how such a profile of a rape offender could be developed through docket analysis. To establish this, it was important to indicate how offender profiling forms part of the objectives of investigation of crime. The objective – the individualisation of crime – was directly linked to profiling, as it suggests that the crime is an act of a particular person or persons. At the heart of the concept “profiling”, it is suggested that the trademarks of the offender can be deduced by carefully and painstakingly examining the characteristics of the offence. This information can, at a later stage, predict the most likely offender who could have committed the offence. When the odds are against one in the investigation of crime – more specifically, a rape case – the concept and goals of offender profiling should most definitely be considered as a key aid. / Police practice / M. Tech. (Forensic Investigation)

In an attempt to find more information on the developing of an offender profile through docket analysis, the researcher utilised sources available in the Greater George area, as well as national and international material. The initial idea was to test the general knowledge of the concept “offender” profiling locally, in order to research and later suggest how such a profile of a rape offender could be developed through docket analysis. To establish this, it was important to indicate how offender profiling forms part of the objectives of investigation of crime. The objective – the individualisation of crime – was directly linked to profiling, as it suggests that the crime is an act of a particular person or persons. At the heart of the concept “profiling”, it is suggested that the trademarks of the offender can be deduced by carefully and painstakingly examining the characteristics of the offence. This information can, at a later stage, predict the most likely offender who could have committed the offence. When the odds are against one in the investigation of crime – more specifically, a rape case – the concept and goals of offender profiling should most definitely be considered as a key aid. / Police practice / M. Tech. (Forensic Investigation)

The main purpose of this research is to assess the utilisation of the Local Criminal Record Centre (LCRC) in rape crime scenes. First responders need to attend to the crime scene and secure it as soon as possible. Other role-players such as the Family Violence, Child Protection and Sexual Offences (FCS) investigator and LCRC fieldworkers should be activated by the first responder to the rape crime scene. Ideally, role-players should be activated as soon as the case is reported to the first responder. Members of the LCRC are responsible for recording the crime scene by taking photographs, making video recordings and drawing sketch plans of the scene. The LCRC is also responsible for processing the rape scene for physical evidence such as fingerprints, blood, hair, semen and saliva. The crime scene is a major source of information as far as physical evidence is concerned. The body of the victim is also a major source of physical evidence. It is therefore essential to have the rape victim examined by a medical examiner and the crime scene to be processed by the LCRC fieldworker timeously, in order to secure physical evidence that could be used to individualise a suspect. The discovery of physical evidence could place the suspect on the scene of crime and link such suspect to the crime committed. The physical evidence could also assist in corroborating the version of events from the victim. The physical evidence could also be used to exclude suspects as well. This dissertation seeks to highlight the importance of having the LCRC processing rape crime scenes for physical evidence and to emphasise the responsibility of the first responders to activate LCRC fieldworkers to process the scene of incident timeously, in order to maximise physical evidence recovery. / Criminology and Security Science / M. Tech. (Forensic Investigation)