Profiling In Forensic Psychology

Profiling is one of the many tools that forensic psychologists have at their disposal in order to assist the legal system and law enforcement in arresting and prosecuting criminals. Profiling is done in two different ways: deductive and inductive. Through the deductive method one starts with a broad theory or hypothesis and then breaks that theory down to come to a conclusion based on evidence. The inductive method is the opposite. It takes observations and examples and uses them to conclude which theory applies to the situation (Meller). One may notice that there is a common factor between both styles of reasoning. The psychologist conducting the profile needs a solid base of knowledge on the theories and concepts that they are working with. …show more content…
The victim, in general, will be the same age and race as the power assertive rapist. The rape will not necessarily be organized and planned prior but the power assertive rapist will set out to find a victim instead of being triggered by an extraneous factor. Most commonly, the power assertive rapist will browse through singles at bars until a proper target has been found (Meller). It is not uncommon for a power assertive rapist to select the same victim for more than one assault. Once a victim has been identified by a power assertive rapist they will isolate them somehow, whether that be driving them to a hotel, the victim’s house, or another suitable private area. The power assertive rapist will frequently use a weapon in order to maximize their sense of power over the victim and to scare the victim as much as possible. The rape is very violent and tearing of the clothes is common to reinforce the fear in the victim. During the rape, the power assertive rapist does not make an any attempt to conceal their identity. The power assertive rapist uses vulgar language during the rape but any communication from the rapist to the victim during the rape is exclusively sexual in nature (CSB/SJU). Similar to the anger retaliation rapist anal and oral sex are common in this type of rape. The power assertive rapist will often have difficulty ejaculating which then escalates the violence of the …show more content…
The power assertive rapist will likely be a highschool drop with a record of property crimes and domestic issues (Meller). Most are athletic and highly masculine; they are typically very conscious of their image as well. A power assertive rapist was likely physically abused as a child by one or more of their parents. It is also common that the power assertive rapist grew up in a single parent or split-parent home (CSB/SJU). For work, the power assertive rapist will generally be unemployed, working a menial job, or an action oriented job. If they are unemployed or in a menial job, it is likely due to the fact that they have been separated from an action oriented job for disciplinary reasons, such as a dishonorable discharge from the military. The power assertive rapist can be married or in a long term relationship but is more likely that they have had a spree of failed marriages throughout their life. In their free time, the power assertive rapist frequents bars and flirts with many people