The Forensic Science of Criminal Profiling Essay - 1436 Words

The Forensic Science of Criminal Profiling Profiling: an invaluable tool for catching criminals and killers. Profiling is a relatively new approach to crime solving, put in place by forensic psychiatrists. Criminal profiling is the process by which a practitioner analyses information from a crime scene in order to create physical and psychological profile of the perpetrator. All information from a crime scene is a reflection of the criminals behavior. And this behavior can create a surprisingly accurate picture of the offender. (Forensic FAQ p. 2) Forensic science has been in practice for centuries; the first textbook on forensic science was printed in China during the 1200s; in the early 1800s, a technique was developed the†¦show more content†¦Profiling is a valuable tool for police work because it can help narrow the search for an offender, lower the potential number of victims, allow for better interrogation methods when a suspect is in custody and lastly the profiler can act as an expert witness and help ju rors understand motives of the offender. Profiling tries to determine specific characteristics about an offender: lifestyle, personal habits, occupation, gender, size, marital status, remorse or guilt, aggressiveness, skill level and education and so on. The goal is to identify and predict. Before a forensic profile can be created, a full forensic investigation of the crime must be performed. During the forensic investigation, several facts are observed: location of the crime, a public street or the victims house, condition the crime scene was left, whether it was neat or torn apart, body position and post or pre rigor mortis, force of entry or unlocked doors, the weather, temperature of surroundings, this could be the temperature of a cup of coffee or bowl of ice cream, patterns of blood and footprints. Physical evidence is then collected and preserved: blood, semen, weapons, fibers, hairs, fingerprints and footprints are also taken. Second, the characteristics of the crime scene are looked at. Photographs of the victim and scene are taken to determine how the crime was carried out. Investigators look at the type of weapons used, ifShow MoreRelatedCriminal Profiling, Criminal, And Forensic Psychology1226 Words   |  5 PagesCriminal profiling is another subject of criminal and forensic psychology, which is probably one of the oldest studies of forensic science. Criminal profiling has been called many things, such as behavioral profiling, crime scene profiling, criminal personality profiling, psychological profiling, and more recently even criminal investigation analysis. Criminal profiling’s history has come from a history of criminal behavior, the study of mental illnesses, and forensic examinations. Criminal profilingRead MoreEssay on Forensic Psychology Deals with Both Law and Psychology625 Words   |  3 PagesForensic (criminal) psychology is a job field that deals with both psychology and law. The field has experienced dramatic growth in recent years due to the role of popular movies, television programs and books popularizing the field. Often these individuals are depicted as vivid components in solving vicious crimes or timing out a criminal’s next home. While these depictions of certainly entertaining, yet these portrayals are not necessarily precise. Forensic psychologists play an instrumental roleRead MoreCriminal Profiling: Does it Really Work? Essay1468 Words   |  6 PagesCriminal profiling has become a very popular and controversial topic. Profiling is used in many different ways to identify a suspect or offender in a criminal investigation. â€Å"Criminal profiling is the process of using behavioral and scientific evidence left at a crime scene to make i nferences about the offender, including inferences about personality characteristics and psychopathology† (Torres, Boccaccini, Miller, 2006, p. 51). â€Å"The science of profiling rests on two foundation blocks, basic forensicRead MoreCriminal Profiling : The Criminal Investigative Approach, And The Scientific Statistical Approach Essay1516 Words   |  7 PagesOpening Informal criminal profiling has a long history. 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As well as looking at blue collar crime vs. white collar crime, how they are reported and measured by the FBI in their uniformed crime reporting. Also how blue collar crimeRead MoreForensic Criminology : Forensic Psychology And Psychologists822 Words   |  4 PagesForensic Psychology and Psychologists Forensic psychologists are helpful in many criminal investigations as well as civil investigations. These types of psychologists must have advanced knowledge in many areas such as clinical psychology, forensic science, and many legal matters. Their main job is to aid in police investigations and/or assist as an expert witness in both criminal and civil trials. Forensic psychology is a major part of psychology because it helps define who a criminal is andRead MoreDna Analysis : Dna Profiling725 Words   |  3 PagesTammy Venhuda Mrs. Paris P.4 English 7-8 10-20-17 DNA Profiling Hook: Have you ever thought about your personal DNA and why it is important to you? Besides showing factors of how you grow, develop, and function, your DNA has more to it. What is DNA profiling? DNA profiling is when someone uses DNA to identify someone, make sure someone is not being wrongly accused, or to claim criminals. But there are pros and cons to DNA profiling. This is because some people are for it and others are againstRead MoreDNA Profiling Essay example1376 Words   |  6 PagesFrom cases such as OJ Simpson to Chandra Levy, DNA profiling also called DNA fingerprinting or DNA typing has played a major role in the criminal justice system. The law enforcement community uses DNA profiling to rule out or identify suspects. Unlike hair microscopy, bite mark comparisons, shoe print comparisons, and firearm tool mark analysis, DNA typing has been developed through massive scientific research and has undergone meticulous scientific evaluation (Innocence Project). DNA is a foo lproofRead MoreDNA Profiling and Criminal Justice: Ethical and Legal Issues1079 Words   |  4 Pagesdefense in criminal trials and there has been no clear cut advantage gained by either side of the equation. The use of DNA evidence, often referred to as DNA profiling, has given police and prosecutors a new, and more reliable, means of identifying criminal but the cost of the procedure, the time involved, and the general unavailability of labs to perform the testing has caused DNA profiling to be used sparingly. On the opposite side of the ledger, DNA profiling has also allowed criminal defense lawyersRead MoreThe Effectiveness of DNA Profiling in Forensics Essay684 Words   |  3 Pages Forensics has been greatly enhanced by technology. DNA profiling is one of the technologies that has influenced efficiency and credibility of forensic evidence. The FBI first started using DNA in one of its cases in 1988. In Europe, the United Kingdom opened a DNA database in 1955 (Milena, 2006). The main use of the DNA is to compare the evidence collected at crime scene with the suspects. In addition, it helps to establish a connection between the evidence and the criminals. The investigations