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Profiling Violent Crimes
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Profiling Violent Crimes
An Investigative Tool

Fourth Edition


December 2008 | 344 pages | SAGE Publications, Inc

"Excellent book, I have used this for my Criminal Behavior course for a number of years. Very authoritative."
—Harry Cramer, Quincy University

The Fourth Edition of this best-selling text provides students with the most up-to-date information on the increasingly popular field of psychological profiling. Well-known authors Ronald M. Holmes and Stephen T. Holmes build upon their continued research and involvement in field investigation as a source of relevant and often high-profile case studies to illustrate theory and application of the methods discussed. The text is particularly readable and engaging, making frequent use of illustrative tables and figures and presenting occasional photos.

New to the Fourth Edition

  • Offers a new chapter on Lizzie Borden (Chapter 14), analyzing this historic murder case with fresh insight and a unique analysis while retaining the chapter on Jack the Ripper, a classic unresolved serial murderer
  • Covers more recent events such as the killings at Northern Illinois University and Virginia Tech
  • Provides a new section on Santeria and the occult to understand the dogma and icons of these teachings and investigates reasons behind crimes committed by some followers
  • Offers guidance to students for online graduate programs, seminars, and degrees in criminal profiling
  • Includes updated tables and crime statistics throughout the text
  • Presents new photos to offer authentic representations of violent crimes and offenders

Intended Audience
This best-seller has long been a successful supplemental text for undergraduate criminology and criminal justice courses, including Criminal Investigation, Criminal Profiling, Violent Crimes, Criminal Behavior, Field Investigation, and Forensic Psychology.


 
Preface
 
1. Psychological Profiling: An Introduction
Inductive Versus Deductive Profiling

 
Goals in Profiling

 
Profiling: An Art, Not a Science

 
Conclusion

 
 
2. Profiling in Fantasy and Fact
Introduction

 
Sherlock Holmes: The Master Detective

 
Will Graham and The Red Dragon

 
Clarice Starling and The Silence of the Lambs

 
Zoe Koehler: A Female Serial Murderess

 
Alex Cross

 
Dr. Laszlo Kreizler: The Alienist and Angel of Darkness

 
Other Works of Fiction and Psychological Profiling

 
Profililng in Fact

 
Profile of a Rape Case

 
Case Profile: Mrs. Charlene L. Miller

 
Conclusion

 
 
3. The Rationale for Psychological Profiling
Personality and Crime

 
Biology

 
Culture

 
Environment

 
Common Experiences

 
Unique Experiences

 
New Ways of Viewing the Personality

 
Assumptions of the Profiling Process

 
Conclusion

 
 
4. Criminal Theories and Psychological Profiling
Theories of Crime and Criminality

 
Inidividual Theories of Crime

 
Social/Ecological Theories of Crime

 
Combining the Disciplines

 
 
5. The Analysis of the Crime Scene
Beyond the Physical Evidence

 
Psychological Profiling Typology

 
Crime Scene Differences

 
Conclusion

 
 
6. Arson and Psychological Profiling
What Is Arson?

 
Statistics on Arson

 
A View of the Firesetter

 
Typologies of Firesetters

 
Firesetting Experience

 
Organized Versus Disorganized Personality

 
Conclusion

 
 
7. Profiling Serial Murderers
Typology of Serial Murderers

 
Spatial Mobility of Serial Killers

 
Serial Murderers: General Characteristics

 
Profiling A Serial Murder Case

 
Conclusion

 
 
8. Psychological Profiling and Rape
Definitions of Rape

 
Statistics on Rape

 
Selected Characteristics of Rapists

 
Psychology and Rape

 
Typology of Rapists

 
Conclusion

 
 
9. Pedophilia and Psychological Profiling
Definition of Terms: Child Molester or Pedophile

 
Types of Pedophiles

 
Profiling Child Molester Types

 
Common Threads Among Child Molesters

 
Conclusion

 
 
10. Autoeroticism
What Is Autoerotic Sexual Behavior?

 
Traits and Characteristics fo Autoeroticism Practitioners

 
Autoerotic Scene Indicators

 
Conclusion

 
 
11. Profiling Satanic and Cult-Related Murders
Roots of Satanism

 
Satanism in the United States

 
The Satanic Bible

 
Types of Personal Involvement in Satanism

 
General Beliefs in Satansim

 
Satanic Masses

 
Satanic Ceremonies

 
Crime Scene Elements

 
Santeria and Occult Crimes

 
Conclusion

 
 
12. Geography, Profiling and Predatory Criminals
The Elements of Geographic Profiling

 
The Nature of Geographic Profiling

 
Computerized Geographic Analysis

 
Conclusion

 
 
13. Jack the Ripper
Introduction

 
Victim: Mary Ann "Polly" Nichols

 
Victim: Annie Chapman

 
Victim: Elizabeth Stride

 
Victim: Catharine Eddowes

 
Victim: Mary Kelly

 
Who Was Jack the Ripper?

 
Conclusion

 
 
14. Lizzie Borden
Key People in the Lizzie Borden Case

 
The Murders

 
The Crime Scene

 
Additional Thoughts

 
Conclusion

 
 
15. The Victim in Criminal Profiling
Elements in the Victim Profiling Process

 
Conclusion

 
 
16. The Future of Criminal Profiling
Additional Uses for Profiling

 
Education and Training for Profiling

 
Computerized Monitoring

 
Computerized Profiling

 
Online Graduate Programs, Seminars, and Degrees

 
Conclusion

 

"Excellent book, I have used this for my Criminal Behavior course for a number of years. Very authoritative."

Harry Cramer
Quincy University

Looking at a range of crimes and historical profiling and how this is carried out and to what ends, a great book to aid psychology a,d personalty profiling.

Miss Sam Ford
Psychology, Southend Adult Community College
July 18, 2019

This is a really interesting book written by authors with clear expertise in the area. Although I enjoyed the book, the approach is not quite suitable for my undergraduate audience who would have to try to apply the theoretical frameworks they are being taught to the content. It does provide some really useful case studies though which will be useful for students who want a better understanding of core topics. I will add this to their supplementary reading list though as I think students will find the book very accessible.

Dr Amy Burrell
Psychology , Birmingham City University
March 16, 2015

This book was found to be very practical and applicable to the subject field. This book is easy to read and understand and will most definitely add value to students registering for all investigation of crime modules and forensic investigation modules. This book will most definitely be recommended to the University of South Africa Library as well as the library of the South African Police Services.

Dr Juanida Horne
Police Practice, University of South Africa
February 2, 2015

This book is a phenomenal read. i found it very interesting and the information was clear and easy to read for all levels of learners. specifically the psychological theories for profiling criminals was very usual and has been adopted. Also it has been placed on the essential reading list.

Miss Amy Capper
access, Warrington Collegiate
January 26, 2015

An interesting read with some high profile cases

Dr Maria Ioannou
School of Human and Health Sciences, Huddersfield University
January 2, 2015

Text is right on topic for the class I am developing. Easy to read, easy to follow and extremely informative.

Dr Jeremy Olson
Criminal Justice, Seton Hill University
January 22, 2012

An engaging book, with some high profile case studies make this an interesting read.

Miss Frances Jackson
Public Services, Peterborough Regional College
October 8, 2011

The "science" of profiling crimes is examined in a US context that is both historical and contemporaneous context. There are very good examples and insightful observations upon the subject matter.

Mr Robert Bird
Life Sciences, Coventry University
November 18, 2010

A help for violent crime understanding

Mrs Colleen Moore
Dept of Humanities and Social Sciences, Anglia Ruskin University
November 10, 2010

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