What is the term for a criminal's characteristic method of operation?

• A. Modus operandi
• B. Motive
• C. Alibi
• D. Intent

Answer: (A)

The term describes the criminal’s characteristic method of operation: modus operandi. It refers to the habitual way a person commits crimes—the techniques, tools, sequence of steps, and timing used to carry out offenses. This pattern helps investigators recognize how a crime tends to be executed and can be used to connect multiple incidents that appear similar, suggesting the same offender or approach.

Think of it as the offender’s practical blueprint for committing crimes, not why they commit them or where they were at a given time. That’s why the other terms don’t fit: motive answers the reason for the crime, alibi concerns where the person was, and intent relates to the mental state or objective to commit the act. Modus operandi focuses on the action plan and method itself. For example, a burglar who consistently enters through back windows with a crowbar and targets electronics demonstrates a specific modus operandi that investigators can track across cases.