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Criminal Profiling

By Leila Oakley and Lauren Wright

+Definition

Criminal profiling is a method of identifying the perpetrator of a crime

based on an analysis of the nature of the offense and the manner in which it was committed

Various aspects of the criminal's personality makeup are determined from his or her choices before, during, and after the crime

This information is combined with other relevant details and physical evidence, and then compared with the characteristics of known personality types and mental abnormalities to develop a practical working description of the offender. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Offender_profiling

 

+Definition

profiling is used mostly by behavioral scientists and the police to narrow down an investigation to those suspects who possess certain behavioral and personality features that are revealed by the way a crime was committed

The primary goal is to aid local police in limiting and refining their suspect list so they can direct their resources where they might do the most good.

Profilers sketch a general biographical description of the most likely type of unknown suspect. Another key use of a profile is, when necessary, to go proactive, which means letting the public become a partner in crime solving. http://www.criminalprofiling.ch/introduction.html

+Strategies

Case assessment is all about developing strategy; a game plan

Equivocal forensic analysis: a review of the entire body of physical evidence in a given case. Questioning all related assumptions and conclusions

Steps a profiler takes to prepare for a criminal investigation:

Purge oneself of ones own tastes, desires, fantasies, needs and sense of morality when considering the actions of another.

Accept that any behavior or feelings can be enjoyed and/ or eroticized

+Profiling strategies

1. Profiling inputs

The first stage involves collecting all information available about the crime. including physical evidence photographs of the crime scene autopsy reports and pictures witness testimony extensive background information on the victim police reports.

 

+Profiling Strategies

2. Decision process model 

In this stage, the profiler organizes the input into meaningful questions and patterns along several dimensions of criminal activity. What type of homicide has been committed (classifications, in short:

mass murderers, spree killers and serial murderers) What is the primary motive for the crime: sexual, financial, personal

or emotional disturbance? What level of risk did the victim experience, and what level of risk did

the murderer take in killing the victim? What was the sequence of acts before and after the killing, and how

long did these acts take to commit? \Where was the crime committed?

Was the body moved, or was it found where the murder had taken place?

+Profiling Strategies

Crime assessment

Based on the findings during the previous stages, the profiler now attempts to reconstruct the behavior of the offender and his victim Was the murder organized (suggesting a killer who carefully selects

victims against whom he usually acts out a given fantasy) or disorganized (indicating an impulsive, possible psychotic killer)?

Was the crime staged to mislead the police? What motivations were revealed by such details as cause of death,

location of wounds, and position of the body? For example, as general profiling rules: (1) brutal facial injuries point

to killers who know their victims, (2) murders committed with whatever weapon happens to be available reflect greater impulsivity than murders committed with a gun and may reveal a killer who lives fairly near the victim and (3) murders committed early in the morning seldom involve alcohol or drugs.

+Profiling Strategies

4. Criminal profile 

Here, profilers formulate an initial description of the most likely suspects

The typical profile includes the perpetrator's race Sex age marital status living arrangements employment history psychological characteristics beliefs and values probable reactions to the police and past criminal record including the possibility of similar offenses in the past This stage also contains a feedback loop whereby profilers check their

predictions against stage two-information to make sure that the profile fits the original data.

+Profiling Strategies

5. Investigation 

A written report is given to the investigators, who concentrate on suspects matching the profile - often, the police have already talked to a likely suspect but did not have reason enough to seriously doubt the suspect's testimony. If new evidence is discovered at this stage, a second feedback process is initiated and the profile will be revised.

+Profiling Strategies

6. Apprehension

 The arrest of the right suspect is the intended result of the above procedures. The key element then is interview technique - ideally, the subject confesses or at least is willing to talk about his crimes to some extent. A thorough interview of the suspect could furthermore help to assess the influences of background and psychological variables.

http://www.criminalprofiling.ch/introduction.html

+Degree needed

One of the largest organizations of criminal profilers is the FBI FBI: National Center for the Analysis of Violent Crime (NCAVC), which is one of the major components of the Critical Incident Response Group (CIRG), it consists of agents and professionals with training in behavioral or forensic science as well as consultants from the mental-health professions. http://www.criminalprofiling.ch/introduction.html 

+Degree needed

NCAVC agent: three years service as a FBI special agent. 10 years of service behind them along with experience

investigating violent and sexual crimes and abductions. In terms of educational requirements an advanced degree

in a Behavioral or Forensic Science is often listed as preferred qualification.

