Psychological Profiling

Abstract

The development of psychological profiling is examined from its use during World War II to its use today in criminal investigation. This historical analysis includes Dr. James Brussels's work on the Mad Bomber and the “Boston Strangler” cases and then highlights three important dates in the development of psychological profiling: 1972, 1985, and 1994. This first date is when the Federal Bureau of Investigation began its pioneer development in psychological profiling. The second (1985) was psychologist Dr. David Canter's assistance to local police in England in the “Railway Rapist” case. And the third was the establishment of the first academic graduate degree program in investigative psychology by Dr. Canter at the University of Liverpool. Current profiling efforts include a discussion of the assumptions and goals of profiling and how the process of profiling is completed. Various critiques and evaluations of profiling are summarized. The future of profiling discusses issues of profiler licensing, standardizing the process, public versus private profilers, and profiling as an art or a science. New profiling techniques such as greater use of the computer in the profiling process and the decoding of narrative documents are included.