The Role of a Criminal Profiler in Investigation

Abstract

A criminal investigation is a complex task for law enforcement agencies that are constantly being improved for the benefit of society. It operates with direct and indirect evidence, yet the latter is often challenging to utilize without sufficient knowledge of the psychology of a criminal (Brandl, 2019). Criminal profiling is one of the methods of reducing the search range of a perpetrator. It gives law enforcement an image of a person who is more likely to commit a crime of a particular nature. The role of a criminal profiler is to analyze perpetrators for similarities in their behavior and personality to narrow the search range for investigators significantly. Social, economic, biological, and other factors often leave a print on one’s identity that can be traced to their possible motivation for turning to criminal activities (Durrant, 2018). Through logic and deduction, a criminal profiler can greatly improve the efficiency of any investigation and help apprehend even the most cunning offenders.

Introduction

The necessity to uphold the law remains at the top of priorities essential for society to function. Thankfully, social sciences continue to advance humans’ understanding of a mind of a criminal. With modern technological tools at their disposal, investigators can compile massive amounts of data in order to excel at their jobs. Nowadays, behavioral analysis is a vital feature of every investigation due to its potential to construct a model of a person that can serve as a primary reason for their apprehension. This research paper will analyze the investigation process and the role of a criminal profiler.

Criminal Investigation

A criminal investigation is a vital tool for governmental agencies, as it allows efficient and timely apprehension of perpetrators. It can be defined as a set of activities aimed at identifying the details of a crime and finding its culprit by acquiring and analyzing evidence (Brandl, 2019). Criminal investigations are rarely a direct and straightforward procedure, as offenders take time to develop their strategies to escape being brought to justice. The presence of witnesses, physical objects left by a criminal, and other inculpatory evidence found on a crime scene certainly make the process easier for law enforcement (Swanson et al., 2019). However, a major portion of clues often come from indirect or circumstantial evidence, which implies that there is a probability that a particular person has committed this crime, yet it does not prove this fact (Brandl, 2019). Drawing a line between direct and indirect pointers is a vital part of any criminal investigation.

Merely obtaining clues is not sufficient, as following the trail requires them to be put in order and identified correctly as valid ones. Evidence must be relevant, structured, and linked to each investigation’s goals (Swanson et al., 2019). The true nature of a crime is often concealed behind lies, false premises, misleading trials, and other distractions. The solvability of each case relies on the broadness of all available evidence. At this point, reducing the range of suspects becomes a paramount task for investigators, leading to the application of less straightforward and more complex solutions.

Criminal Profiling

Clues obtained from a crime scene are not always sufficient to guarantee an arrest, and this fact often puts investigators in a difficult position. Logic and deduction become primary tools in a long search for the right person. A crime must be explained, with multiple hypotheses outlining how and why it was committed (Durrant, 2018). Criminal profiling comes into play at this step since each type of offense is often linked with common signs associated with a particular behavior among past perpetrators (Durrant, 2018). Identifying the person who committed a crime is a challenging task that requires not only a meticulous analysis of evidence but also an in-depth knowledge of a potential offender’s personality.

Modern Theories and Practices in Criminal Profiling

Offender profiling plays a key role in modern investigations, as it gives information about perpetrators with great precision. Decades of information describing past crimes gave scientists the ability to reconstruct what could have led a person to commit an offense, such as their social status, biological factors, mental disorders, and probable childhood traumas (Durrant, 2018). This analysis can be further used after a suspect is arrested and there is the need to prove or disprove their guilt. For example, if criminal profiling has shown that the crime was likely committed by a psychopath, scanning a suspect’s brain functions can confirm this theory (Durrant, 2018). With this data, detectives can narrow their search range and develop a plan for future actions.

Nowadays, the amount of data in the possession of investigators enable them to study and deduct common characteristics of a criminal with great precision. Even if an offender is entirely unknown, the nature of their crime can be extrapolated to similar cases and suggest an expected lifestyle, type of personality, and motivation behind their actions (Ribeiro & Soeiro, 2021). It is up to a criminal profiler to assess all possible reasons behind the offense in question, requiring them to dig deep into a possible suspect’s history and link possible influences with motivations for a crime. All theories must be run through models of typical behavior created from the numerous examples of similar situations.

For this task, the theories and sources of comparison must be carefully selected by investigators. There are two distinct approaches to creating a profile of a suspect: idiographic and nomothetic (Ribeiro & Soeiro, 2021). The first method focuses strictly on factual data, leading to the creation of a profile from scratch using only the information from the case in question (Ribeiro & Soeiro, 2021). The nomothetic approach is more widespread and includes the extrapolation of case-specific factors in similar situations (Ribeiro & Soeiro, 2021). With the increase of available data and tools for its analysis, both methods will continue to expand and evolve into more precise and extensive tools for detectives to use.

Scientific Validity

It is worth noting that this process requires a high standard of scientific validity to be genuinely useful. This method is often utilized by enforcement agencies, yet scientific correctness is not always taken into consideration on a proper level (Ribeiro & Soeiro, 2021). Offender profiling may be met with prejudice, stereotypes, and other bias that make the conclusion of a behavioral analysis not only inefficient but also misleading (Petherick & Brooks, 2020). A criminal profiler must possess high knowledge of human behavior and be familiar with all available evidence before their opinion is taken into serious consideration. Mere suggestions are not sufficient for any meaningful actions, and generalization is strictly prohibited (Petherick & Brooks, 2020). With all factors adequately considered, behavioral analysis is a practice that has been widely accepted as a valid source of information that allows investigators to narrow down the list of suspects by a significant amount.

Direct Interactions and Criminal Profiling

Aside from creating a profile of a criminal, an investigator must apply his knowledge of psychology in direct confrontation with a potential offender. Through conversations with suspects, a criminal profiler must be able to compare the generated image of a criminal with a person who exhibits expected personality traits and fits solidly in an outlined model (Durrant, 2018). Their patterns of behavior and personality observed by a trained psychologist may suggest the existence of motivation behind a crime.

Conclusion

In conclusion, the modern approach to criminal investigation compiles methods from many social disciplines and technological advancements to generate data that allows law enforcement to apprehend offenders rapidly and prevent illegal activities. While direct evidence is a key factor in many criminal investigations, offenders do not always allow themselves to be caught so easily. Therefore, many indirect clues are gathered nowadays by detectives and police officers to be later processed through complex analyses that enable law enforcement to establish a clear picture of a potential suspect. Modern investigations cannot be imagined without interdisciplinary cooperation and the support of detectives’ work from all sources possible. Although this evidence is circumstantial and is not sufficient for an arrest, it can play a vital role in reducing the range of search and pointing directly at an offender. A criminal investigation is a complex set of processes that involve numerous scientific fields, with applied psychology being one of the most promising among others. Understanding the past, present, and future decisions taken by a criminal allows police officers and detectives to act with great precision and efficiency in resolving crimes.

References

Brandl, S. G. (2019). Criminal investigation (4th ed.). SAGE Publications.

Durrant, R. (2018). An introduction to criminal psychology. Routledge.

Petherick, W., & Brooks, N. (2020). Reframing criminal profiling: A guide for integrated practice. Psychiatry, Psychology and Law, 1-17. Web.

Ribeiro, R. A., & Soeiro, C. B. (2021). Analyzing criminal profiling validity: Underlying problems and future directions. International Journal of Law and Psychiatry, 74, 101670. Web.

Swanson, C. R., Chamelin, N. C., Territo, L., & Taylor, R. W. (2019). Criminal investigation (12th ed.). McGraw-Hill Education.