A series of convenience stores are robbed in a specific pattern involving a ski mask and a silver dollar. This is an example of?

The scenario describes a specific method or technique employed by an offender, particularly the use of a ski mask and a silver dollar during the robberies. This set of behaviors and tactics is known as a modus operandi (often abbreviated as MO). It refers not just to the act of committing a crime but to the distinctive practices and patterns that criminals develop and consistently use to achieve their goals.

Modus operandi is significant in criminal investigations because it can help law enforcement identify and link crimes committed by the same offender. For instance, if several convenience store robberies feature the same use of a ski mask and the inappropriate use of a silver dollar, investigators may conclude that these incidents are connected and that they share the same perpetrator.

In contrast, crime patterns refer to broader trends in criminal activity across various locations and times, while criminal profiling involves creating a psychological and behavioral profile of the offender based on the specifics of their crime. Robbery technique is a more general term that could describe any method used in a robbery, lacking the specificity of modus operandi. Thus, identifying this series of robberies as an example of modus operandi accurately captures the uniqueness and consistency of the perpetrator's actions.