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PsychologicalProfiling:AnIntroduction

I.Definition
A.educatedattempttoprovideinvestigativeagencieswithspecificinformationaboutthe
typeofindividualwhocommittedacertaincrime.(PVCp.3)
B.Usewhenappropriate
1.Indicationofpsychopathology
a.PsychopathologyStudyofmentaldisorders
2.Whenthemotivemayonlybeknownbytheperpetrator
A.Examples(Table1.1PCVp.4)
a.Sadistictortureinsexualassaults
b.Evisceration
c.Postmortemcasesofslashingandcuttings
d.Motivelessfiresettings
e.Lustandmutilationmurders
f.Rapes
g.Occultcrimes
h.Childsexualabuseincludingpedophilia
i.Bankrobberies
j.Obsceneandterroristicletterwritings.

II.Goals
A.Paintapicturefromtheevidenceandcrimescene:
1.Notproof
a.Havingapsychologicalprofileitselfisnotgoingtosuddenlyleadto
immediateapprehension.
2.Narrowinginvestigation
a.Aprofileisastepinacertaindirectionthatcandirectlyrelatetothe
possiblesuspect.
B.WhotolookforProvidesasocialandpsychologicalassessmentofoffenderbasedon
thespecificcase.
C.WhattolookforEvaluationofbelongingsthattheoffendermayhaveleftatacrime
scene.
D.HowtorespondProvideinterviewingstrategies.
1.Eachinterviewmustbecraftedtothespecificindividual.
a.Thetypeofinterviewisconstructedaroundwhatpersonalitytypethe
suspecthas.

III.Inductivevs.DeductiveProfiling
A.Inductive(topdownprocessing)
1.Certaincrimesthataresimilarinnaturearecommittedbydifferentpeople,so
offendersmustbesimilar.
a.Theinductiveassessmentisbasedontheobservationsatthecrimescene.
2.Quickandinexpensive
3.Noneedforahighlyskilledprofiler,forthebehavioralelementofbehavioris
ignored
B.Deductive(bottomupprocessing)
1.Trainedprofilerisabletodevelopadescriptionoftheoffenderthroughcrime
sceneanalysis
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a.Usevictimologystudyingthevictimslife.Profilersattempttolearnas
muchaspossibleaboutthevictimbecausethemorethatisknownabout
thevictimthemorethatisknownabouttheoffender.
2.Long,slowprocessandspecific
a.Crimescenesneedtobekeptperfectlyundisturbedfortheprofilersto
createabetteranalysis.
i.JonBenetRamseyscrimescenewasdisturbed,makingleadingto
speculationrightfromthestart.

ProfilingasaProcess

I.ProfilingInputsStage
A.Crimescenedescription
1.Needtoknowwhattheareaislike
2.Weatherconditionsforthearea
3.Politicalandsocialenvironment
B.Backgroundonvictim
1.Domesticsettings
2.Employment
3.Reputation
4.Habits
5.Fears
6.Physicalcondition
7.Personality
8.Criminalhistory
9.Familyrelationships
10.Hobbies
11.Anythingelsethattheycanfindout
C.Forensicinformation
1.Autopsyreportswithtoxicology/serologyresults
2.Autopsyphotosphotographsofcleansedwounds
3.Aerialphotographsofthecrimescene
D.Nopossiblesuspectinformationisincludedtoavoidbiases
1.Thisensuresthattheprofilerwontmakeaprofileonsubjectthathasalready
beenpresented.

II.DecisionProcessModelsStage:
A.Typeandstyle
1.Table1.1,Profilersp.19
2.Differentiationbetweenmass,spree,andserial
a.Mass:onceplace,onetime,4+victimsschoolshooting
b.Spree:oneeventinmultiplelocations,2+victimswithnocoolingoffperiod
shootingthroughoutaneighborhood
c.Serial:separateevents,locations,3+victims,andcoolingoffperiod
B.Intentofmurderer
1.Criminalenterprise(economickilling):gang,political,nonecessarypersonal
grudgetowardperson
2.Emotionalandcausespecific:selfdefense,mercykillings,symbolic,religious,cults
3.Sexual:sexualactivityandmutilationthathavesexualmeaningfortheoffenderonly
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C.Victimandoffenderrisk:
1.Victim:Highrisk=morevulnerable
a.Riskisdeterminedonfactorslikeage,occupation,lifestyle,andphysicalfitness,
resistanceability,andlocation.
b.Vulnerablevictimsarefoundinpopulatedareaslikebusdepotsortheycanbe
preyedoninanisolatedarea.
2.Offender:Theriskinvolvedwithcommittingthecrimemorelikelytogetcaught=
higherrisk
a.Theamountofriskanoffendertakesisanotherclueforaprofiler.
D.TimeFactor:Lengthoftimeneededtokill,commitacts,anddisposeofvictim
E.Location:Considerwherethecrimeoccurred
1.Thisoffersinsightonwhetheracarwasusedorifsomeothermodeoftransportation
wasutilized.

III.CrimeAssessmentStage:Reconstructionofeventsandbehaviorofoffenderandvictim
A.Organizedversusdisorganizedcrime
1.Profile:
a.Organized:averageorbetterIQ,sociallyadept,livingwithapartner,likelyto
taketrophiesfromvictims
b.Disorganized:belowaverageintelligence,sociallyinadequate,livesaloneor
withparent,livesinproximitytocrimescene
2.CrimeScene
a.Organized:planned,victimswithsimilarcharacteristics,demeanornot
suspicious,useaployratherthanforcetoacquirevictim,useofrestraints,body
hidden
b.Disorganized:Noplanninginvolved,blitzattack(force),mutilationnormally
postmortem,excessivemutilationtoface,indicationofmasturbation,urination,
ordefecation,noattempttoconcealbody

3.Staging:Determineiftherewasadistractionaddedtocrimescenetomisleadpolice
aboutmotiveofcrime(sendingpoliceonagoosechase).

IV.CriminalProfileStage:Descriptionofoffenderisproduced
A.Demographics
1.Physicalcharacteristics
2.Habits
3.Beliefsandvalues
4.Preoffensebehaviorleadingtocrime
5.Postoffensebehavior.
B.Includerecommendationsforinterrogatingorinterviewing,identifying,andapprehending
theoffender
C.Validation
1.Profilemustfitwiththeearlierreconstructionofthecrime,evidence,andwith
keydecisionprocessmodels.
2.Congruencywithpatternsisalsoneeded.
3.Ifaprofileisfoundtobeinvalid,itisjustredonewiththenewevidencethis
leadstothenextstep

V.InvestigationStage:Profileisappliedtoinvestigation
A.Thepoliceusethesaidprofileintheirinvestigationandinterrogation.Theprofileeffortis
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completewithidentification,apprehension,andaconfessionfromthesuspect.
B.Ifnewevidenceisrevealedtheprofilegoesbacktothepreviousstagesandisupdated.

VI.ApprehensionStage:Oncesubjectisobtained,profileischeckedforvalidity
A.Onceasuspectadmitsguilt,conductdetailedinterviewtocheckthetotalprocessfor
validity.

OntheWeb:http://www.csbsju.edu/uspp/CrimPsych/CPSG1.htm

BacktoCriminalPsychologyStudyGroupIndex

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