Hunting Serial Predators: A Multivariate Classification Approach to Profiling Violent Behavior -
Grover Maurice Godwin
Summary - Dr. Maurice Godwin makes a brave first attempt at using empirical studies to classify serial predators and his work will certainly be a fine starting place for the continuation of serial homicide research. That he accomplishes all he claims to have accomplished by this work, however, is questionable. While he is successful at demolishing some specific myths of profiling, he does not particularly establish any solid truths or patterns that can be applied successfully in serial homicide investigation. The grouping of crime scene behaviors into four overlapping categories no more advances our ability to label offenders than have the previous attempts made by others in the profiling field. The assigning of behaviors a particular meaning appears to have no basis in any particular fact and the designing of profiles fitting these categories seems to be more a matter of choice than that the behaviors place the offender in any particular category. Difficult to read and decipher, this book, while a good contribution to the argument of profiling methodology, is unlikely to be of any specific aid in the real life work of serial homicide investigation.
Introduction - Godwin states that a robust classification scheme must be reliable, practical and straightforward to interpret and use, and it must be valid for the task it is developed to fulfill. I think Godwin's purposes are correct, but I find his classifications difficult to understand, not backed by facts I can clearly evaluate and I do not believe it can be used in any useful manner as it now stands. Even if one were able to state that 80% of a crime scene matched one of the classifications, how does that information translate into any usefulness during the investigative process? How does a partial score for a perpetrator that can't be matched to any particularly conclusive personal data and background make for a solid investigative tool?
Chapter One - In this chapter, Godwin discusses the various views of motivation for murder. He does make a good point that often motives overlap and the categories are not mutually exclusive. Interestingly enough, Godwin's categories that he develops in this book also overlap a good portion of the time leaving us still with the question of confusing human motivation and behavior.
Chapter Two - Godwin pretty much trashes the FBI methods in this chapter. He particularly dislikes the organized/disorganized theories noting that these also overlap. Yet he uses those terms himself quite often in his own discussions and categories. He also claims that the FBI has not based their conclusions on any empirical studies and he has a point here. The FBI has yet to publish any documentation or research on the subject.
Chapter Three - Here Godwin describes the facet approach to profiling. He focuses on four elements : the cognitive element, the affective element, the victim as a vehicle element and the victim as an object element. I, for the life of me, can't figure out exactly what each of these means and how we decide which behavior represents what. Then, how these elements are designated into a region of space baffles me completely.
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