CRIM 390: Profiling in Criminal Psychology

The objective of this course is to introduce students to criminal profiling as a branch of forensic psychology. Profiling, as it relates to criminal psychology is the application of the principles of typical and atypical behavior to the understanding, prediction and analysis of criminal behavior. The course will examine the basic elements of criminal and forensic psychology and how these elements relate to the criminal justice system and profiling of offenders. Students will gain an understanding of the tools used to determine deviant behavior and some of its basic causes. The course will explore the different competencies to include diminished capacity as well as the insanity defense. Students will learn the basic skills required to read a crime scene and design an offender profile based on this information. Finally, the course will examine multiple real-life cases that will demonstrate how all of these objectives become relevant in actual case studies.