Course Description
At the basis of offender profiling lies the observation that offenders' pattern of conduct on the crime scene are not accidental but are related to his/her general behavioral patterns and characteristics. This observation points to the possibility that profiling theories could help police investigators by reducing the list of suspected individuals and concentrating police resources on those directions of investigation with higher probability of success.
Following a review of current approaches to offender profiling and the presentation of theoretical and practical works in severe crime research, including examination of relevant social and ethical issues, the course focuses on the facet approach and on Canter's investigative psychology approach to linking crime-scene profiles and offender profiles. Up-to-date research findings are presented involving typologies of sever crimes.
Ainsworth, P.B. (2001). Offender Profiling and Crime Analysis. Portland Oregon: Willan.
Canter, D.V. (1995). Criminal Shadows. London: Harper Collins.
Douglas, J.E., Burgess, A.W., Burgess, A.G. and Ressler, R.K. (1992). Crime Classification Manual. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.
Jackson, J.L. and Bekerian, D.A. (Eds) (1999). Offender Profiling: Theory, Research and Practice. New York: Wiley.
Shye, S. and Wresinsky, M. (2001). Offender Profiling and Crime Scenes. Research Report submitted to the Ministry of Public Security. (Including a description of Crimina computer program).
Shye, S., Canter, D. & Shalev, K. Serial rapist crime scene behavior: Multiple scaling by POSAC/LSA. In D. Elizur (ed.) Facet Theory: Integrating Theory Construction with Data Analysis. Prague: Matfyzpress, 2001.