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Running Head: CRIMINAL PROFILING
Criminal Profiling: Brief History
Merlene M. Reynolds
July 21, 2010
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Criminal Profiling
Introduction
Criminal profiling, according to Brent Turvey, Criminal Profiling: An
Introduction to Behavioral Evidence Analysis, “is a collection of inferences about the
qualities of the person responsible for committing a crime or series of crimes,” (Turvey,
p. 43). These inferences serve to provide a foundation for the generalization of behavior
that may aid in the collection of evidence or the discovery of the individual responsible
for the crime. “Integral to criminal profiling,” according to Turvey, “has been both
understanding origins of crime and classifying criminal behavior,” (Turvey, p. 17).
Brief History
Italian physician, Cesare Lombroso (1835-1909), “is generally thought to have
been one of the first criminologists to attempt to formally classify criminals for statistical
comparison,” (Turvey, p. 17). As a result of Lombroso‟s study of 383 Italian prisoners,
he classified criminals into three (3) major types: 1) born criminals, 2) insane criminals,
and 3) criminaloids, (Turvey, p. 17). Criminaloids were considered a large general class
of offenders without specific characteristics, (Turvey, p. 17).
Lombroso also indicated eighteen (18) physical characteristics he considered
indicative of a “born criminal,” providing at least five (5) or more of these characteristics
are present. These characteristics included such physical characteristics as the size or
shape of the person‟s head, ears, length of arms, etc. that Lombroso used as indicators of
the person‟s potential or likelihood to commit a crime. His notion or theory of the
relationship of these physical characteristics to criminal behavior was “something akin to
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a „mark of Cain,” by which all evil could be biblically identified and classified, to be
subsequently cast from Eden,” (Turvey, p. 18).
A German criminologist, Ernst Kretschmer, had similar ideas to Lombroso‟s and
had proposed that there is a “high degree of correlation between body type, personality
type, and criminal potential,” (Turvey, p. 19). He developed a theory that there were four
main body types associated with criminal behavior. His theories, however, “were viewed
as extremely dubious because he never disclosed his research, his inferences and
descriptions were always incredibly vague, and no specific comparisons were performed
with noncriminal populations,” (Turvey, p. 19).
“Modern methods of correlating brain abnormalities, genes, or personality types
with criminal potential could be criticized in the same fashion as the theories of
Lombroso as an unconscious intention of the scientific community to stamp preconceived
ideas about the origins of criminal behavior with the approval of science,” (Turvey, p. 19)
Arthur Conan Doyle (1859-1930), is considered the first investigative
criminologist based on the first story, “A Study in Scarlet,” that was to launch the
fictional career of Sherlock Holmes. Through the character of Dr. John Watson, Conan
Doyle “outlined the evidence-based method of inference and deduction that would
become the defining element of Sherlock Holmes‟ fictional reconstruction and criminal
profiling casework (Doyle, 1887),” (Turvey, p. 20). “Modern criminal profiling is
“grounded in the study of crime and criminal behavior (criminology), the study of mental
health and illness (psychology and psychiatry), and the examination of physical evidence
(the forensic sciences),” (Turvey, p. 38).
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Inductive and Deductive Reasoning
Inductive reasoning refers to a “comparative, correlational, or statistical process,
often reliant on subjective expertise that is most associated with the development of
psychological syndromes,” (Turvey, p. 53). Deductive reasoning, however, refers to a
“forensic-evidence-based, process-oriented method of investigative reasoning about the
behavior pattern of a particular offender,” (Turvey, p. 53).
As a comparison of inductive and deductive reasoning, an inductive reasoning
“proceeds from a set of specific observations to a generalization called a premise. This
premise is a working assumption, but it may not always be valid. A deduction, however,
“proceeds from a generalization to a specific case,” (Turvey, p. 53). Deductive reasoning
involves conclusions that flow logically from the premises stated,” (Turvey, p. 53-54).
Inductive reasoning involves broad generalizations or statistical reasoning, where it is
possible for the premises to be true where the subsequent conclusion is false,” (Turvey, p.
54).
Criminal Profiling
Criminal profiling is considered by some to be “voo doo” science due to many
television programs that present profiling as a “supernatural” talent with the profiler
having flashes of insight of the crime as it had occurred, ((Turvey, p. xiii). Instead,
“profiles do not come in a flash or vision; they require long, hard work examining
physical and behavioral evidence,” (Turvey, p. xiii). “The myths and misinformation
regarding criminal profiling techniques and practices are furthermore rampant in the
popular media,” (Turvey, p. xix).
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Criminologists disagree about the validity or usefulness of psychic ability as it
pertains or may relate to criminal profiling. Television programs and personal instinct
rely on fictional explanations to support or refute the influence one‟s sixth sense may
have on the ability to help solve a crime. This ability whether voo doo science or crystal
ball predicting is part of the art of profiling that distinguishes it from a forensic science.
Further considerations or opinions regarding the role of psychic phenomenon will be
discussed in future papers.
Conclusion
Criminal profiling is an evolving process that is used to generalize and possibly
predict past or future behavior of a specific criminal. Using inferences to help distinguish
or define behaviors and/or motivations, criminologists gather information and evidence
as part of the behavioral analysis process of a criminal investigation.
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References
Turvey, Brent E. 2008. Criminal Profiling: An introduction to behavioral evidence
analysis. Third edition. Elsevier Inc. Burlington, MA.