Criminal Profiling

Criminal Profiling &
Serial Killers
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What is criminal profiling?
Construction of a psychological,
behavioral and demographic profile of the
type of person likely to have committed the
crime
Usually applied to serial crimes (serial

murders, serial rapes)
First documented case
New York City 1950s

Mad Bomber
Psychiatrist James Brussell constructs a
profile:
White male, 40s - 50s

Lives with aunt or sister
Hates father, loves mother
Will wear double-breasted suit when
apprehended
Father of profiling
John Douglas
25 years with the FBI, Investigative Support

Unit
Developed profiling techniques now taught in
the FBIs Behavioral Science Unit
Consulted on Atlanta child murders, Green
River killer, Unabomber
What to look for
Signature
Signature - something done to fulfill or satisfy

the offenders emotional state
Not the same as Modus Operandi
Modus Operandi - what is needed to
complete the crime
What to look for
State of the crime scene
Gives clues about the type of offender

Age
Race
Motive
Organized vs. Disorganized
Organized crime scene:
Body is hidden
Weapon is removed from scene
Appears to be well-planned
The victim is specifically targeted
Restraints often used
Aggression takes place before death
Organized vs. Disorganized
Disorganized:
Body not hidden

Weapon is present
Appears to be spontaneous
Victim may be an acquaintance
Aggression or sex post-mortem
What does it all mean?
Organized crime scene suggests an

offender:
Average or above average IQ

Employed, usually quite skilled
Socially competent
Uses alcohol in commission of crime
Uses car to drive to crime scene/hunt for
victim
Obsessed with media coverage of his crimes
What does it all mean?
Disorganized crime scene suggests an

offender:
Below average IQ
Unstable employment record, unskilled
Socially isolated
Lives close to crime scene
Strict discipline as a child
Extremely anxious
Criminal Profiling
Statistics from FBI (1981)
88 cases solved using profiling out of 192

17% of these cases were solved by profiling
ALONE
Canada & Profiling
VICLAS (violent crime linkage analysis)
Computer matches crimes with similar

characteristics
Canada & Profiling
New technique developed by Canadians:

Geographic profiling
Determine offenders location by studying the

location of the crime scenes
Computer program generates offenders most

likely location & possible future target areas
Serial Killers
Definition of a Serial Killer
Murder of three or more persons

Involves a distinctive cooling off period
Can be days to months to years
Differs from Mass Murder (3+ persons

killed together) & Spree Killing (3+
persons killed in short period of time at
different locations)
Typical serial killer
White male
Late 20s to early 30s
Kills within his own race
Method of murder is hands on
(strangulation or stabbing)
Victims selected because they share
specific characteristics (for example, Ted
Bundy chose young women with long
hair, parted in the middle)
The Lust Murderer:

subtype of a serial killer
Sadistic and brutal crime

Committed almost exclusively against
women
Two types of offenders:
Organized Nonsocial
Disorganized Asocial
Organized Nonsocial
Indifferent to the well-being of others

Self-centered and narcissistic
Manipulative and cunning
Lives away from crime scene
Crime appears controlled, methodical
Pre and post-mortem mutilation and
torture
Organized Nonsocial
Evidence of necrophilia
Returns to crime scene to see status of
investigation
Wants his crime to outrage the community;
feels he is getting even with society
Described by others as a loner

Inexperienced in relationships, unable to
socialize
Crime is committed in a frenzied manner
Lives close to crime scene because he
feels safe and secure in his own
neighborhood
Weapon of opportunity - demonstrates
lack of plan
Post-mortem mutilation
Insertion of foreign objects
Biting or slashing of breasts, genitals
an inquisitive child with a new toy

Exploring how body works
Returns to crime scene often to continue

mutilation
Example of lust killers
James Russell Odom & James Clayton

Lawson
Met in a mental institution

Talked about their fantasies regarding
women: Odom raping and Lawson mutilating
Their crime:
Kidnapped, raped and brutally mutilated a

woman
Lust Killers
Lawson quoted as saying:
I wanted to cut her body so she would not

look like a person and destroy her so she
would not exist.
I did not rape the girl. I only wanted to
destroy her.
Profiling a Serial Killer: The

