Lesson Structure – Criminal Profiling

There are 10 lessons in this course:

1. Introduction to Criminal Profiling
   • Types of crime
   • Jack the ripper
   • FBI behavioural science unit
   • What is criminal profiling?
   • Intelligence profiling
   • Other related terms
   • Investigative psychology
   • Crime scene profiling/crime scene analysis profiling
   • Premeditation
   • Crime of passion
   • MMPI
   • Victimology
   • Linkage analysis
   • Modus operandi
   • Signature behaviour
   • The criminal profiling process
   • What is included in a profile?
   • How are criminal profiles used?
   • Role of profiling
   • Who uses profiling?
   • Contributions of psychologists, psychiatrists
2. Profiling Methods
   • Top down
   • Bottom up
   • Nomothetic vs. Idiographic profiling
   • Organised and disorganised offenders
   • Behavioural evidence analysis
   • Forensic analysis
   • Victimology
   • Crime analysis
   • Offender characteristics
   • Investigative psychology: statistical approach
   • Behavioural investigative advice
   • Geographical profiling
   • The main concepts of geographical profiling
3. Crime Scene Analysis
   • Crime scene evidence
   • Crime scene location
   • Crime scene type
   • Choice of victim
   • Targeted victim
   • Opportunistic victim
   • Method of approach
   • Method of attack
   • Force
   • Method of control
   • Patterns and linkages
   • Method of operating
   • Signature
   • Case linkages
   • Writing a crime scene analysis
4. Offender Characteristics
   • Who commits crimes?
   • Gender
   • Age
   • Relationships
   • Mental illness
   • Mental health and crime
   • Psychopathy
   • Sadism
   • Learning disabilities and crime
   • Gender and crime
   • Why are men more likely to commit crimes?
   • The general theory of crime
   • Nature & nurture
   • Sociological theories of why men commit more crimes than women
   • Sociobiological and evolutionary theories
   • Stereotyping and generalisations
   • Motives
   • Motivation
   • Understanding motive
   • Rapist motivational typology
5. Victimology
   • Understanding victim profiles
   • Goal of forensic victimology
   • Victim backgrounds
   • Victim biases
   • Exposure of victims to crime
   • Lifestyle factors
   • Traits
   • Behaviours
   • Professions
   • Situational factors
   • Victim timelines
   • Case study – knife crime
   • Victims of serial killers
   • Offender-victim relationships
   • Problems with victim profiling
   • Incorrect profile
   • Stereotyping and generalisations
   • Reliability
6. Offender Profiling – Sexual Crimes
   • Serial crimes
   • Types of sex crimes
   • Rape
   • Power reassurance type
   • Power assertive type
   • Anger retaliatory type
   • Anger excitement type (sadistic)
   • Serial rape
   • The use of profiling in rape cases
   • Finding the offender
   • Profiling rapists
   • Sexual murder
   • Cannibalism sexual murder
7. Offender Profiling – Violent Crimes
   • Murder
   • Anger
   • Profit
   • Ideology
   • Mental illness
   • Serial killers or serial murderers
   • Visionary killers
   • Missionary killers
   • Hedonistic killers
   • Control or power killers
   • Organised killers
   • Disorganised Killers
   • Mixed killers
   • Stages of serial killing
   • Mass murder
   • Types of mass killers
   • Pseudo commando
   • Disciple
   • Disgruntled employee
   • Family annihilator
   • Set and run killer
   • Genocide
   • Terrorism
8. Offender Profiling – White-Collar Crimes
   • Blackmail and extortion
   • Intimidation
   • Cybercrime
   • Phishing scams
   • Identity theft
   • Intellectual property infringement
   • Cyberstalking
   • Online harassment
   • Hacking
   • Fraud
   • Insurance reports
   • Unlawful sackings
   • Arson
   • Common profiles of white-collar offenders
   • Shoplifter profiler
   • Offender profile – hackers
9. Offender Profiling – Victimless Crimes, Consensual Crimes and Other Crimes
   • Theft & robbery crime
   • Workplace bullying
   • Corporal punishment
   • Domestic violence
   • Initiation ceremonies
   • Hazing
   • Self-defence
   • Neighbourhood disputes
   • Softer crimes
   • Case studies
   • The case of the Unabomber (Ted Kaczynski)
   • The case of the Beltway Snipers (John Allen Muhammad and Lee Boyd Malvo)
   • The case of the Boston Strangler (Albert Desalvo)
10. Profiling in Action
    • Profiling in action – Jeffrey Dahmer
    • Gathering information
    • Writing reports for divorce cases
    • Criminal profiling as expert witness testimony
    • Jury decision-making
    • Accuracy issues
    • Public perception
    • Miscarriage of justice in criminal profiling
    • The case of Richard Jewell (1996)
    • The case of Colin Stagg (1992)
    • The case of Ronald Cotton (1984)
    • The case of Gary Dotson (1977)
    • Why is criminal profiling important to society as a whole?
    • Outlook on profiling
    • Uses of profiling
    • The future of criminal profiling
    • Criminal profiling and artificial intelligence

