Offender Profiling
Are we all Crackers?
Offender Profiling
The typical profiler seen as
“quintessential hero … pitted against our new
and modern monster, the serial killer”
(Oleson 1996)
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It’s the new, sexy specialist job in forensic
science.
But is its importance overrated?
Offender Profiling
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Historically police and psychology have not
had a good relationship.
Police (in particular CID) believe that only
information that can be used easily in court is
worth gathering.
Psychologists have not always been
recognised by courts
Until recently, that is!
Criminal Profiling
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1888 – Thomas Bond,
a police surgeon
created a detailed
description of Jack the
Ripper,
But the ripper was
never apprehended.
Criminal Profiling
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William Langer, (1942)
a psychiatrist, produced
a profile of Adolf Hitler,
diagnosing his mental
state and correctly
predicting what would
happen were he to be
defeated – i.e. suicide.
The Mad Bomber of New York
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George Metesky
Series of bombs in New
York 1956
James Brussel was able to
produce a psychological
profile of the suspect
Google the name for full
story
Accurate even to style of
dress!
The Boston Strangler
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Profiled as “two male
schoolteachers living
alone, one of whom
was probably
homosexual”
Albert DeSalvo –
heterosexual
construction worker
living with his family
Criminal Profiling
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So, one danger in
profiling – possibility of
“tunnel vision” of
investigators.
Yorkshire Ripper –
case in point
Offender Profiling
Current Approaches
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American
Incarcerated serial
murderers (36)
interviewed
Categorised into
organised or
disorganised
View crime scene for
indicators
Offender Profiling
Current Approaches - American
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Basis of FBI Approach is:
crime scene and MO as indicators of individual
pathology
compare with known offenders
may fit pattern
Offender Profiling
Current Approaches - American
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Organised and disorganised murderers
Obtained from interviews with serial
murderers, e.g. Manson, bundy
Based on analysis of Crime scene, say
whether offender fits any of the criteria, and
produce profile
Can be used to detect, but also to predict
and therefore prevent
Offender Profiling
Current Approaches - American
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Aims of American profiling approach are
Reduce scope of investigation
Allow some prediction of future offences
Provide a psychological evaluation of
belongings found in the murderers
possession, e.g. souvenirs from previous
offences
Provide strategies for interviewing.
Offender Profiling
Current Approaches - American
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Known as “holistic” or “top-down” approach
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Data from scene and from MO compared
with previously known information
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Mainly with murderers in USA, not so often
with lesser crimes
Offender Profiling
Current Approaches - British
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British approach is less subjective
Called “bottom up” method, or “data-driven”,
Data is collected and analysed to produce
definite, measured, specific associations
between offences and offender
characteristics.
Offender Profiling
Current Approaches - British
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Dominated by David Canter
Made his name with the “Railway Rapist” in
1985
David Canter
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Traditionally, the only valuable clues at a
crime scene were hard evidence, e.g.
blood,
semen
Fingerprints
Hair
etc.
David Canter
Profiling proposes that there are also less recognised clues—
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the choice of victim,
the location,
the nature of the assault,
what is and isn't left behind,
what is and isn't said to the victim,
whether or not the victim is killed—
which also define the offender. The problem is to interpret these
clues correctly.
David Canter
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Over a period of four years, a series of
sexual assaults and rapes, culminating in the
murder of three women, had been committed
in the London area.
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The police had linked all these crimes to the
same man but, despite extensive inquiries,
had failed to make an arrest.
David Canter
Canter went through each case in detail, looking at
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the location,
time of day,
and the nature of the victim,
and drew up a profile of the likely suspect, including
where he was likely to be living.
David Canter
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As a result of this profile, the police were able
to focus their investigation on John Duffy, a
man who had previously ranked no higher
than 1,505th on the list of possible suspects
and, within a comparatively short period of
time, had gathered enough evidence to
convict.
Evaluation of Profiling
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Undoubted potential if used properly by
trained professionals
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Some criticism is that it depends on overreliance of “expert profilers” without the
contribution of experienced police officers.
Evaluation of Profiling
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Success rates?
1981 FBI report:
192 cases of profile generation, 88 arrests, of
which 17% used the profile information.
Evaluation of Profiling
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Success rates?
UK – Copson & Holloway – interviewed
detectives.
184 cases involving profiling
Of these, 2.7% profiling led directly to
identification of offender
16% where profiling had helped to solve
Useful or Not?
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Professional profilers vs detectives
Simulated detection of two cases, one sex,
one murder
Useful or Not?
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Profilers produced loads of rich information,
More accurate than non-profilers
Profilers best with sex offence
Detectives best with murder
Useful or Not?
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Conclusion is that productive liaison between
psychologists and police is the way forward.