Offender Profiling

Running head: OFFENDER PROFILING 1
Offender Profiling
Sanaa Wehbe
S2865464

OFFENDER PROFILING 2
1. Profiling Approach
In carrying out offender profiling, the profiling approach used is Behavioral Evidence Analysis
(BEA) in association with other relevant evidence-based materials on offender profiling.
Behavioral Evidence Analysis is a deductive method used in conducting analysis of crime scenes
and in criminal profiling. It entails critical examination of physical evidence, forensics and other
characteristics in the crime scene. The outcomes of these individual interpretations and
examination are analyzed in coming up with patterns and clusters of behavior which assist in
profiling the offenders or for forensic purposes (Greenall & Wright, 2019).
I have used this approach because; this method is vast and accommodates a lot of scholarly
literature and empirical research as compared to other profiling methods, there is a large time gap
of more than 25 years between now and the occurrence of crime, this method is appropriate due
to the amount of information it avails from the existing database in coming up with collective
patterns and behaviors.
2. Appropriate use of profile
In this incident where three children were found to be dead as reported in the Coroner’s report in
1963, there are various limitations of profile and appropriate use. Firstly, the bodies were located
on the water after which they were later laid on the ditch banks, this process could have led to the
removal or ignorance of important evidence in the water or the surrounding environment (Dean
& Yule, 2017). According to the report, when found there were presence of fly larva in the eyes
and nose. The presence of these animals amongst others that could not have been mentioned is
an indication of probable contamination to the bodies affecting the actual depth of bruises and
wounds (Geberth, 2016). Another limitation could be from the first people at the scene who
could have ignored or interfered with the crime scene.
3. Victimology
Victimology also known as the study of crimes can be defined as the scientific study of
victimization. It investigates the relationship between victims and criminal offenders, the
relationship between victims and judicial system and the relationship between victims and other
institutions such as businesses, social gatherings and other social movements (Steel, 2012).
Victimology is carried out in the hope and belief that through understanding the victims the

OFFENDER PROFILING 3
perpetrators can be known better. Scholars have argued that when law enforcement agencies
have information regarding victim’s environment, activities and encounter it is easier to
understand and comprehend the offender more (Greenall & Wright, 2015).
The three eight-year-old boys, of white race were found in the crime scene in nude bodies, with
right hand tied to the ankle and the left hand also tied to the ankle by shoelaces of different
colors. They had several scars in specific areas and they had anal orifice dilation. Christopher
was four feet tall with four inches having brown eyes and hair, Edward was four feet tall and two
inches, while Michael was also four feet tall with brown hair.
The above information about the victims amongst other information from the report can help us
deduce the following likely factors regarding the offenders:
Number of offenders
Following the nature and extent of injuries, it is unlikely that one person could kidnap and carry
out all the injuries to the children without help from another person. There was no news of
offender seen in any way. This is an indicating how swift the offender was in carrying out the
crime which still places the possibility of more than one person in the crime scene. Another
indication of possible second person in the crime scene is seen in the fact that, the shoelaces used
to tie the victim's hand to the ankle are different in color. Lastly, even though the injuries seemed
similar Christopher’s injuries were more severe compared to Steve and Michael’s which could
have indicated different offenders (Robertson, 2011).
Planning
It is unlikely that the offenders had planned this crime due to the difference in color of shoelaces,
the nature and extent of injuries and the presence of larva on the eyes and nostrils of the victims.
The crime could have been opportunistic in that, the offenders could have seen the boys and
noted the favorable environmental condition which enabled them to commit crime. Lack of
planning is also seen in the possibilities of lack of transport by the offenders due to the location
of the blood trail indicating that the offender left the crime scene on foot (Canter & Alison,
2018).

OFFENDER PROFILING 4
Education
The offender is likely to be educated because of the following reasons. Firstly, the bodies were
dumped on the water where they were recovered, this could have been a move to cause the DNA
to become untraceable, an indication of the offender’s knowledge in DNA (Brooks, &
Robertson, 2012). Moreover, the act of moving the body from the original place where the crime
was committed to where they were located could indicate their education in that they knew it
would be difficult to trace the crime back to them without an original location. The traces of
carbamazepine would also indicate high education on the side of offenders due to its effects on
the human body as this drug element was found in Chris body (James, Kish, & Sutton, 2005).
Victims condition
When the victims were located, they were naked and tied in a specific manner indicating the
possibility of sexual assault. However, there was lack of any penetration or semen in the scene of
crime though their anal orifice was dilated with missing skin of the penis, scrotal sack, and
testes. This could be an indication that the offender had motive of sexual stimulation as seen in
the position of the children. The nature of position in which the bodies were found could also
indicate the personality of the criminal (Reid, 2017).
Weapon and Ritual
The weapon used in committing the crime is likely to have been a knife due to the nature of
injuries on the victims. Furthermore, the police were able to recover a knife in June of the same
year around the crime scene area. There could also be possibility of rituals from the nature of
injuries that were inflicted on Christopher.
Nature of injury
According to the nature of the injury, the offender had no intention of leaving these victims alive.
According to Coroner's report on this case, Michael and Steve had facial injuries, lacerations,
gauging wounds with skull fractures amongst other head injuries with fluid on the lung an
indication of drowning. While Chris also had most of these features such as facial lacerations and
bruising, head injuries, thigh injuries, and skull fracture, he also had a dose of Carbamazepine