ABSTRACT
This chapter identifies variations in robbery behaviour as a function of narrative role. We argue that this is related to the degree of impulsivity and planning as manifest in the crime scene behaviours. 144 British robberies were pooled from two pilot study data sets. Three dominant roles were identified. These reflect the qualities of planned/non impulsive professionalism, planned/impulsive terrorism and unplanned/impulsive aggression. The fourth possible category of unplanned/non impulsive did not exist illustrating that non-impulsive behaviour can only occur if the robbery is planned - i.e. planning is a necessary condition for reducing impulsivity. We then consider that planning and impulsivity are related to a labelling system adopted within a framework well known within criminal circles. We outline the behavioural structure of these roles and the importance of their symbolic meaning to the robbers themselves. We conclude that the narrative structure of these roles is directly reflected in the degree of planning and the ability to remain calm and rational during the offence.
