Profiling Violent Crimes: An Investigative Tool

by Ronald M. Holmes, Stephen T. Holmes

The second edition of Profiling Violent Crimes combines social and behavioural theory with practical criminology research to acquaint professionals and students with the general principles of profiling. New to this edition are chapters on the use of computers in profiling geoforensic information, paedophilia and arson. The authors provide a practical approach to assessing violent crimes and outlines crime scene elements which offer insight not only to the type of crime involved but also to the person who may have been involved in the commission of such a crime. They argue that profiling should be used as `yet another forensic tool to compliment a thorough investigation′.

Genres: True Crime, Nonfiction, Crime, Psychology

Paperback

First published October 1, 1989

Reviews

[Jane Vohden · Rating 2 out of 5]

I read this book for a class in profiling. The newest edition is somewhat dated.

[Judi · Rating 4 out of 5]

Insightful on many levels.

[Meaghan · Rating 3 out of 5]

I might have done better to find a more recent edition of this. My edition (written in I think about 1993 or 1994) and what it says about computers is quaintly out-of-date. It tells you how to write code to construct your own text-only computer database to compare different crimes, and speculates that one day in the far distant future there might be some kind of statewide or nationwide system that could monitor criminals and sort out suspects that match the profile.

[Matthew · Rating 3 out of 5]

I've got very little exposure to criminology literature but it did strike me as a fairly comprehensive survey of the subject. That said, I walked away unconvinced that profiling is a particularly useful tool for law enforcement rather than the source of an entertaining sub-genre of police procedurals.

[Sarah Yasin · Rating 3 out of 5]

this is one of the only resources available in my entire library consortium on the titular topic, so I am happy to have access to it. However, the sources cited in this resource are extremely old - some are 25 years old, and there is a serious need for newer case studies in this book. I would have liked to read a bit about Santa Muerte in this book.

[Justina · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is a great overview of exactly who criminal analysts analyze. While an in-depth look into a killer or bomber won't be found here, it's a great book to expand the brain beyond "serial killers are weird."

[Amber Moss · Rating 5 out of 5]

Brilliant! I'm studying Criminology at university next year and this was on the reading list! It was the best book I have read on this topic and this is just amazing! So much information in readable short paragraphs.

[Joshua Friesen · Rating 3 out of 5]

As a victim of a violent crime early in life, I find this stuff endlessly intriguing.