Modus operandi

Modus operandi (often used in the abbreviated form MO) is a Latin phrase, approximately translated as "mode of operation." The plural is modi operandi. It is used in police work to describe a criminal's characteristic patterns and style of work.

Related Topics:
Latin - Mode - Police - Criminal

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The term is also commonly used in English in a non-criminal sense to describe someone's habits.

Related Topics:
English - Habit

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A modus operandi can be used to narrow down an investigation amongst a group of criminals. For example, a burglar may typically use a back window, broken with a rock. If one of a group of known criminals is suspected to have committed a burglary, then their characteristic MOs can be compared to help identify the burglar.

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A criminal's MO can also be used in profiling, where it can be used to find clues to the perpetrator's psychology.

Related Topics:
Profiling - Psychology

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The method of operation or MO is sometimes confused with a criminal's "signature". While a criminal's MO may change over time, his or her signature will usually stay the same.

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