MO

Modus Operandi

Modus Operandi and criminal signature even though they might seem similar, but they are different. Modus Operandi comes from Latin that means method of operation or when looking at from the law enforcement is shortened to M.O. When talking about M.O we’re talking about links in cases that the offenders use similar methods during the commission of the crime (M.O. Versus Signature Aspects of a Crime Scene, 2011). M.O. Factors can include time of day, location, type of victims ways the offender might gain entry and tools they might loose (M.O. Versus Signature Aspects of a Crime Scene, 2011).

You might see M.O in examples of serial rapist. The reason why they pick a certain M.O is because they work for them. Like a serial rapist might sit in a dark parking lot and escort an unsuspected victim to their car at gun point and then rape them (Mauro, 2014). The M.O may change over time because they found another method that might work better for them. Or they suffered set back and must find a new way that works for them (Mauro, 2014).

Signature

Signature is a different aspect. This is where the crime exhibits certain characteristic of a criminal. Signature is stable over time and witnessed at a crime scene throughout the series (M.O. Versus Signature Aspects of a Crime Scene, 2011). Signature aspect often fulfill a physiological need. And unlike an M.O does not change over time.

M.O. Versus Signature

Now that we have a better understanding between M.O and signature we can see the differences. With M.O we there is a method of operation. This is an operation that works for the offender and may change from time to time to equip them better to commit the crime they are set out to do.

Signature is different ...

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...ttle and Vale, n.d.).

Edward Gein’s was a man from the 1950’s. His mother was verbally abusive, very religious and strict. His father was an alcoholic. He was found to be mentally sane and have an average IQ. But it was not until his mother dying that he went nuts. He had an obsession with the women autonomy, Nazi experiments on people and a desire to change his sex. Gein’s started out robbing graves to support his desires. But later he started killing. He would kill and take a cooling off period. His signature was with every killing he would take a trophy from his victims along with mutilate their bodies and bury them on his farm (Rhodes, 2012).

Conclusion

Now that we have a better understanding of MO and signature. We can see there is a difference between them. And we have seen examples of killers that drive them to their particular MO or signature.