NCJ Number
138453
Date Published
1991
Length
238 pages
Annotation
By the use of case studies, this book profiles the work of the FBI's Behavioral Science Unit of the National Center for the Analysis of Violent Crime, which constructs offender profiles based on available evidence to assist in the identification of suspects.
Abstract
The Behavioral Science Unit uses an innovative combination of psychology and high technology to create profiles that assist law enforcement officers in identifying mass murderers, serial killers, rapists, child molesters, arsonists, and terrorists. Unlike traditional detectives, members of the Behavioral Science Unit examine crime scene evidence for the purpose of identifying offender characteristics. Then, using profiles of known criminals who have committed similar crimes, a profile of the unknown criminal is developed. Investigators then find and investigate subjects that fit the profile. The book opens with a case study of the investigation of the murder of a prostitute named Precious in the Washington, D.C., metropolitan area. The case study describes how the offender profile developed worked in combination with physical evidence at the crime scene to build a case against a suspect. Other case studies of the use of offender profiling include the Atlanta child murders, the Gainesville coed murders, and the explosion aboard the U.S.S. Iowa. 150-item bibliography