ABSTRACT
As an introduction to the idea of ‘offender profiling’ a study is proposed in which descriptions of crimes are to be related to background information about perpetrators. This highlights the task of developing inferences about the characteristics of offenders from the details of their criminal activities. The task of creating such ‘profiles’ is so bound up in mythology and fiction that the task provides a context in which to explore the challenges of this process and to briefly review the development of a scientific approach to creating ‘profiles’.
The curious fascination with, and many publications about, serial killers provides a viable context for the proposed study. The distinctions between various forms of multiple homicide are considered, as well as approaches to distinguishing between different themes in serial killing. These differentiations are crucial for making any inferences about those who commit a number of murders.
