Development of a Criminal Profiling Instrument

Abstract

This study summarizes the steps of developing a Criminal Profiling Instrument. Criminal Profiling (CP) is one of the crucial topics in forensic psychology. CP comes into prominence especially in investigations which there is no relationship between the offender and the victim, no rational cause for committing the crime and no crime scene evidence is available. CP initially emerged fictionally, in movies, in novels. However, after the establishment of Behavioral Science Unit in FBI Academy, CP has been used more systematically. Criminal profiling is applied in seven stages; the most important of all is criminal profiling stage. That is why this study aims at developing an instrument to be used in evaluating the quality of criminal profiling. © 2011 Published by Elsevier Ltd.