Offender profiling
A case analyst (also: Profiler and Profile Creator ) is usually a member of the police, who runs for the investigation of serious crimes operative case analysis.
Description
In the case analysis of the case analyst draws conclusions based on criminological findings on the basis of circumstantial evidence, crime scene and circumstances of the offense. He closes on the behavior of the offender and it can recognize patterns that can be placed on a statistical basis with specific socio - economic characteristics in conjunction with circumstances. So it is not necessarily the psychology, but rather it is the first Forensics, and then the criminology and sociology, are consulted as the most important auxiliary sciences. On criminal auxiliary techniques, among other DNA analysis and fingerprinting are used by case analysts.
A case analysis can provide decision support for the structuring of investigations, for example, that begin an investigation in the regional space and to 20 under certain circumstances - should concentrate to 40 -year-old men. Then, he looks can then be specialized, or mass DNA tests are performed by less logistical effort.
Demarcation
A case analyst does not create a " psychological offender profiles " as erroneously assumed. He also made no characteristic appearance and personality by an unknown offender, as this is not possible. The term "Profiler" or "profiling" for his services is because content inappropriate avoided. Even with the U.S. FBI there is no position or job description for "Profiler" or "profiling", we speak there rather of "criminal investigative analysis", which is performed by specially trained FBI detective.
Development
History
Since ancient times, people began to develop typologies. Certain personality traits should explain crime and possibly predict. First approaches can be found in the 5th century BC, when the founder of scientific medicine Hippocrates. The differentiation of human personalities in phlegmatic, sanguine, melancholic and choleric was made by Galen (2nd century AD).
The Italian physician and anthropologist Cesare Lombroso developed as a supporter of Darwinism, 1876, the doctrine of deliquento nato - the born criminal. According to his facial features, according to social, emotional and physical characteristics should be to recognize the " born criminal ". Lombroso's theories were already highly controversial during his lifetime.
In 1921, the criminal biology has been enriched by the Constitution biology of forgotten German psychiatrist Ernst Kretschmer. A penchant for certain crimes or offenses, such as homosexuality, which was still being prosecuted, Kretschmer arranged at certain body types. He distinguished the constitutional types endomorph, Leptosome, Athletiker and Dysplastiker. In practice, these findings have not been confirmed, but what their distribution did little demolition.
In the early 1930s, the successful Chief Inspector Ernst Gennat practiced already the case analysis.
The operative case analysis is not an American invention; Offender profiles have been previously used by criminal police authorities around the world. The English synonym profiling was first coined in 1978 by Robert Ressler, director of the department conduct research of the FBI, in popular literary publications. Within German investigative authorities, the term is largely avoided.
Recent Developments
The operative case analysis is carried out by specially formed continuously experienced police officers, criminologists (not criminologists ) and some psychologists. They have the same police experience and have the same internal police education and training. In general, there are detectives who have graduated after their police training with studies at a technical college or a degree in psychology at a university. In Germany there are at the Federal Criminal Office (BKA ) and the state criminal office ( LKA ) a number of operational case analysts. (Legal) Psychological Institute of the universities are also consulted as a scientific expert, for example, by research contracts ( Funded Projects ) for evaluation. In this case, however, criminological and social science institutes are consulted far more often because these subjects much more important auxiliary sciences for the case analysis provide as psychology. Extremely rare psychiatry is included as an auxiliary science, as opposed to legal medicine.
In the U.S. case, analysts are trained, among others, at the FBI Academy in Quantico in the. In addition, there are various private training institutions. Police departments are there largely independent and can decide whether to draw on outside forces in cases themselves.
Situation in Germany
In the State Criminal Police Offices of the Länder in the Federal Republic of Germany are currently working (as of October 2012) about 80 case analyst at the Federal eight.