Profiling can be traced back to the 1800’s in London, and it became a sensation due to the popular case of Jack the Ripper. Since then, profiling has spread to other parts of the world including the United States of America. In the 1960’s, profiling in the United States expanded to include psychological methods used to profile criminals. Howard D. Teten and Patrick Mullany were credited with making the earliest behavioral analyses, and developing hypothesis as to what kind of person might have committed certain crimes (Ramsland, 2014). The Federal Bureau of Investigations (FBI), then created the Behavioral Science Unit to investigate serial rape and homicide cases in 1974 (Winerman, 2004). The most notable FBI agents to develop theories and
…show more content…
For example, psychological, geographic, and in some cases victim profiling (Holmes & Holmes, 2009). Psychological profiling is commonly used by FBI agents who compose profiles of offenders in murders, rapes, and violent crimes. The process in which a crime occurs and the way the body is discovered may help detectives distinguish an offender’s personality. This information serves to connect the crime scenes and to establish the type of person they are dealing with. Psychological profiling operates with the believe that every person has a unique personality. Therefore, “there are five personality components: biology, culture, environment, common experiences, and unique experiences” (Holmes & Holmes, 2009). Each of the components is established on a case by case basis resulting in the creation of the …show more content…
Victim profiling also helps to recreate the crime scene by providing the time of events. Important elements in the victim profile are “physical traits, personal lifestyle, occupation, personal demographics, psychosexual history, and last activities” (Holmes & Holmes, 2009). Elements such as last activities are used to determine the victims last sightings before they became victims of the crime. For example, the last person to have seen the victim could help determine during which times the crime might have occurred. In all crimes, victims are the most reliable witnesses to the attack. If they survived the attack they can provide the most accurate description of the offender and the crime. However, if the victim is murdered, the victim profile can serve as a source that will provide leads or persons of
For example, psychological, geographic, and in some cases victim profiling (Holmes & Holmes, 2009). Psychological profiling is commonly used by FBI agents who compose profiles of offenders in murders, rapes, and violent crimes. The process in which a crime occurs and the way the body is discovered may help detectives distinguish an offender’s personality. This information serves to connect the crime scenes and to establish the type of person they are dealing with. Psychological profiling operates with the believe that every person has a unique personality. Therefore, “there are five personality components: biology, culture, environment, common experiences, and unique experiences” (Holmes & Holmes, 2009). Each of the components is established on a case by case basis resulting in the creation of the …show more content…
Victim profiling also helps to recreate the crime scene by providing the time of events. Important elements in the victim profile are “physical traits, personal lifestyle, occupation, personal demographics, psychosexual history, and last activities” (Holmes & Holmes, 2009). Elements such as last activities are used to determine the victims last sightings before they became victims of the crime. For example, the last person to have seen the victim could help determine during which times the crime might have occurred. In all crimes, victims are the most reliable witnesses to the attack. If they survived the attack they can provide the most accurate description of the offender and the crime. However, if the victim is murdered, the victim profile can serve as a source that will provide leads or persons of