Topic > Historical events and the use of offender identification techniques

Criminal profilingFor police forces, criminal profiling is relatively well known. However, the idea of ​​criminal profiling has been around for centuries. Criminal profiling was used in the 1700s to find heretics and witches. In the early 19th century, Scotland Yard began studying clues to help catch criminals. This technique was also used in the case of Jack the Ripper; although he was never caught, authorities believed he had medical knowledge based on how he killed his victims (Research - Criminal Profiling). There has long been a debate as to whether criminal profiling is a science or not. Considering all the psychology used and how the process has developed since the first profiling case, criminal profiling is a science. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an original essay The first idea of ​​criminal profiling was born between 1940 and 1956. There was a case involving an unknown criminal who had planted more than thirty bombs around New York City; he was called the "mad bomber". It targeted popular socializing areas such as cinemas, photo booths and shopping malls. In 1956, investigators asked James Brussel, a psychiatrist, to study crime scene photos and case notes. From these photos and notes he was able to provide a detailed description of the suspect. Brussel predicted that the perpetrator was celibate, a foreigner, self-taught, a resident of Connecticut, and paranoid. These predictions were based on psychological ideas and common sense. Since paranoia tends to peak at age 35, The Mad Bomber would most likely be in his mid-50s, considering it had been 16 years since his first attack. The profile proved correct and led investigators to George Metesky, who promptly confessed when arrested in January 1957 (Winerman). The actual profiling process was later developed by a retired Marine Corps sergeant named Howard Teten. Howard Teten was born in Nebraska City, Nebraska and moved to various cities. His father was a road construction foreman and moved wherever the work was found. After graduating from high school, he joined the Marine Corps, as a way to get out of Nebraska, in 1950. When the Korean War began, Teten had just finished boot camp and was sent overseas as an aerial photographer. In 1954 he left the Marines and took service as a police officer in San Leandro in 1958. Then, he began studying criminology at the University of California and graduated in 1960. “Here I was in school, taking courses in abnormal psychology, criminal psychology and [also] work at crime scenes every day,” Teten recalls, “and I'm starting to see parallels.” After attracting the attention of the FBI, Tetan began agent training, in April 1963, and was assigned to the Oklahoma City field office. In 1969, Teten began working as an instructor in Washington, D.C. under an FBI special agent from New York named Patrick Mullany, who had a master's degree in educational psychology. They began to teach together; Teten talked about the facts of a case, while Mullany talked about how parts of the criminal's personality were revealed at the crime scene. “Patrick really made a difference, because he was a fully qualified psychologist, while I was a criminologist (Serial Killers. Part 2: The Birth of Behavioral Analysis in the FBI).”Patrick Mullany was born in 1935 in New York. After graduating from high school, he earned a bachelor's degree in American history and a bachelor's degree in British history. While teaching in NewYork, earned her master's degree in counseling and psychology. In an interview with Michael O'Brien, he talks about his service to the FBI. Mullany says he has family contacts with the FBI; his sister was a clerk and married an agent. He was 29 when he was assigned to train to become a special agent. Then she talks about her relationship with Howard Teten. “I ended up teaching with a colleague very, very closely and they became very good friends, Howard Teten, and many, many things happened from that relationship (O'Brien).” Teten and Mullany were credited with performing the first behavioral analysis for difficult cases. They reviewed unusual homicides from several police departments and the California Identification Officers Association, to gather information for analysis and comparison. To test themselves, they set up an experiment. “Once I received the information, I would review all the data and prepare a provisional description of the offender. Then, I would look at the individual found guilty of the crime and compare the offender to my description,” Teten said. In 1970, Teten and Mullany provided their first profile for the murder of a woman in her home; The profile turned out to be correct. However, their first profiling challenge was the kidnapping of a seven-year-old girl, named Susan Jaeger (Ramsland). In June 1973, Susan Jaeger disappeared in Montana while on a family camping trip. While her family was sleeping, someone cut through her tent and grabbed her before she could scream for help. Mullany believed the suspect would be a white male who was local. He also believed the suspect was loner, had a military background and had killed before. He most likely took Susan to kill her and collect body parts as trophies. David Meirhofer, a 23-year veteran, was questioned