Criminal profiling Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

Criminal profiling - Research Paper Example Offender Profiling Criminal Profiling or Offender Profiling is the method that is utilized as a tool to locate or predict the profile and characteristics of an unknown criminal offender. In different regions of the world, criminal profiling is considered by different names like, criminal personality profiling, criminological profiling, behavioral profiling or criminal investigative analysis. As far as geographical profiling is concerned, it is a different method of profiling an offender. In the year 1990, 2005 and 2011, a number of television serials and films like â€Å"Criminal Minds† and a film entitled â€Å"The Silence of the Lambs† have introduced many names, which according to FBI version, highlights the salient features of "criminal investigative analysis." Here we cite, Holmes and Holmes, which indicates three main objectives of criminal profiling. Initially it is to provide complete information about law enforcers along with a social and psychological analytical background of the offenders (other serial killers) that would be helpful for the police who needs help in the investigations (Holmes and Holmes 139). Amongst many kinds of criminal profiling, one is called linkage analysis. Gerard N. Labuschagne, a well known profiler has connected his analysis on the behavioral attitude of the offender, which plays an important role in detecting or determining the possibility of crimes that have been committed by one or more offenders. Gathering many evidences relating to offender’s crime style such as modalities of committing crimes and the signature of the offenders will be of great help to establish an essence for a linkage analysis. An offender’s modality is the tendency of killing victims. An offender’s signature, if found similar in each killing, may be helpful for the investigator to trace the actual culprit. It is worth mentioning that the linkage analysis is effectively utilized in a case or cases where the DNA test facility is not available (Labuschagne 186). Labuschagne, who can be stated as a profiler of repute is of the view that in gathering and looking at the a spects of the offender’s crime pattern, investigators must take into account five procedural assessment a) gather data from multiple channels b) review available data to pin point prominent features of each crime c) categorize the significant features d) compiling a written report that identifies the findings (Labuschagne 189). Historical background In the case of â€Å"ordinary† criminals, straight forward process, involving all relevant indications and establishing a rational objective for the crime, which most often helps lead to the actual perpetrators, is adopted. Apparently, it may be objectless crime, if it comparatively presents difficult and complex conundrum. It is true that an investigator cannot find a clue of a criminal until and unless concrete evidence is there to connect with him with the crime (Sillup 2010). Describing cited subjects is nothing but criminal profiling. Criminal profiling is an art of tracking down the real perpetrator rather than scienc e. It is based on careful observation of physical evidence of a crime