ABSTRACT
As with any criminal investigation, and particularly in serial rape investigations, understanding the offender’s psychological preferences can be an invaluable tool to the investigator, particularly when making investigative choices. In serial rape cases, the investigative choices that confront us are multiplied exponentially with each attack. The insight that profilers provide is an extra dimension that can help investigators navigate through the many choices by steering the investigation in a logically sound and efficient manner. Profilers provide an insightful view of the criminal activity under investigation that helps investigators understand the motivational aspects of the assailant’s crimes. Once investigators are able to step into the rapist’s shoes, they can gain valuable information regarding his preferences and can be more receptive to new leads that might emerge. This added information could be used to mount a more comprehensive campaign to find the attacker before he strikes again and to deploy personnel more efficiently.
