Serial crime : theoretical and practical issues in behavioral profiling

"Serial Crime: Theoretical and Practical Issues in Behavioral Profiling" examines serial predatory behavior and is comprised of two main parts.

The first section deals with behavioral profiling, and covers a variety of critical issues from profiling's history and the theoretical schools of thought to its treatment in the mainstream media.

The second edition includes new sections on the problems of induction, metacognition in criminal profiling and investigative relevance.

Part two deals more specifically with a number of types of serial crime including stalking, rape, murder and arson.

Chapters on each of these crimes provide definitions and thresholds, discussion of the offenders, the crime and its dynamics.

Considerations for behavioral profiling and investigations and the development of new paradigms in each area are interwoven throughout.

Topics are conceptually and practically related since profiling has typically seen most application in serial crimes and similar investigations.

The unique presentation of the book successfully connects the concepts and creates links to criminal behavior across crimes-murder, sexual assault, and arson-something no other title does. The connection of serial behavior to profiling, the most useful tool in discovering behavior patterns, is also new to the body of literature available and serves to examine the ideal manner in which profiling can be used in conjunction with behavioral science to positively affect criminal investigations.

This title provides a theoretical and practical foundation for understanding the motivation and dynamics in a range of serial offenses.

It illustrates the promise, purposes and pitfalls of behavioral profiling in the investigation of various serial crimes.

It includes numerous case examples that show the real world uses of behavioral profiling in investigations, as well as highlighting a variety of issues in understanding and investigating serial crime.