2M

What are your thoughts about profilers?

In theory, they sound like they could provide insight into criminals. I don't know enough about them in practice to know whether they have a high success rate in helping. Kim had some good points as to why she didn't like them.

I don't really believe that they're all that. They seem to base their profiles on the statistics and adjust the profile as things change. Also if they are brought in too early in the investigation and provide a faulty model, they could lead the investigation astray looking for a suspect that matches the profile.

Many police departments have stopped using profilers altogether, as they do take the latest statistics and match the current circumstances to them. This sometimes does prove to be useful but not if the investigators build their entire investigation on them...which some have done. They could get the same information from a good criminal psychiatrist.

I think sometimes they can provide useful information, but it relies on the ethics of the group employing the behavior characteristics.

Except in the case of the BAU unit on Criminal Minds who are all geniuses.

>5 Olivermagnus: I love Criminal Minds. I own every season on DVD from day one!

I don't think profiler science can be foolproof as there are so many personality traits and most people are individuals and cannot really be compared.

>6 Carol420: - Me too. I've watched them so many times. They are my favorite "go to" show in lots of cases. My husband says "how many times do we have to watch that show". He never says that about American Pickers or Forged in Fire. We all have our comfort shows.

They deal in generalisations - I don't see how this can help narrow down a field of who the police are searching for.

>8 Olivermagnus: My husband has watched Walker, Texas Ranger until he knows the dialog by heart.

>9 Sergeirocks:. I agree

I love a good profiler in a story, but talk in general and can often be wrong. Tony Hill (Val McDermid) is my favourite.

>9 Sergeirocks: agreed