CRIMINAL PROFILING - TEXTBOOKS


Practical Homicide Investigation
Vernon J. Gerberth
(1997)
960 Pages
 
 
     Granted it is one expensive book.  And yes its one big book (could hold things down in a tornado).  However it is likely the most important book the criminal profiler - forensic specialist will ever have.  It comprehensively and scientifically looks at every important aspect of crime scene analysis.
     Practical Homicide Investigation, Third Edition is the indispensable guide for students of criminalistics, as well as for professionals involved in homicide investigation. the new edition combines a straightforward presentation of detailed techniques with factual, instructive case studies. No investigator should be without this veritable encyclopedia of homicide investigation.

Features: 90 Case Studies, 480 photographs and illustrations, numerous checklists such as the essential 16 page Investigative Checklist, A Patrol Officer's Checklist, Police-Related Shooting Checklist, and checklists on suicide, fire, arson, Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS), Munchausen Syndrome-by-Proxy, and collection of evidence in sex-related homicide, information on "Suicide by Cop" -- when a person wants to be killed by a police officer, notification of death to next of kin -- psychological ramifications, etc.

 
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Crime Classification Manual
John Douglas, Ann Burgess, Allen Burgess, & Robert Ressler
(1997)
374 Pages
 
 
   This is the DSM of crime scene analysis.  Authored by previous FBI behavioural profilers and their colleagues, this manual takes a scientific approach to categorizing and analyzing crimes.   This (along with Practical Homicide Investigation) is quite possibly the most important book to ever exist regarding Criminal Profiling... and a bonus, its relatively cheap.  Learn with the text the FBI teachs profiling with!
 
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Sexual Homicide:
Patterns and Motives
Ressler, Burgess, & Douglas
(1996)
234 PAGES
 
 
      This text is the culmination of dozens and dozens of prison interviews performed by the FBI's behavioural science unit.  This first attempt to conceptualize and organize criminal profiling is what really made the FBI's BSU what it is today.  In my opinion this is one of the most important texts any potential profiler could ever read.  It systematically sets out the foundations by which the criminal mind is created and how we can understand such a mind.
 
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   NO PICTURE 
 AVAILABLE 
Profiling Violent Crimes (volume 2)
Holmes & Holmes
(1995)
 
 
     I have only had a chance to skim through vol. 1 of this text.  I was concerned about its lack of detail and scientific analysis.  However, Vol. 2 (the one available here) has included more then 100 additional pages, many of which have resolved some of my original issues.  Overall this text is a good guide to the processes behind criminal profiling.  This book is an excellent introduction to the science behind profiling.  I used this as a stepping stone from that knowledge gained in the layman's books such as 'Mindhunter' up to the more intricate "Crime Classification Manual" & "Practical Homicide Investigation".  Without this book I would of had difficulty conceptualizing a lot of the CCM and PHI which are not as rigidly structured.
 
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How to Solve a Murder: The Forensic Handbook 
Michael Kurland
(1997)
208 PAGES
 
 
     A very good introduction to general forensic crime scene analysis (not profiling).  When your done with the book you will no longer be a layman!  I especially enjoyed the section that described every single forensics related discipline in existence.  Do you know what area of forensic involves the study of insects to identify body decay and dumping sights?  You will once you've read this!  Which is a good thing because as a forensic scientist you better know who your colleagues are.
 
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