What do Criminal Profilers really do?
TV shows such as “Profiler” and “X-Files” have clouded public notions about what profilers do. These shows portray the profiler as an individual with psychic powers who arrives on the scene and visualizes the events that occurred. Robert Ressler, a retired FBI agent and one of the pioneers of criminal profiling, made a recent presentation to MSUM students. He distinguished real world profilers from those portrayed on TV for entertainment. Profiling, according to Ressler is a logical process in which specially trained individuals aid investigators at the scene of the crime. Editor’s Note. No visions, no psychic powers, just solving crimes based upon the evidence at the scene.