but came across as polite, persuasive, well-dressed and helpful; He didn't seem guilty to local investigators. However, he still exhibited many of the traits and behaviors described in the profile. Mullany and Teten believed that Meirhofer was just a psychopath who could lie easily. Meirhofer was named a suspect again a year later. On the first anniversary of Susan's abduction, her mother received a phone call from a man who claimed Susan was with him. Ms. Jaeger surprised the caller by forgiving him, causing him to cry. An attempt was made to trace the call but was unsuccessful, however voice analysis showed that the caller could have been Meirhofer. In 1974, a 19-year-old woman named Sandra Dyckman disappeared soon after declining a date with Meirhofer. A more thorough investigation was launched when human bone fragments were found at an abandoned ranch where he had worked. Mullany convinced Mrs. Jaeger to return to Montana and confront Meirhofer; when she did, he denied everything, but then called pretending to be someone else. Ms. Jaeger recognized his voice and the FBI was able to trace the call and arrest him. Having enough evidence for a warrant, detectives searched his home where they found human remains, including a hand, labeled "deer burgers." The hand was later identified as Sandra's. The day before Meirhofer committed suicide, he admitted to four murders, including that of Susan. Investigators believed he had schizopathy, which is a mix of psychopathy and schizophrenia (Ramsland). Criminal profiling is the process of identifying behavioral traits that leads investigators to personality traits, location and provides them with a description of the offender based on his or her characteristics and evidence left at the crime scene. Refers to the identification and description ofimportant information about the possible suspect in a serial case. Criminal profilers use information from similar cases and crimes to narrow down suspects. The objective is to identify a profile of the criminal, who has specific characteristics and interests, which can lead investigators to the perpetrator of the crime. Criminal profiling used mainly in cases of serial rape or murder. Psychological profiling is based on the behavior of the suspect (Zapf). It is mainly used when the crime may have been committed by someone with a mental illness. For example, if the victim's eyes are closed or taped off, the suspect is most likely autistic. This is because autistic people normally don't like to make eye contact. Plays in criminal profiling, due to psychologyused to understand the offender and some of his mistakes or ideas. However, not everyone is affected by a disease in the same way as others. Victimology is the type of profiling that profiles victims to find similarities, give investigators an idea about how the criminal chooses his victims and what he does to them. Serial criminals have victim typologies, which means that all their victims are somewhat similar (Research – Criminal Profiling). Serial criminals will pursue specific fantasies and rituals. Police have recognized how serial criminals follow specific patterns, such as the weapon they use, how they use it and the similarities between their victims. This helps investigators determine the type of offender, understand him better, and sometimes even identify him. If a victim escapes, they can help investigators find the perpetrator or help them understand why the perpetrator is killing. However, some victims are too shaken to talk to investigators (types of profiling). Profilers examine criminal behavior to discover the causes of their crimes and the characteristics of the offender. There are three areas that profilers examine in criminal behavior: verbal, physical, and sexual interactions with victims. To create a profile, profilers examine and consider statistics, basic psychological ideas, crime scene behavior, victimology, location, timing, and their own spending. Since the first profiling case, the profiling process has developed enormously (research – criminal profiling). “The basic premise is that behavior reflects personality.” Retired FBI agent Gregg McCrary explained it. For example, in murder cases, FBI agents examine personality through questions about the killer's behavior. When the first case of profiling occurred, profilers formulated educational hypotheses, psychological ideas, and common sense to create a profile. For years there was no effective process for criminal profiling. However, over years of brainstorming experience, educational hypotheses, and intuition, investigators have developed the skill through involvement with large numbers of cases and work experience. Today, the profiling process has seen profilers consider more questions and ideas than ever before. . In the profiling process, the antecedents, the method and methods, the disposition of the body and the behavior following the crime are taken into consideration. The antecedent is the fantasy or plan that the killer had in place before the act and what prompted him to act some days but not others. The method and methods concern the way in which the killer killed (shooting, stabbing, etc.) and the type of victims he chose; how similar they are. Disposal of the body occurs if the place where the body was dumped and the place where it occurred.