Criminal Profiler

Criminal profiling is an investigative tool used by law enforcement agencies to find the probable characteristics of a criminal offender as it pertains to committing a certain crime. This article provides historical and development of criminal profiling, the definitions, how criminal profiling is helpful to law enforcement agencies, the correlation to criminals and the crimes and methods used. The methods that are used to help narrow down the suspects to a certain crime, help with case similarities, develop leads, and help plan investigative strategies. History is a continuous study on past events that helps us understand concepts based on prior knowledge and experience. We must first understand the history of criminal profiling, to know

“There is sometimes a fine line between a cop and a criminal. What drives their personality may be the same, and they have simply chosen different roles and professions to call their own.” – Dr. M.L. Rapier PhD, Clinical Psychology. Upon the first meeting one will generally have a curious mind. With this inquisitive mind a person will engage in two types of arbitration, conscious or unconscious. The determinations may very well be based on several characteristics to include attire, confidence, linguistics, ethnicity, and/or race. While some judgements are small others will determine the very category in which a person, whom one has never met, places you.

This is usually the start of their careers. Many use their Criminal Justice degree to join law enforcement agencies, such as medical examiners, FBI agents, or police officers. Others go into the educational field and conduct research or teach (Criminal Justice, 2011).   A criminologist develops profiles of criminal behavior by using studies and research that examine environmental factors, psychological behavior, educational levels, social issues, and biological factors. Criminologists also develop statistics about crimes by using certain tools obtain from law enforcement agencies (Criminal Justice, 2011). By organizing statistics and developing profiles into meaningful information, a criminologist uses these techniques in trying to develop ways to prevent criminal behavior.   State and federal agencies, US customs, private security companies, and drug enforcement agencies all employ criminologists as well (Criminal Justice, 2011).

Crime continues to be a major problem in the United States and many other countries. These documents is going to focus in the Unites States in which criminal profiling is most commonly used. Based on what we see and hear on the new and social media, prisons are overcrowded, probation and parole caseloads are overwhelming, and police are expected to do more and work longer hours in which can be stressful. Police officer are being exposed to the spot light based on behavior and recording that people have summited to the news.

There is not a license you can obtain to be a certified criminal profiler, it is just a matter of experience. Although, many researchers speculate that there will be a degree and/or licensure that you will be able to obtain in the near future. Profiling takes skill from the investigator to conclude characteristics of the perpetrator from personality traits, to thoughts, and to habits (Bartol & Bartol, 2012). Experience in the investigation process and forensics is key for criminal profilers (Kocsis, 2003). The problem with departments hiring profilers is that they are requested for an investigation based on their presumed expertise, which usually carries a very high likelihood that their opinions will be held into account during the investigation processes (Snook, Eastwood, Gendreau, Goggin, & Cullen, 2007). This is a problem if the investigative team brings a profiler in because they believe in the profiling process to work, which means that they will listen to whatever the profiler says in regards to a potential suspect. This could lead investigators on a search for the wrong suspect if the profiler is in fact wrong. On the other hand, if they do not believe that profiling works then they will not only disregard what a profiler says if one is brought in, but will probably not hire one to help in the investigative processes. Alison, Bennell, Mokros, and Ormerod (2002) believe that though criminal profiling is accepted as valid

If someone was interested in pursuing a career in forensics they would need a strong stomach or hardy exterior. The scenes can be gruesome and this job isn’t for everybody. Also work environment involves visiting morgues with hundreds of dead bodies. A quality that is needed in this field is composure. Things do tend to happen so forensics and other technicians have to refrain themselves and get the job done. Critical thinking and problems solving skills are very important when solving cases that deal with quick decision making and the need of good judgment. Every analyst needs to be detail oriented because they need to notice the small things in order to collect good data. Requirements for this field of work consist of having a bachelor’s degree. Math, chemistry, biology and physics are important courses to take when studying for criminal justice. Other requirements can include a number of hours in seminars and workshops. Moderate terms of on job training can refine an individual’s skills giving them a better and wider range in the field.

From Ted Kaczynski, the Unabomber, to Al Qaeda, the perpetrators of the September 11 attacks, terrorism in the form of bombs has always been recognized as a perpetual threat to society, only increasing as tensions with groups like ISIS grow. However, in the past decade, a new wave of terrorism has been on the rise: shootings. And with every subsequent attack, the dissemination of fear among the people expedites, making it difficult for anyone to feel completely safe anymore. As a result, law enforcement has been desperately searching for innovative measures that can be taken in order to prevent such devastations. This includes turning to forensic profiling, attempts to understand these perpetrators’ minds, so as to catch early signs of preparation

Becoming a profiler takes time. The FBI requires a four-year college degree in many different majors in order to apply for the Agent position. You will want to choose a degree that fits you the best to complete your education. Agents in the BAU (behavioral

David Gail Meirhofer’s case was the first of its kind to be solved by using the technique of criminal offender profiling. David was born June 8, 1949 to Eleanor Virginia Meirhofer and Clifford David Meirhofer in Manhattan, Montana.

The journal focuses on the ethical and legal issue affecting criminal profiling. First, there not a single peer-reviewed system of measurement practices that has been developed. In addition, there is no agreed methodology of conducting criminal profiling. It means there is no scientific basis upon which profiling underlies. The media also portrays profiling as a romantic or heroic profession, hence resulting in an inappropriate perception of profiling. Criminal profiling can also be at times undesirable as it can lead to delays as it can suggest inappropriate directions or suspects in an investigation.

Criminal behavior profiling includes the assessment of a crime and analysis of a person's behavioral and psychological characteristics to determine whether a person has committed a crime or if needs further investigative observation is needed. Offender profiling, also known as criminal profiling used to help investigators accurately predict and profile the characteristics of unknown criminal subjects or offenders. Online behavioral profiling said to be used by Google and Facebook is not the real behavioral profiling that focused on identifying a potential criminal, instead its main focused is the user’s computer related behavior and attempts to profile by identifying normal user patterns. (Security Intelligence, 2017)

Criminal profiling is one of few first things to think of when it comes to forensic psychology. Criminal profiling is featured in popular television shows such as in Law and Order and CSI. Often in those shows, the police officers were able to catch the criminals based on the criminal profile that forensic psychologists came up with. In a theory, the polices rely on criminal profiling to catch criminals, educate the public about a possible criminal, and confirm the witnesses’ accounts. Criminal profiling involves using various methods to guess a criminal’s background, behavior, and even preferences for the victims.

Becoming a forensic psychologist, It's a long journey to get to that job but this is how. First they have to graduate high school and get a phD in psychology, and they have to get an internship before the real job. They also have to be able to handle stressful situations when not knowing what to do. Another skill They need to have to become a forensic psychologist is how to best organize prisoners and have no violence with it. Next working with mentally ill people and sex offenders can be hard to work with.

It is a long process when becoming a detective. In college, classes such as: English, American history, business law, government, psychology, sociology, chemistry, and physics are suggested. Before becoming a detective, one must attend a law enforcement academy, providing the officer with a foundation of education with sixteen to twenty-four college units in criminal justice or administration of criminal justice. (Morkes 677) After graduation from the law enforcement academy the officer undergoes job training with a field training officer for a period specified by the law enforcement agency and continues to work while on a probationary period, ranging from one to two years.

In order for offender profiling to be considered useful, it must gather detailed information about the offender, victim and crime scene which can then be used effectively by police detectives to eliminate any suspects who do not match with the profiler 's offender specification and aid authorities in