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What Is Profiling? • Profiling: The Basics • Profiling Variables • FBI Typology • MO vs Signature


Profiling Variables

What can a criminal profile tell investigators about the offender?  Although a profile will not name an offender, it can assist in identifying the type of offender that is responsible for a crime.  Below is a list of variables that may become part of a criminal profile to describe the offender.

Age
Sex
Race
Marital Status
Education History
Military History
Employment History (including current profession)
Criminal History (previous offenses, incarcerations, and level of experience)
Mental Health History
General Physical Appearance
Intelligence

Lifestyle

Social Ability and Adjustment
Residence (proximity to crime scene and general appearance)
Type of Vehicle
Motivation

Primary Variables

Primary variables are aspects of the offender that can be interpreted directly from the crime scene behavior or from forensic evidence left at the scene.  An example of a primary variable might include evidence of bondage and torture performed upon the victim, which would lead a profiler to state that the offender is a sexual sadist. 

 

Secondary Variables

Secondary variables are those that can be inferred to also describe the unknown offender based upon the criminal behaviors of similar offenders.  Taking from the previous example of the sexual sadist, a secondary variable would state that this type of offender would collect sadistic pornography.
 

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Last Updated:   01/01/2008

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