Humanities

What is modus operandi? »Its definition and meaning

Anonim

It is a Latin expression that can be translated as “mode of operation ”. This is widely and universally used; However, it is well known for being related to the field of criminology, where this is the name of the method used by a criminal when committing his misdeeds, especially when it comes to those that are recurrent, such as serial killers. The modus operandi fits into contexts such as organizational, scientific, logistical, and professional. Generally, when doing any task, there is a correct way to do it; This method is the one that should always be used, so it would become a modus operandi.

Within the field of criminology and criminology, so-called serial killers have been known. These are criminals who murder more than once, for pleasure and always following a similar pattern. Generally, it is possible to know the methods under which this is governed by observing the behavioral evidence of a crime scene. That is, the way in which the crime is carried out; This is taken into account from the way they entered the scene, to the way they tried to cover up the evidence. In this way, the psychological characteristics of a murderer can be known.

The modus operandi should only be analyzed by a group of forensic psychologists and psychiatrists, with the support of the police forces and forensic doctors, who were in charge of the post-mortem treatment of the body. Thus, a psychological profile is created and a victim prototype can be identified. With this information, the population can be alerted, so that they maintain caution and prudence.