RT Article
T1 Practice of offender profiling in Japan
JF International journal of police science & management
VO 19
IS 3
SP 187
OP 194
A1 Yokota, Kaeko
A2 Hirama, Kazuki
A2 Kuraishi, Hiroki
A2 Otsuka, Yusuke
A2 Wachi, Taeko
A2 Watanabe, Kazumi
LA English
YR 2017
UL https://krimdok.uni-tuebingen.de/Record/1764706307
AB The main aim of this study was to determine the current situation of offender profiling in Japan. In addition, the accuracy of crime linkage and inferring offenders’ profiles were examined. To evaluate offender profiling comprehensively, we conducted a national survey of 156 people responsible for offender profiling between 2011 and 2012 to obtain their demographic characteristics and experience related to profiling. Furthermore, we also used a sample of 296 resolved cases to examine the content of profiling and the accuracy of predictions in offender profiling. The results of the statistical analyses revealed that police professionals from various backgrounds were engaged in profiling in Japan; 76% were police investigators, and 19% were professionals at forensic science laboratories engaged in psychological work. Regarding the utilization of profiling results in police investigations, 46% of profiling ‘led to identification of offender’. As for prediction accuracy, the rate of linkage errors (i.e. where profilers could not correctly link incidents even when they knew of the occurrence of these incidents) was 15%. Accurately inferring an offender’s profile was found to be between 72% (means of transportation) and 100% (sex). We also discussed the challenges faced by the police who practise offender profiling in Japan.
K1 Offender profiling
K1 accuracy of prediction
K1 crime linkage
K1 inferring offender’s profile
K1 Japan
DO 10.1177/1461355717714001