Investigative Criminal Profiling Case Study

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Because criminal profiling so greatly depends on the accuracy of information connected with the crime and the community, profiling should not be viewed as a process that can be properly conducted separate from investigative effort. Also, because additional information may be incoming and previously acquired information may prove to be erroneous, profiling should be considered an ongoing process that does not end until a suspect is arrested and convicted. To date, the general procedure has been to send in crime scene and autopsy information and limited details concerning the crime and the victim to a profiler who then sends back a report. The process pretty much stops at this point. It is never explained how the profile impacted the course of the investigation. Did the profile make a difference in investigative…show more content…
The lead profiler on any case can be someone from within or outside the department depending on the skill levels available internally and preferably, a teamwork approach to case analysis would create a continuing dialogue that would not entirely hinge on the opinion of one investigator or profiler. While it is desirable to narrow the suspect list down to a workable size for the investigators, it is also necessary to prevent personal whims from causing tunnel vision and causing the exclusion of viable suspects. The four basic skills necessary for good Investigative Criminal Profiling - investigations, forensics, psychological assessment and the application of cultural anthropology - are necessary to a complete an accurate profile. It should be recognized that experts should be consulted to fill in the gaps. A homicide investigator with limited skills in profiling might combine his skills with that of a professional profiler and as a team, increase the success of the
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