Please Note:   At the end 0f each lesson there is an assignment to complete and forward to your Tutor for grading and  returned together with the Tutors feedback, with any relevant suggestions, comments, and if necessary, extra reading.

Learning Goals

• Describe the nature and scope of criminal profiling.
• Explain different methods used for criminal profiling.
• Describe how a crime scene may be analysed.
• Describe criminal offender characteristics.
• Describe different types of victims.
• Describe the common profiles of sex crime offenders and victim profiles.
• Describe the common profiles of violent crime offenders.
• Describe common profiles of white-collar crime offenders.
• Apply criminal profiling to victimless crimes, consensual crimes, and other crimes.
• Discuss the application of criminal profiling, and its importance to society.

HOW ARE CRIMINAL PROFILES USED?

Criminal profiles are often used when the police have little evidence to go on in relation to a crime. The profilers will use their prior knowledge and evidence from the crime scene to build an offender profile.

Offender profiles are used to help:

• Identify
• Apprehend
• Convict

An offender.

The profile will provide information on the likely characteristics of the offender, such as:

• Employment
• Marital status
• Education level
• Age
• Class
• Race
• Gender
• Etc

Role of Profiling

Profiling is one of the tools that might be used by the police when investigating a crime. Police ordinarily investigate a crime using standard investigative practices such as collecting and interpreting crime scene evidence.

For more serious crimes, that have proved difficult to solve using traditional methods, they may use criminal profiling. If criminal profiling is used, it is done to add to other forms of evidence. It is never used by itself to make a conviction. Therefore, profiling is an adjunct to other investigative methods.

Who Uses Profiling?

Currently there are very few fulltime criminal profilers, even in the United States where it is mostly used. Instead, profiling is a multidisciplinary skill that may be done by individuals from various backgrounds e.g., forensic scientists, psychologists, criminologists, detectives.

With improvements in methodology, it is anticipated that there will be more criminal profilers in the future.

What education or experience needed?

To be a criminal behaviour profiler in Australia the following education and experience is necessary:

• Education – a bachelor’s degree in psychology, criminology, or a related field. A master’s degree or PhD in psychology or criminology is preferred.
• Experience – relevant experience in law enforcement, corrections, or the mental health field is required and experience in interviewing and assessing offenders is also beneficial.
• Skills – the ability to think critically and analytically is essential and you should also be able to communicate effectively, both orally and in writing.
• Licenses and certifications – there are no specific licenses or certifications required to be a criminal behaviour profiler in Australia.However, some will have obtained the following certifications:
  • Certified Criminal Profiler (CCP)
  • Certified Forensic Interviewer (CFI)
  • Certified Crime Scene Analyst (CCSA)

In other countries, there are different requirements, such as a degree or higher qualification in criminology or psychology, plus experience in the field. The qualifications required will vary depending on which country the profiler works.

This is not to say that to work in criminal investigations requires a degree in psychology or criminology. Many investigators may gain their experience in other ways, such as in law enforcement, private investigation etc.

In addition to the above, criminal behaviour profilers should also have the following qualities:

• Empathy – The ability to understand and empathise with offenders is essential for building rapport and gaining their trust.
• Intuition – The ability to read people and assess their motivations is important for making accurate predictions about their behaviour.
• Patience – Criminal behaviour profiling can be a tedious process, so it is important to be patient and persistent.
• Be observant and analytical – Paying attention to things in the crime scene that other people may not even notice.

Contributions of Psychologists, Psychiatrists

Psychologists and psychiatrists play several roles in criminal behaviour profiling. They help law enforcement understand the psychology of a crime. Such as to understand the motivations of criminals, the dynamics of criminal groups, and the effects of crime on victims.

This information can be used to develop profiles of criminals and to target investigations.

These professions help to evaluate the mental state of suspects to determine if they are competent to stand trial or if they are suffering from a mental illness that may have contributed to their crime.

