Abstract
Criminal profiling is tool used by investigative psychologists. Criminal profiling makes an analysis of the validity of information and research based on the criminal profile. This paper highlights some of the benefits, limitations of criminal profiling as a tool of investigative psychology. In addition to that, the paper will mention issues that relate to the validity of information that will form the basis of criminal profiling. Criminal profiling identifies the perpetrator in crime using an analysis of the nature of the offense and the manner. Some of the aspects of criminal personality constitute the choice of profiling. Psychological profiling is a method that identifies the suspects through some of the attributes of a person such as personal, emotional, and mental well-being. Police enforcements continue to consult with psychologists and psychiatrists to develop effective .profiles. The FBI develops criminal profiling in the law enforcement community. Most of the law enforcement officials develop offender descriptions such as geographic locations, race, age and other demographic variables to enable the investigators to narrow the field of suspects or enable them interrogate the suspects already in custody. This paper gives a detailed description of the topic.
Criminal profiling according to Hammond & Youngs (2011) consists of an investigative tool that assists investigators to predict with accuracy and profile the attributes of unknown offenders or criminals. Devery (2010) asserts that criminal profiling is a process that can identify the behavioral traits, personality traits, and demographic variables of a criminal based on the attributes of the crime. Other names that refer to criminal profiling include offender profiling, criminal personality profiling, behavioral profiling, criminological profiling, and criminal personality profiling. The use of criminal profiling in this decade serves as an effective means to detect and capture criminals as well as the criminal investigation. Investigative psychology by Hammond & Youngs (2011) state that criminal profiling is a useful technique that can define the behavior of the offender prior they reach the apex of criminal activity in the society. Criminal profiling works on the premise that every individual criminal regardless the severity of the crime works on a certain set of values. The values entail signature where once identified can assist the law enforcement to make an identification. Community profiling is an effective tool that the law enforcement agencies can use in this century to combat crime. The practice has gained popularity after a lot of attention from the media such as the television industry. Devery (2010) says that criminal profiling analyzes the valid information that bases criminal profiling. It is a crucial tool within investigative psychology.
The first issue relates to the validity of information on the type of a criminal profile for psychological autopsies. The issue can stem from the lack of proper training of the psychologist that attempt to determine the cause of death to a client. In the case where different psychologists, receive similar information concerning a suicide case. It is unlikely that the outcome of the diagnosis would be the same. Different psychologists can have different opinions while having the same initial information. According to Muller (2011), psychologists will have conflicting outcomes pertaining to the conclusion of how a client met their demise. The second issue relating to the validity of research entails the profiling procedures in use to gather information on a group of people that commit horrific acts. A forensic psychologist will face different interpretations of the law that are not certain whether the profiling procedures are valid or reliable. An attempt to identify the profiling categories can confuse many people.
Criminal profiling has several benefits to the law enforcement and psychologists since it can help determine the type of suspects that the police should search for quickly. The process will enable the police to find a person with ease since they have already established the attribute of the offender. Profiling technique works well with violent crimes such as murder and rape. Profiling will assist the psychologists and the officers to save time as they identify the behavioral and psychological patterns of perpetrators. The process will help police enforcement to identify location and suspects of future crimes since they have knowledge that will enable them to move with haste while maintaining the safety of the innocent citizens.
Some of the limitations and liabilities of profiling entails making assumptions concerning offenders and suspects from previous cases. Professionals investigating in a case perceive the offender as one person involved and this can lead them to ignore other offenders in the society. All psychologists and officers rely on diverse approaches, and lack of a universal approach will limit them from idiographic information. Some of the results provided by the psychologists and police officers are at times unverifiable and complex. Profiling interpretations are prone to bias in their assertions and judgment formed.
In conclusion, the tool of criminal profiling is essential in certain circumstances and is useful in investigative psychology. Some of the avenues where criminal profiling is applicable include suspect based profiling, psychological profiling, mapping profiling, and psychological autopsy. Criminal profiling will assist the police enforcement by saving their time and other resources to predict behaviors and patterns from different offenders. Profiling is useful since it will assist the law enforcement to discover advanced options in case of little or no evidence in a crime scene. Profiling has downfalls while it can offer great assistance to the police enforcement.
References
Devery, C. (2010). Criminal Profiling and Criminal Investigation. Journal of Contemporary Criminal Justice, 26(4), 393-409.
Hammond, L., & Youngs, D. (2011). Decay functions and criminal spatial processes: geographical offender profiling of volume crime. Journal of Investigative Psychology and Offender Profiling, 8(1), 90-102.
Muller, D. A. (2011). Qualitative Approaches To Criminal Profiling As Ways Of Reducing Uncertainty In Criminal Investigations. Policing , 5(1), 33-40.
