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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''''' ("modes of operation"). It is used in Police work to describe a Criminal 's characteristic patterns and style of work.

The term is also commonly used in English in a non-criminal sense to describe someone's Habit s or manner of working, the method of operating or functioning.

A criminal's MO may also be used in Offender Profiling , where it can be used to find clues to the perpetrator's Psychology .

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.