Profiling Violent Crimes

"Excellent book, I have used this for my Criminal Behavior course for a number of years. Very authoritative. "
—Harry Cramer,Quincy University

The Fourth Edition of this best-selling text provides students with the most up-to-date information on the increasingly popular field of psychological profiling. Well-known authors Ronald M. Holmes and Stephen T. Holmes build upon their continued research and involvement in field investigation as a source of relevant and often high-profile case studies to illustrate theory and application of the methods discussed. The text is particularly readable and engaging, making frequent use of illustrative tables and figures and presenting occasional photos.

New to the Fourth Edition

• Offers a new chapter on Lizzie Borden (Chapter 14), analyzing this historic murder case with fresh insight and a unique analysis while retaining the chapter on Jack the Ripper, a classic unresolved serial murderer
• Covers more recent events such as the killings at Northern Illinois University and Virginia Tech
• Provides a new section on Santeria and the occult to understand the dogma and icons of these teachings and investigates reasons behind crimes committed by some followers
• Offers guidance to students for online graduate programs, seminars, and degrees in criminal profiling
• Includes updated tables and crime statistics throughout the text
• Presents new photos to offer authentic representations of violent crimes and offenders

Intended Audience
This best-seller has long been a successful supplemental text for undergraduate criminology and criminal justice courses, including Criminal Investigation, Criminal Profiling, Violent Crimes, Criminal Behavior, Field Investigation, and Forensic Psychology.

The second edition of Profiling Violent Crimes combines social and behavioural theory with practical criminology research to acquaint professionals and students with the general principles of profiling. New to this edition are chapters on the use of computers in profiling geoforensic information, paedophilia and arson.

The authors provide a practical approach to assessing violent crimes and outlines crime scene elements which offer insight not only to the type of crime involved but also to the person who may have been involved in the commission of such a crime. They argue that profiling should be used as 'yet another forensic tool to compliment a thorough investigation'.

Booknews

Extensively revised to include new material in this fast-expanding field, this volume includes new chapters addressing criminal behavior theories and psychological profiling, autoerotic deaths, and occult crimes, as well as detailed profiles of several famous unsolved crimes and criminals including the Jon Benet Ramsay case and Jack the Ripper. Other additions include a chapter on victims and improved coverage of the theoretical aspects of sociopsychological profiling. Suitable for students in criminology and criminal justice as well as for professionals and researchers in those fields. Annotation c. Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)

Ronald M. Holmes is Coroner, in the Jefferson County Coroner's office and Professor Emeritus of Justice Administration at the University of Louisville. He is the author of several books, among them Profiling Violent Crimes, Sex Crimes, and Serial Murder. He is also the author of more than 50 articles appearing in scholarly publications. He is Vice President of the National Center for the Study of Unresolved Homicides and has completed more than 500 psychological profiles for police departments across the United States. He received his doctorate from Indiana University.