Trailside Killer
San Francisco Mount Tamalpais August

1979
Edda Kane (44 years) found dead

Facedown, kneeling position
Single gunshot wound to back of head
No evidence of sexual assault
No robbery
Trailside Killer
March 1980
Barbara Schwartz (23 years)

Stabbed in chest
Naked, kneeling position
October 1980
Anne Alderson (26 years)

Shot in head
BUT: not naked, not kneeling
Trailside Killer
November 1980
Shauna May (25 years)

Found in a shallow grave NEXT TO Diana O
Connell (22 years) who had been missing for
one month
Both shot in head
Trailside Killer
Same day: two more bodies
Richard Stowers (19 years) and fiancee

Cynthia Moreland (18 years)
Determined to have been killed the same
weekend as Anne Alderson in mid-October
Trailside Killer
March 1981
Henry Cowell Redwoods State Park

Ellen Marie Hansen (20) & Steven Haertle
Threatened to rape Ellen, shot & killed her
when she protested
Steven was shot but survived
Able to give a description of the man
Trailside Killer: Constructing

a profile (John Douglas)
Crime scenes in secluded areas only

accessible by foot: Killer was comfortable
in area, a local
Victims attacked from rear in blitz-style

attack: Killer was asocial, not able to
charm victims with conversation. Blitz-style
attack was the only way he could control
victims

a profile
Victims ranged in ages and

appearance: Killer didnt know victims.
He is acting out a fantasy
Victims were white: Killer is white
Able to evade police: Low to mid 30s
Probably spent time in jail, possibly
attempted rape
Blue-collar work

a profile
Very intelligent
Not random act - precipitating stressor
History of bed-wetting, fire-starting
and/or cruelty to animals (as a child)
SPEECH IMPEDIMENT
Secluded, didnt want to be seen

Relied on over-powering victim
Indicates a disability, but unlikely physical
because was able to control victim
Trailside Killer Caught
David Carpenter
White male, 50 (*profile of age incorrect)

Industrial arts teacher
History of attacking women and served jail
time
Domineering and abusive mother
Bed-wetting & cruelty to animals as a child
SEVERE STUTTER

Criminal Profiling

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What is criminal profiling and what are some examples of its early uses?

What is criminal profiling and what are some examples of its early uses?

What are some characteristics that criminal profilers look for in organized vs disorganized crime scenes?

What are some characteristics that criminal profilers look for in organized vs disorganized crime scenes?

Criminal Profiling &

What is criminal profiling?

Usually applied to serial crimes (serial

First documented case

New York City 1950s

White male, 40s - 50s

25 years with the FBI, Investigative Support

What to look for

Signature - something done to fulfill or satisfy

What to look for

State of the crime scene

Gives clues about the type of offender

Organized vs. Disorganized

Organized crime scene:

Organized vs. Disorganized

Body not hidden

What does it all mean?

Organized crime scene suggests an

Average or above average IQ

What does it all mean?

Disorganized crime scene suggests an

Statistics from FBI (1981)

88 cases solved using profiling out of 192

Canada & Profiling

VICLAS (violent crime linkage analysis)

Computer matches crimes with similar

Canada & Profiling

New technique developed by Canadians:

Determine offenders location by studying the

Computer program generates offenders most

Definition of a Serial Killer

Murder of three or more persons

Can be days to months to years

Differs from Mass Murder (3+ persons

Typical serial killer

The Lust Murderer:

Sadistic and brutal crime

Indifferent to the well-being of others

Described by others as a loner

Insertion of foreign objects

Biting or slashing of breasts, genitals

an inquisitive child with a new toy

Returns to crime scene often to continue

Example of lust killers

James Russell Odom & James Clayton

Met in a mental institution

Kidnapped, raped and brutally mutilated a

Lawson quoted as saying:

I wanted to cut her body so she would not

Profiling a Serial Killer: The

San Francisco Mount Tamalpais August

Edda Kane (44 years) found dead

Barbara Schwartz (23 years)

Anne Alderson (26 years)

Shauna May (25 years)

Same day: two more bodies