November 14 // Criminology & Death and Dying

[drgrissom.livejournal.com]

Criminology
Today we will begin a unit on criminal profiling. Criminal profiling is used mostly by behavioral scientists and the police to narrow down an investigation to those suspects who possess certain behavioral and personality features that are revealed by the way a crime was committed.

Introductory Lecture

Criminal profiling can be broken down into seven steps:

1. Evaluation of the criminal act itself (i.e. modus operandi: what the offender does to effect the crime; signature: why he does it, the thing that "fulfills" him emotionally).
2. Comprehensive evaluation of the specifics of the crime scene or scenes.
3. Comprehensive analysis of the victim or victims (victimology).
4. Evaluation of preliminary police reports.
5. Evaluation of the medical examiner's autopsy protocol.
6. Development of a profile with critical offender characteristics.
7. Investigative suggestions predicated on construction of the profile.

Discussion: What are your initial reactions to this process? Is it a good method for the police to be able to use their resources most effectively during an investigation? Is it morally or ethically wrong to use a profile? Is there anything in the lecture that you made special note of?

Homework: Read the chapter on Applied Victimology.


Death and Dying
Please have a seat, and share your homework assignment with the class, which was to find an example of a death that can not be explained by scientific means.

Homework: I would like you to review what type of deaths are required by law to be investigated in the state of Virginia.

Comments

Criminology : November 14

[drgrissom.livejournal.com]

Welcome.

Re: Criminology : November 14

[whitedeathpod.livejournal.com]

"My initial thoughts are that criminal profiling is a good idea that is getting a bad reputation right now. The media seems to focus solely on times when criminal profiling is viewed as racist and/or biased and ignore times when it works to catch a criminal."

Re: Criminology : November 14

[drgrissom.livejournal.com]

"That's an interesting perspective, thank you."

Re: Criminology : November 14

[maias-notebook.livejournal.com]

signs in looking tired but happy.

I agree with John, the media colors it as a bad thing when in fact the profiling helps catch criminals all the time.

Re: Criminology : November 14

[drgrissom.livejournal.com]

"Interesting, thank you Maia," Grissom smiles warmly.

Re: Criminology : November 14

[maias-notebook.livejournal.com]

Maia smiles back softly she was worried about Grissom.

Re: Criminology : November 14

[chasingangela]

"I have no problem with profiling in theory, but I think it's like the death penalty -- too often it's used in biased ways. And that is dusgusting."

Re: Criminology : November 14

[drgrissom.livejournal.com]

"Good observation, Angela. Thank you."

Re: Criminology : November 14

[mycanonhatesme]

Chloe bites at her lip for a second before answering. "I don't know, I'm sort of torn. I know profiling can be useful in a lot of cases, especially chronic and serial ones, and it would be idiotic to ignore how successful profiling is simply because some cases of the procedure are improper and unethical, like racial profiling. But on the other hand, that sort of profiling does happen, so while it's a successful system, it certainly isn't a flawless one, and that has to be taken into consideration."

Re: Criminology : November 14

[cameronmitchell.livejournal.com]

"I think a profile is a good basis to start from. As long as the investigation isn't limited to what is written down and the investigator don't forget to think outside of the categories that are handed to them."