Fact and Fantasy of Psychological Profiling

Psychological profiling is not a new concept. It has been practiced for centuries and has been the foundation of popular fiction from Sherlock Holmes to Clarice Starling. The Snook, Cullen, Bennell, Taylor, & Gendreau (2008) and Kocsis (2003) articles outline many of the preconceptions and misperceptions surrounding the field of forensic psychology as it is used in contemporary law enforcement. Television programs such as Law and Order, NCIS, Criminal Minds and the Mentalist have made psychological profiling a popular pastime. While the line between fact and fiction can often be thin and tenuous, the impacts that fiction and/or misinformation can have on reality can be enormous. What impact has there been, if any, on the public’s perceptions and beliefs about criminal behavior and the impact on law enforcement investigations, prosecution and trials due to the use of psychological profiling? Are these impacts positive or negative? Provide an example from your review of a scholarly journal to support your discussion.

Your initial post should be at least 300 words in length. 

Text

Bartol A., & Bartol C. (2019). Introduction to forensic psychology: Research and application (5th ed.). Sage Publications, Inc.

• Chapter 1: Introduction to Forensic Psychology

Articles

Bennell, C., Gendreau, P., Snook, B., & Taylor, P. (2008). The criminal profiling illusion: What’s behind the smoke and mirrors? Criminal Justice and Behavior, 35(10), 1257–1276.

• The full-text version of this article can be accessed through the SAGE Journals Online database in the University of Arizona Global Campus Library. The authors provide background into the foundations of criminal profiling and the theories upon which much of the field is based. This article will provide additional information that will assist you in the development of your discussion posts for this week.

Kocsis, R. (2003). Criminal psychology profiling: Validities and abilities. Journal of Offender Therapy and Comparative Criminology, 47(2), 126–144.

• The full-text version of this article can be accessed through the SAGE Journals Online database in the University of Arizona Global Campus Library. This article is about issues relevant to the validity of forensic psychological profiling as well as the ability of profilers placed in charge of such endeavors is discussed in depth. This article will provide additional information that will assist you in the development of your discussion posts for this week.