Crime Night Two: Understanding Offending

What drives someone to commit a crime? And can their actions during an offence reveal who they are? From infamous cases like Jack the Ripper to modern criminal investigations, psychology has long tried to decode the minds of offenders. In this talk, we’ll explore how a person’s beliefs about the world can shape their criminal behaviour - and what this means for understanding different types of crime. Join us for a deep dive into the psychology of offending, from motive to method.

What if we looked at crime through the lens of trauma? A Trauma-Informed Approach (TIA) shifts the focus from simply punishing offenders to understanding the experiences that led them there. By integrating compassion, trauma recovery, and rehabilitation, TIA seeks to break the cycle of offending and support lasting change. In this talk, we’ll walk through a hypothetical case study to explore how trauma shapes behaviour - and how acknowledging it can lead to more effective support and a safer society.