+Case study

George Metesky; known as “The Mad Bomber”

Background: Placed more than thirty bombs in NYC between years of

1940 and 1956 Only took a pause from leaving bombs during the war,

because he felt it was unpatriotic Left bombs in many public places, including libraries and

movie theaters

+Case study

However, the main point of his attack was the utility/electricity company Consolidated Edison. He left several pipe bombs around their buildings and left notes claiming that he would “bring them to justice” and “make them pay for their dastardly deeds”

Metesky used to work for Consolidated Edison. There was an accident and later, as a result, he got tuberculosis, but lost the compensation case and had to pay all his medical bills himself. As an act of revenge, he started leaving bombs around Consolidated Edison buildings and later in random places around NYC when a lot of his earlier bombs left at Con Edison locations didn’t get publicity

Not all of the bombs exploded

Nobody died, but fifteen people were injured

+Case study

 Metesky wrote a letter to a newspaper in which he gave details of his accident at Con Edison

Dr. James Brussel, a criminal psychiatrist, was asked to help make a profile of the bomber

The police used this letter and Brussel’s analysis of the bomber to find Metesky in Consolidated Edison’s list of former employees

+What Brussel predicted:

Male, 40-50 years old, paranoid

Unmarried, living with female relative

Well-educated

Foreigner

Worked or had worked for Consolidated Edison

Would wear a buttoned, double-breasted suit

+What Metesky actually was:

Male, 53 years old at the time he was arrested, diagnosed later as acutely paranoid

Unmarried, living with two sisters

Foreigner (from Poland)

Former employee of Consolidated Edison

When the police came to his apartment to arrest him and gave him the chance to dress before they left, he put on a double-breasted suit, buttoned up

+ Interview

Brent Turvey

When and how did you first get interested in criminal profiling?

Response: That's a long story. Something very bad happened to someoneI cared about a very long time ago. And everyone failed her in everypossible way, from parent to teachers to law enforcement. And shesuffered multiple offenses. I wanted to understand how one personcould attract so must destruction.

+Interview

What is your educational background? Response: I hold a BS in History, a BS in Psychology, and an MS in

Forensic Science. What type of degree, if there is one, is necessary for going into

criminal profiling Response: Since profiling involves behavioral science and

behavioral analysis, one should be skeptical of anyone without a degree in the behavioral sciences. However, this criteria would exclude almost ever FBI trained profiler that has been trained by or worked within their behavioral analysis unit - they are largely ex-police or ex-attorneys. One had his degree in music. Another in biology. Many received graduate education degrees or business degrees.

Many profilers have no formal education at all, or unrelated education, which is incredibly problematic for the profession.

+Interview

What is a typical day for you? Response: No typical days. Some days I am teaching. Some

days I am writing. Some days I am examining evidence or visiting crime scenes. Some days I am sitting in court testifying or waiting to testify. Some days I am examining case material. Some days I am reading or researching. I spend a lot of time on the phone consulting students and clients. Every day is different.

+Interview

Is criminal profiling your main occupation or do you have a day job?

Response: I wear multiple hats. Profiling is a tool I use as a forensic scientist or as an investigator. It is not precisely what I am but it is something that I can do if needed. If all I could do was profile, I wouldn't be any good at it. You need a professional foundation in investigations, behavioral science, or forensic science to do it well.

+Case study sources

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Criminal_profiling#James_A._Brussel

http://www.hbo.com/autopsy/forensic/the_mad_bomber.html

http://www.essortment.com/all/madbomber_rwid.htm

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_Metesky