Chapter 15 Criminal Profiling © 2012 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved.

Chapter 15

Criminal Profiling

© 2012 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved

2 Forensic Science II: Criminal Profiling, Chapter 15


Introduction—Objectives

1. List key contributors to and their work in the field of criminal profiling.

2. Explain the stages of the criminal profiling process.3. Assess the importance of victimology in the criminal

profiling process.4. Differentiate between the roles of the investigator

and the profiler.5. Explain the value of developing a victim’s timeline.



Introduction—Vocabulary

o Criminal profiler—a person who infers the personality and characteristics of a suspect based on information gathered from a crime scene

o Modus operandi (MO)—also referred to as the method of operation, a recognized pattern of behavior in the commission of a crime



Introduction—Vocabulary

o Signature—something unusual or specific left at the crime scene by the perpetrator

o Victim—person who has experienced harm, injuries, loss, or death

o Victimology—the study of victims affected by crime, accidents, or natural disasters


© 2012 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved5

Profiling a Serial Killer

o Rochester, NY—1989, multiple murderso Police ask for FBI profiler, Gregg McCraryo McCrary studied the murder’s MO, ando Concluded that the murderer probably would

return to scene of the crimeo Police delayed collecting the next victimo Arthur Shawcross returned to the crime

scene and was arrested for the murder of 11 women



Introduction

o Criminal profilers study evidence collected and analyzed by crime-scene investigators to formulate a hypothesis about a perpetrator’s• Age• Personality• Lifestyle• Social environment



History (Obj 15.1, 15.2)

o Cesare Lobroso, The Criminal Man, 1876o Suggested that criminals shared certain

characteristicso Three general typeso Science has since

disproved that physical attributes can predictbehavior



History

o Hans Gross, Criminal Investigation: A Practical Textbook for Magistrates, Police Officers, and Lawyers, 1906—use science, be systematic

o Gerald Fosbroke, Character Reading Through Analysis of the Features, 1914 (later disproved)

o Erich Wulffen, Woman as A Sexual Criminal, 1935o John O’Connell and Harry Soderman, Modern

Criminal Investigation, 1930so Paul Kirk, Criminal Investigation, 1953



Modern Day Profiling

o Forensic psychiatrist• Interviews criminals and suspects• Evaluates personal history• Administers personality tests• Presents an opinion as testimony in court

o James Brussel, 1950s, viewed profiling as a diagnostic tool, bridging the gap between criminal investigators and forensic psychiatrists



Modern Day Profiling

o Howard Teten—created a criminal profiling division in 1970 for the FBI

o Jack Kirsh, an FBI agent, opened the FBI’s Behavioral Science Unit (BSU)

o BSU is now directed by the National Center for the Analysis of Violent Crime (NCAVC)



Stages of the Profiling Process

1. Input2. Decision process models3. Crime assessment4. Criminal profile5. Investigation6. Apprehension

The logic is that the way a person thinks guides his or her behavior.



1 – Input

o Collecting evidence (for example)• Placement of the victim and weapon(s)• Body position• Blood splatter• Condition of surroundings

o History of the victim • Employment and reputation• Social habits• Hobbies and interests

o Autopsy report



2 – Decision Process Models

o Classifying the crime

o Determining motiveso Risk level of the victim



3 – Crime Assessment

o Motivation behind the crime• Premeditated and planned?• Impulsive and no plan?

o Modus Operandi—the method of operation

o Signature—repeating a habit at each crime scene



4 – Criminal Profile

o A typical profile includes estimates of:• Race• Sex• Physical characteristics• Habits• Values and beliefs

o Compare the profile with the decision process models (stage 2) and reconstruction of the crime scene



5 – Investigation

o Begins after profiler submits written reporto Seek and evaluate suspects that match the

profile



6 – Apprehension

o Apprehendo Interviewo Interrogate o Arrest



Victimology (Obj 15.4, 15.5, 15.6)

o A victim is a person who has experienced harm, injuries, loss, or death.

o Victimology is the study victims who have been affected by crime, accidents, or natural disasters.



Victim Risk

o Assessment is very subjective



Victim Risk

o Aggressive natureo Impulsiveo Anxiouso Passiveo Thrives on attention

o Self-inflicted injurieso Poor self-imageo Negativeo Exhibits addictive

behaviors

All risks are considered from the perspective of the victim’s age, job, and criminal background.



Victimology Assessment

o At the crime scene• Did the victim know the perpetrator?• Does the victim suspect anyone in particular and

why?• Has the victim reported similar or other crimes in

which he or she was the victim?• Is the victim carrying a weapon? Does the victim

own a weapon?• Has the victim been in any other police reports in

the past?




o Forensics and profiling working together:• What are some of the victim’s general physical

characteristics, including eye color, hair color, weight, and ethnicity?

• Where does the victim work and what is his or her work schedule?

• Does the victim have a criminal history? If so, investigators will ask the victim to explain.

• What is the victim’s daily routine?




o Working together (cont’d):• What is the contact information of the victim’s

family members, friends, and coworkers?• What is the victim’s medical history, including

mental health records?• What medications is the victim taking?• What is the victim’s education level?• Where does the victim live and with whom?

o Create a timeline of events



Chapter Summary

o Criminal profilers estimate the characteristics and traits of a perpetrator to narrow the field of suspects.

o Criminal profiling dates back to the 1800s when Cesare Lombroso concluded that there were three types of criminals.

o In 1972, Jack Kirsh opened the FBI’s Behavioral Science Unit and helped law enforcement solve cases by developing criminal profiles of unknown suspects.



Chapter Summary

o The criminal profiling process has 6 stages: • input, • decision process models, • crime assessment, • criminal profile, • investigation, and • apprehension



Chapter Summary

o A victim is a person who has experienced harm, injuries, loss, or death.

o Victimology is the study victims who have been affected by crime, accidents, or natural disasters.

o By assessing a victim’s lifestyle, preferences, family, relationships, and routines, investigators may gather clues about potential suspects who had access to the victim.



Chapter Summary

o The investigator collects and analyzes physical evidence, and

o The profiler makes inferences about the personality and characteristics of a suspect based on the evidence gathered.

o A timeline of the victim’s events helps investigators determine who had access to the victim. The 24 hours leading up to the crime yields the most helpful information.

Chapter 15 Criminal Profiling © 2012 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved.

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Transcript of Chapter 15 Criminal Profiling © 2012 Cengage Learning. All Rights Reserved.