Criminal Profiling: Real Science or Just Wishful Thinking

Read the article “Criminal Profiling: Real Science or Just Wishful Thinking?” In the article, the author critically examines the highly suspect and sensational group of practices that can be collectively known as criminal profiling, and discusses whether they meet the two criteria for a science.

In a short, 200-300 word essay, briefly describe the two most common practices of criminal profiling, and what type of offender is usually the subject of those practices. Additionally, discuss the two criteria for a science, and whether the two practices of criminal profiling discussed in the article meet these criteria. Finally, according to Muller (2000), “When considering a subject such as criminal profiling, it is easy to get lost in the hype and difficult to distinguish the fact from the fiction” (p, 262). Compare some of “facts” about criminal profiling from the article with some of the “fiction” of criminal profiling as discussed in the video, “The Minds Behind Mindhunter (Criminal Profiling).”

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