There is a great deal of mystery surrounding criminal profilers. Until relatively recently, the potential investigative usefulness of criminal profilers, such as their ability to crack cases and help apprehend serial and mass murderers, was not commonly known. In addition, much of what was widely known was garnered from fictional television shows and movies. During the past decade, however, literature has been devoted to examining the role of criminal profilers and how they aid law enforcement in certain cases. Of all the different types of violent and predatory crimes criminal profilers can help with, serial and mass murderer profiling is perhaps the most fascinating. For serial and mass murder cases, criminal profilers use information from crime scenes and empirical research to construct a profile of the murderers. However, criminal profiling has undergone a number of changes in its evolution as a professional field, many of which you consider this week. These changes have had a significant influence on current criminal profiling techniques. This week, you also become acquainted with the roles and responsibilities of criminal profilers. The most obvious responsibility of a criminal profiler is to develop a profile of a criminal so that law enforcement has a general idea of whom to search for. There are a number of other responsibilities, too, such as providing interviewing strategies during the interrogation of suspects. After reading about the roles and responsibilities of criminal profilers, you might assume that they always create accurate profiles that quickly crack cases. This is not necessarily true. Criminal profiling is part art and part science. Although more and more attempts are being made to steer criminal profiling into a science, there will always be an element of art in criminal profiling. Even the most highly touted criminal profilers are sometimes incorrect in their depictions of perpetrators. Keep in mind that while criminal profilers can be helpful to law enforcement, they are just one resource among many that ultimately lead to the detection and apprehension of serial and mass murderers. To prepare for this assignment: Review Chapter 1 of your course text, Profiling Violent Crimes: An Investigative Tool. Pay attention to how criminal profilers use deductive and inductive logic to construct profiles of serial and mass murderers. Also reflect on the goals of criminal profilers and how they aid enforcement in apprehending serial and mass murderers. In addition, consider whether criminal profiling is more of an art or a science. Review Chapter 2 of your course text, Profiling Violent Crimes: An Investigative Tool. Pay special attention to the section entitled "Profiling in Fact." Consider how criminal profiling was used in each of these cases. Read Winerman, L. (2004). “Does profiling really work?” Think about how profiling may help a hinder a criminal investigation. Think about how the criminal profiles of serial and.

1. There is a great deal of mystery surrounding criminal profilers.
Until relatively recently, the potential investigative usefulness
of criminal profilers, such as their ability to crack cases and
help apprehend serial and mass murderers, was not commonly
known. In addition, much of what was widely known was
garnered from fictional television shows and movies. During the
past decade, however, literature has been devoted to examining
the role of criminal profilers and how they aid law enforcement
in certain cases. Of all the different types of violent and
predatory crimes criminal profilers can help with, serial and
mass murderer profiling is perhaps the most fascinating. For
serial and mass murder cases, criminal profilers use information
from crime scenes and empirical research to construct a profile
of the murderers. However, criminal profiling has undergone a
number of changes in its evolution as a professional field, many
of which you consider this week. These changes have had a
significant influence on current criminal profiling techniques.
This week, you also become acquainted with the roles and
responsibilities of criminal profilers. The most obvious
responsibility of a criminal profiler is to develop a profile of a
criminal so that law enforcement has a general idea of whom to
search for. There are a number of other responsibilities, too,
such as providing interviewing strategies during the
interrogation of suspects. After reading about the roles and
responsibilities of criminal profilers, you might assume that
they always create accurate profiles that quickly crack cases.
This is not necessarily true. Criminal profiling is part art and
part science. Although more and more attempts are being made
to steer criminal profiling into a science, there will always be
an element of art in criminal profiling. Even the most highly
touted criminal profilers are sometimes incorrect in their
depictions of perpetrators. Keep in mind that while criminal

2. profilers can be helpful to law enforcement, they are just one
resource among many that ultimately lead to the detection and
apprehension of serial and mass murderers.
To prepare for this assignment:
Review Chapter 1 of your course text, Profiling Violent Crimes:
An Investigative Tool. Pay attention to how criminal profilers
use deductive and inductive logic to construct profiles of serial
and mass murderers. Also reflect on the goals of criminal
profilers and how they aid enforcement in apprehending serial
and mass murderers. In addition, consider whether criminal
profiling is more of an art or a science.
Review Chapter 2 of your course text, Profiling Violent Crimes:
An Investigative Tool. Pay special attention to the section
entitled "Profiling in Fact." Consider how criminal profiling
was used in each of these cases.
Read Winerman, L. (2004). “Does profiling really work?” Think
about how profiling may help a hinder a criminal investigation.
Think about how the criminal profiles of serial and mass
murderers have changed throughout recent history. In doing so,
consider how historical profiling practices have influenced
current practices.
Think about the roles, goals, and responsibilities of
contemporary criminal profilers in criminal investigations.
Consider how profilers, through their roles, goals, and
responsibilities, might aid in and impede the detection and
apprehension of serial and mass murderers.

3. The assignment (1–2 pages):
Explain how historical profiling practices have influenced
current profiling practices. Be specific.
Briefly describe the roles and responsibilities of profilers in
criminal investigations.
Explain how profilers, through their roles, goals, and
responsibilities, might aid in and impede the detection and
apprehension of serial and mass murderers. Be specific and use
examples to illustrate your explanation.