Criminal Profiling
Introduction
Criminal profiling is the mechanism used to characterize an individual as a perpetrator of particular illegality distinctively. Unlike entertainment programs, criminal profiling cannot be equated to deviant behavior such as smoking and alcoholism. The majority of criminal profiling models need the application of logistics, skillset, and specialized analysis. However, there are no governing bodies that are put in place to ensure that criminal profiling is done according to standardize criminal justice procedures. As most statistics concur, most criminal profilers have no experience or a stable background against which they can rely on credible criminal profiling. Thus, the research's main aim is defining criminal profiling as a way of preventing wrongful convictions.
The Purpose of the Study
Criminal profiling's primary aim is the collection and analysis of data that can then be presented in court for convicting a criminal. Hence, the aim of the research needs to be twofold. Even though principally, the research aims to cater to the needs of criminology students, medical experts, and investigators, it also informs on regulating criminal profiling by affording it to qualified people (Itulua-abumere, 2011). The unveiling of criminal profiling systems and forensic science is one of the ways of building upon already existing frameworks and eradicating loopholes of weaknesses that can be found within the systematic criminal justice system. This way, the research can answer the underlying questions on criminal profiling. Systematically approaching the issue of criminal profiling is divided into two types- geographical and personal characteristics. The latter is familiar and known to most people due to its prominent and sensationalize approach.
Research Problem
The subject of criminal profiling is common among most members of the public. Its current presence in public spaces has given it the much-awaited attention it has been waiting for in the media. Most television programs and biopics have centered their topic on criminal profiling. Unfortunately, how the media perceives criminal profiling usually is inaccurate. The primary reason for falsely presenting criminal profiling is to insinuate that criminal profiling is an easy skill that does not need critical thinking skills. Due to this misinformed notion, the general perception around criminal profiling is tied to specific people or even mannerisms. The truth that no one can tell a criminal behavior by just looking at a criminal (Itulua-abumere, 2011). Criminal profiling supporters are people who have fully grasped the entire criminal profiling system in its entirety and have virtually come to terms with its beneficial role in the criminal justice system. Therefore the public needs to understand criminal profiling investigative mechanisms attached to it. Also, most of the law enforcers do not know criminal profiling techniques. Hence it is essential to come up with ways of addressing criminal justice issues and ensure that the men and women serving in the police force are well versed with the issues about criminal justice profiling.
Research Questions
What is criminal profiling? Criminal profiling defines a perpetrator’s characteristics from the crime site’s context. In the meantime, one has to come to terms with criminal profiling is a progressive investigative way of attaining credible information regarding a particular crime. Later the investigators can collect all the reliable data of the criminal. For instance, an investigator can determine the criminal's age, the criminal's sex, and past employment records. From this data, the investigators can begin working on the case while mapping out the entire scenario as the perpetrator of the crime carried it out. In coming to terms with the actual underlying issues, one has to draw out names of places the criminal has ever been to and the hobbies they engaged in before the eventful day when he went to commit the crime (Itulua-abumere, 2011). Also, the chance to narrow down a person who has been to the same location and rule out other activities that did not contribute to the crime is one of the most profound things about criminal profiling. Also, a qualitative research design helps to provide answers from how criminal profiling can be rectified in the long run.
To what extent is criminal profiling useful? As stated earlier, when divided into geographical and personal characteristics, it covers all the mannerisms needed to come up with the narrowed down aspects of the crime scene (Itulua-abumere, 2011). The investigators have to come up with ways of finding the perpetrator but with more than one way of implementing the change.
The Describing Design of the Study
The research's methodical individual approach was utilized to analyze geographical profiling in criminological fields (Itulua-abumere, 2011). The aim of analyzing criminal profiling based on criminology principles is to help isolate zones the perpetrator was likely to visit before committing the crime. This way, his movements, and routine can be traced, and his next move predicted.
Qualitative Research Design
The research used past data ad literature on the same subject matter hence helping to cover more than one aspect of the topic extensively without wasting time. The research was qualitative because it sought to answer why criminal profiling has not yet been defined in the criminal justice systems of the world (Itulua-abumere, 2011). Also, the goal of qualitative research design is to align the research goals and come to terms with the conclusive findings of the entire research.
Methodology
The methodology relied on rapists and serial arsonist testimonials. The aim was to collect as much information as possible on these types of criminals (Itulua-abumere, 2011). Later, the researchers were to find a pattern of activities that tied the rapists and serial arsonists together. All the data were obtained from past literature. Even though perpetrators might change their geographical location, the same can be said about other criminals who wish to hide their illegalities and criminal activities.
Population
The research used geographical profiling mechanisms to analyze 1426 crimes that were investigated in the recent past (Itulua-abumere, 2011). These past investigations' effectiveness was analyzed and critically reviewed in terms of the crime scene's area and size.
Sampling Methods and Return Rate
Knowing how effective criminal profiling is assessed through the previous investigation on the same issue (Itulua-abumere, 2011). Previous studies revealed that criminal profiling is not yet dependable; hence its validity is to be questioned. In past examinations, 152 law enforcer’s psychologists were unsure if the present criminal profiling systems would give accurate and dependable criminal profiling.
Conclusions and Findings
Criminal profiling has gained interest due to its emergence in television crime series and documentaries, hence capturing the public and even scholars' interests. The chance and time to create a new system will depend on available and credible data on the current data's effectiveness. If a criminal profile is inaccurate, it might create misleading details, preventing law enforcers from capturing the criminal in a timely manner.
Reference
Itulua-abumere, f. (2011). (PDF) Criminal Profiling. ResearchGate. Retrieved 8 January 2021, from https://www.researchgate.net/publication/260083326_Criminal_Profiling.