This information can help guide choices regarding how to proceed with a particular case. Mental health professionals may also offer remediation to wrongdoers to enable them to cope with the root reasons behind their illegal actions. This treatment can help to reduce reoffence and to make communities safer.

These specialists might be invited to provide testimony in a legal setting as recognised authorities. This declaration can facilitate jurors’ ability to make informed decisions.

Through their investigations, they hope to uncover the underlying mechanisms driving criminal conduct and develop practical means to combat it.

Throughout the 1970s, the FBI fostered a profiling approach that incorporated the skills of mental health experts. The program’s inception enabled the continued use of this distinction among law enforcement agencies. In that decade, psychologists and psychiatrists joined forces to develop a profiling tool for the UN.

The said software played a key role in examining the Rwandan massacre. In the last few years, mental health professionals have collaborated on innovative methods for crime profiling.

As time passes, the capacities of psychologists and psychiatrists in criminal profiling will likely advance. The deeper our grasp of criminal behaviour, the more relevant psychological insights will become to law enforcement personnel.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Here is a list of the most often asked FAQ’s.

General

Q. Why should I enrol with the Academy for Distance Learning?
A. Here at ADL, our students are our priority – we treat everyone as a unique individual.

Q. Do I need to buy text books?
A. No, as each module has been written by highly qualified industry professionals. The content of the material is presented in such a way that text books are not required. However, if you require additional reading your tutor will be able to supply a list.

Q. What happens if I have to stop studying for a while? (eg. become sick, go on holidays, have a baby, move house, etc)
A. It’s OK to take a break and start up your study at a later point in time. Just let us know.

Q. Is there an age limit?
A. There is no maximum age limit. We do however, have a minimum age limit of 18 years. Below that age parental consent would be required.

Q. Are your courses up-to date?
A. Our courses are revised and updated on a rotation system.

Q. Do you have a Cancellation policy?
A. Yes. We have a cancellation policy that is fair and equitable. For further details please click here.

Q. Will I have any opportunity to engage with other students?
A. We have a Student Community group based on facebook! If you don’t have a facebook account already, you could make one just for talking with fellow students on the group.

Enrolment

Q. When can I enrol/start?
A. You may enrol and start at any time of the year – it’s all self- paced.

Q. Can I study from anywhere in the world?
A. Our courses are available to anyone, anywhere in the world from the comfort of your own home. The course content is relevant to any country, culture or economy.

Q. How long do I have to complete the course?
A. You complete the course at any time that is convenient for you.

Q. Completing a 100 hour module – how long will it take?
A. For some students a 100 hour module will take approximately to 3- 6 months to complete. Others take less time and some even longer.

Assessment

Q. Assessment – how does it work?
A. For each 100 hour module you are assessed by assignments (at the end of each lesson) and a final one and a half hour exam (or you may elect to complete a Project, instead of sitting the exam) – the choice is yours – you sit for the exam in your own location.

Q. I don’t cope well with exams – what can I do?
A. You may elect to undertake a Project (set by your tutor) instead of sitting the exam. Projects are completed from your home and can usually take a couple of weeks to complete.

Q. If my assignment is not up to standard is there an opportunity to resubmit my work?
A. Yes –

Q. How many assignments do I need to complete for each module?
A. At the end of each lesson, there is an assignment – so if a course has say, 10 lessons, there would be 10 assignments.

Q. I am having difficulty attending workshops/industry meetings, what can be done?
A. If your course requires attendance at workshops, conferences, or industry meetings; alternative arrangements can be made in your country.

Qualifications

Q. Can I customize my diploma/higher qualification?

A. Not all educational institution’s certificates /diplomas meet everyone’s needs. The opportunity to Design Your Own Diploma at the Academy (subject to our approval) is an added bonus, not found at other colleges. You choose modules that you think will help you in achieving your goal.

Q. What do I get when I complete the course? Will I receive a transcript?
A. At the completion of all courses and providing all assignments and exam requirements have been met, you will receive your Award and a Transcript.

Tutors

Q. Our tutors – who are they?
A. We appoint Tutors and require that they must be currently active in their industry, with at least 5 years’ experience in their chosen profession.

Q. Can I contact my tutor at any time?
A. Yes – you have unlimited access to your tutor via email through our Online Classroom. You can always leave a message with ADL requesting your tutor to contact you. You decide on how much or how little contact you wish to have.

Q. Practical work – How is this done?
A. To find out more about this part of the course please visit the section on How Our Courses Work here.