The term "criminal profiler" likely conjures images of popular characters such as Hannibal Lecter of The Silence of the Lambs or Dr. Samantha Waters from The Profiler. While television and movies have raised awareness of criminal profiling as a profession, as with most careers, it's important to separate fact from fiction to get a better picture of what a job as a criminal profiler is about really.
The idea of a brilliant but deranged psychiatrist and murderer who spends his time in prison assisting rookie FBI agents on major cases is intriguing, but reality TV it's not. Nonetheless, a career as a criminal profiler can be a tremendously fascinating and intellectually stimulating pursuit.
The title "criminal profiler" is used to describe investigators who specialize in inductive and deductive reasoning to build a profile of particular criminal based on characteristics of the crime committed. Most profilers are law enforcement investigators with several years of experience investigating violent crimes and who have training and degrees in forensic science and psychology.
Also included is information on:
-Roles of a Criminal Profilers
-Requirements to Become a Criminal Profiler
-Criminal Profilers Salary
-Is a Career As a Criminal Profiler Right for You?