ABSTRACT
The insights of profilers and investigative psychologists are increasingly commonly utilised in the course of criminal investigations (see generally Ressler et al., 1988; Canter, 1989; 1994; 2003; Douglas et al., 1993; Holmes and Holmes, 1996; Douglas and Olshaker, 1996; 2000; Ormerod, 1996; kocsis and Irwin, 1997; Jackson and Bekerian, 1997; Canter and Alison, 1999; 2000a; 2000b; Ainsworth, 2000; Turvey, 2001; keppel and Birnes, 2003; Alison, 2005; kocsis, 2006). It has also been contended that because of certain characteristics of a crime scene, inferences can be made about the crime, the offender and the victim. These perceptions have prompted some to attempt to draw profiling from the realm of criminal investigations and to translate its fruits into criminal, civil and coroners’ cases in the courts.
