Criminal Psychology and Personality Profiling

Solving Crimes With Science: Forensics

by Joan Esherick

Defines criminal psychology and discusses criminal profiling and the dangers faced by professional criminal psychologists and profilers.

Genres: Psychology, Nonfiction, Crime, Science, True Crime

Library Binding

First published November 1, 2005

Reviews

[Hannah]

Very good research material for those interested in the psychological field of criminology. So for someone like me, it's hard not to love it!

[Abby Minnich]

This book is very interesting if you would like to work in the forensics field. I agree with it, but it seems repetitive with the work. It’s a very endearing viewpoint of a forensic psychologist. However, it does not touch on other fields that help with this line of work. For example: forensic anthropology, forensic entomology, forensic pathology, and forensic computer analyzation. Now these occupations are not always apart of police work but they do play an important role in criminal profiling and forensic psychology. Especially if the scientists and crime investigators are partnered together. I also know that these examples are not present in every crime case, but this book talks a lot about the FBI, so I am using a federal jurisdiction standpoint. I think the author could have used more precise examples when talking about criminal profiling. The author also uses mature topics, but she does not go deep within them. The points she talk about are commonly known to a widespread of people. Also, the author has substantial evidence with certain topics and points of this writing, but she also conjectures how and what every profiler/criminal would look like and act like. Overall I think this book is a good start to figuring out forensic criminal justice, but it could use work when talking about other basics needed for a successful outcome.

[Shellina Nefelibata]

2 1/2 stars.
Interesting information, great ideas on possible careers, but the book felt scattered and ill-planned. Also, a lot of the statistics were incorrect or misleading.

[Bella Grace Arledge]

kind of repetitive, but still a good read

[kei]

“Profilers make four assumptions: (1) Crime scenes reflect their criminals’ personalities. (2) A criminal will tend to use the same or similar modus operandi. (3) A criminal’s ‘signature’ remains the same. (4) The criminal’s personality will not change.”
About 30% to 50% of serial killers, 80% of sexual offenders, and nearly 100% of domestic abusers are motivated by a desire for control and power – because it makes them feel safe, even though it often is an illusion; but even that is more than enough motive for criminals to rip social and moral obligations apart. Once they achieve that kind of power, they won't let go. They repeat the same patterns, look for similiar victims, cling onto their unique, violent archetype without noticing the crime scene is a snowfield and they're walking out with boots on. They out themselves.

[Nat]

really informative even for beginners

[Fxaixy]

This book was okay. it was amazing information, just not a big fan or crinimal psychology. A really fast read tho

[Amy]

Very informative.