Criminology

Because geographic profiling operates in the assumption that crimes are committed within the vicinity of their residence, it is apparent that there are particular circumstances that limit its effectiveness as an investigative technique.  The limitations of the model clarify the issue that it only assumes the offenders anchor point only within the hunting area, which evidently suggests that it cannot determine the residences of those who commute.  Despite that, however, a secondary anchor point may draw the poacher into the crime area (e.g., workplace, former residence, etc.). 

Still, there are circumstances that limit its effectiveness, especially in terms of leading police investigators to the exact offenders door, especially in wider areas that have bigger search area size as well as larger population. 

Geographic profiling provides an optimal search strategy that can be utilized in complex overall investigation.  This leads to the point that geographic profiling can still be useful in detecting and apprehending commuters.  This is true, especially in occasions wherein the offender resides in a secondary anchor point that would lead the investigators to the exact offenders door.  However, during investigative search, whatever clues (e.g., crime site location, offenders location) that can be derived appear to be very significant in investigations.  This is according to Canter (1994), who indicated that locating the offender is the cornerstone of any detective work the very foundation of geographic profiling (p.282).