Criminal Profiling the Popular Tv Shows 2
Criminal Investigative Psychology
Criminal Profiling
Christina Gooden
English 122
Mrs. Bowman
May 10, 2010
Criminal Profiling has been made a desired profession by the popular TV shows such as Law and Order and Criminal Minds, but in reality, criminal profiling has been a source for Law Enforcement since the early 1100s. The first documented use of criminal profiling was the demonization of Jews, better known as “Blood Libel”. These accusations are still used against Jews today, unfortunately. Criminal Profiling was also used in the Salem Witch Trials to decide who could be classified as Witches and the Spanish Inquisition in order to identify Muslims. The tactics and knowledge base that was used almost one thousand years ago, is still used today and will continue to be the basis of Criminal Profiling for many years to come.
What exactly is Criminal Profiling? Well, in order to understand what criminal profiling is, someone must understand what a criminal profile is. “A criminal profile is a collection of inferences about the qualities of the person responsible for committing a crime or a series of crimes.” (Turvey, 2008, p. 43). The inferences Turvey is speaking of are based on evidence and common sense, or reasoning. Criminal Profiling is a Forensic Science, and like any Science, is concluded by theories and patterns, and more often than not, a crucial part to determining who a suspect could be when no eye witnesses are available. A criminal profiler will create a psychological profile of a suspect to aid Law Enforcement in the identification and location of the suspect by merely what they know about human behavior, motivation, and mental illness. (www.wcupa.edu.). A large number of criminals have been detained using criminal profiling.
There are many TV shows that portray Criminal Profiling as a glamorous position within the Criminal Justice Field, this, unfortunately, couldn’t be farther from the truth. A criminal profiler will very seldom
Criminal Profiling
Christina Gooden
English 122
Mrs. Bowman
May 10, 2010
Criminal Profiling has been made a desired profession by the popular TV shows such as Law and Order and Criminal Minds, but in reality, criminal profiling has been a source for Law Enforcement since the early 1100s. The first documented use of criminal profiling was the demonization of Jews, better known as “Blood Libel”. These accusations are still used against Jews today, unfortunately. Criminal Profiling was also used in the Salem Witch Trials to decide who could be classified as Witches and the Spanish Inquisition in order to identify Muslims. The tactics and knowledge base that was used almost one thousand years ago, is still used today and will continue to be the basis of Criminal Profiling for many years to come.
What exactly is Criminal Profiling? Well, in order to understand what criminal profiling is, someone must understand what a criminal profile is. “A criminal profile is a collection of inferences about the qualities of the person responsible for committing a crime or a series of crimes.” (Turvey, 2008, p. 43). The inferences Turvey is speaking of are based on evidence and common sense, or reasoning. Criminal Profiling is a Forensic Science, and like any Science, is concluded by theories and patterns, and more often than not, a crucial part to determining who a suspect could be when no eye witnesses are available. A criminal profiler will create a psychological profile of a suspect to aid Law Enforcement in the identification and location of the suspect by merely what they know about human behavior, motivation, and mental illness. (www.wcupa.edu.). A large number of criminals have been detained using criminal profiling.
There are many TV shows that portray Criminal Profiling as a glamorous position within the Criminal Justice Field, this, unfortunately, couldn’t be farther from the truth. A criminal profiler will very seldom
References: Anonymous. (2010). Psychology & Psychiatry Journal. p. 56. Retrieved April 20, 2010, from ProQuest Direct database. Moenssens, A., Starrs, J., Henderson, C., & Inbau, F. (1995). Scientific Evidence in Civil and Criminal Cases, 4th Ed., (New York: Foundation Press, 1995), pp.1146-1147 Turvey, B. E. (2008). Criminal Profiling : An Introduction to Behavioral Evidence Analysis. Winerman, L. (2004). Criminal profiling: the reality behind the myth. Vol. 35, No. 7. [Print version] p. 66. Ault, R. L., Reese, J. T., (1980). Psychological Assessment of Crime Profiling: Inside the Criminal Mind. FBI Law Enforcement Bulletin (March 1980)