Profiling Violent Crimes: An Investigative Tool

Excellent information. Provides the novice writer and anyone else interested in investigating crime, a good background regarding types of criminals, investingation of the crime scene, etc. Well worth the purchase.

I am a college student majoring in Political Science and minoring in Criminal Justice. This book was used as a supplement for a Criminology course I took in the spring of 2004 and I have to say it is one of the best texts I have read for any of my classes. While it can be used as a text book it can also stand alone. I learned so much from this one book and would suggest reading it if you are interest in criminology.

A must-read for anyone interested in the world of profiling. It covers a broad range of material including profiling in general, crime scene analysis and profiling of serial murder, arson, rape, pedophilia and victims. It has a good chapter on geographic analyses and predatory criminals. While not a research publication itself, almost all material presented is linked by citation to a publication in its References section. It has a fair-to-good index. In my reading, this book is referenced by more publications on profiling and on serial killers than any other book.

This book is presented in a straightforward, easy-to-understand way. The authors cover the most important points of profiling, and I have used this book as a reference many times. Definitely a must have if you're a student in the field of forensic psychology!

If you are looking for really gory stories and lots of blood and perversion. This is not your book. If you have an genuine interest in crime analysis (or criminal profiling) on the other hand, this book is very much something you want to own and read many times. In a very easy to understand way the authors explains the art of profiling, how it's done, how to use a profile and how it shouldn't be used. This book also shows examples of less than perfect profiles, plus it shines a new, critical light, on the FBI behavioral science unit and some of it's profilers. Very interesting!