Discover Hopkins: Profiling Psychology

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1 Discover Hopkins: Profiling Psychology Johns Hopkins University Department of Psychological & Brain Sciences AS July 24-August 4, 2017 Psychological Profiling focuses on strengths, limitations, and applications of forensic psychologists who assist police and/or governmental authorities in various special criminal investigations. Clinical cases of serial offenders, spree killers, child abduction/killing, suspect profiling, and terrorist profiling will be studied. Legal and ethical profiling controversies will be explored. Instructor information: Lawrence J. Raifman, J.D., Ph.D. Adjunct, Department of Psychology and Brain Sciences Diana Fiorilli, Teaching Assistant Course objectives Q: What will I get out of the course? A: You should consider taking this course if you want to: Understand the major professional practice issues at the nexus of diagnostic psychology and profiling expectations of law enforcement. Develop reasoning skills that will enable you to analyze profiling methods, mental disorder diagnoses, and apply your skills to clinical case examples. Evaluate important historic and contemporary profiling cases. Recognize and analyze several prominent controversies impacting profilers, especially impacting forensic mental health practitioners. Assignments 1. REPORTS & HOMEWORK: You will be presented with one short pathway to terror paper as well as one short profiling opinion essay that are designed to deepen your understanding and give you practice applying what you have learned to specific case scenario. 2. IMPORTANT DATES Report 1 Due Profile analysis of David Koresch; Due: Monday, July 31 th (5 pages)

2 Page 2 of 5 Profiling Psychology Weekend open book review test Report 2 Demonstration Project Sunday, July 30, 2017 at 10pm Profile opinion paper; Friday August 3, 2017 Group s Outline of your group s contribution (3 pages), July 28th Grading Criteria 1. Papers will be graded and together are worth 50% of your overall course grade.. 2. Weekend take home test is worth 35% of overall course grade 3. Group project outline will constitute 10% of the overall course grade. 4. Class participation will be evaluated qualitatively and comprise 5% of your grade. Ratings will be used to move students, whose scores are near a grade cutoff point on the final distribution and who have excellent class participation, up a half grade. Class participation consists of three elements: attendance, preparation, and making thoughtful, relevant contributions to class discussions. Additional Information Policy on Academic Integrity: Please make sure you understand the following rules regarding collaboration on assignments and academic integrity. If anything about these policies is unclear, it is your responsibility to ask the instructor for clarification. Report Questions: Your responses to the written reports must represent your own work only. This is not a collaborative project. You should generate ideas for your answers and write your answers on your own. When you derive facts or ideas from reading and research, please indicate the source (It is not necessary to make attributions to course lectures). Classroom etiquette: Please be prepared to refrain from relying upon computers, cell phones, or other devices during class, as these items are seductive, distract students from class discussions, and diminish learning in a classroom environment. If you require a computer for note taking, please ask for special permission. I reserve the right to call on students without notice. Course Evaluations: Johns Hopkins University requires completion of a course evaluation for each course you take, and the forms are available on line. Your grade may not be available until you submit the evaluation. Profiling Psychology Course Schedule I. Monday, July 24 th What is psychological profiling? The origins of psychological profiling Morning: 9:30 a.m. Historic cases George Metesky, the mad bomber of NYC Ted Kaczynski, , The Hunt for the Unibomber Afternoon 12:15 p.m.: Popular TV depiction of profiling: fact or fiction?

3 Page 3 of 5 Profiling Psychology Criminal Minds: Silence of the Lambs movie excerpts Criminal Minds: Suspect Behavior Law and Order: Special Victims Unit episode Signature (Season 9, #12) Late Afternoon: 3:45 4:30 pm: Introduction to FBI Behavioral Analysis Unit: II. Tuesday, July 25 th What is the role of an investigative psychologist? Morning: 9: p.m. Profiling leaders and tyrants: Psycho-history, Psychodynamic Profiling Psychiatrist Jerold Post's observations concerning Saddam Hussein Walter Langer's "psychodynamic" profile of Adolph Hitler Constructing a criminal profile from component parts 1. Antecedent: What fantasy or plan, or both, did the murderer have in place before the act? What triggered the murderer to act some days and not others? 2. Method and manner: What type of victim or victims did the murderer select? What was the method and manner of murder: shooting, stabbing, strangulation or something else? 3. Body disposal: Did the murder and body disposal take place all at one scene, or multiple scenes? 4. Post-offense behavior: Is the murderer trying to inject himself into the investigation by reacting to media reports or contacting investigators? Afternoon: 2:00-4:30: David Koresch case study The profiling of David Koresh at Waco, Texas III. Wednesday, July 26 h To generate a criminal profile: compiling inputs 1. Inductive methods: Study of the nature of the criminal act and the types of persons who have committed like offenses in the past. a. Typology: Grouping offenders by the nature of their criminal acts 2. Deductive methods: Start with the crime scene a. Interpreting psychopathic and sadistic serial crimes b. Offender signature, a reason for undertaking the crime: what an offender has to do to be psychologically fulfilled which is not needed to accomplish the crime c. Crime scene staging d. Reconstructing crime from evidence e. Does the pattern of evidence in a particular crime resemble the patterns from other similar cases? f. Equivocal death (manner of death: homicide v. suicide) investigations

4 Page 4 of 5 Profiling Psychology 3. Victim-ology: An in-depth examination of the background and activities of the victim or victims. a. Psychological autopsy b. Analysis of belongings of the victim 4. Applications in law enforcement of profile sketches Suspect interview strategies Alternatives to Waterboarding: is there a better way? Media strategies The BTK killer Dennis Rader media strategy that worked! The Beltway snipers case: Muhammad & Malvo Other applications: Hostage negotiation, Identification of writers of threatening letters, and search warrant affidavit assistance IV. Thursday, July 27 th Morning 9:30 to 12:00 noon: Visit to the Maryland State Police Forensic Sciences Division Afternoon: 2:00 to 4:30 p.m. Introduction to Homeland Security Radicalization and Mobilization to Violence Analysis V. Friday, July 28 th Morning 9:30 to 12:00 noon: Chris Porco Case Afternoon 1:00-4:30 Visit w/ Dr. Pinizzotto, FBI Profiler, Behavioral Sciences Unit VI. Monday, July 31 th Morning 9:30 to 12: Domestic terrorism & Counter Terrorism: Terrorism/Arson/Bombing: Case Study: Boston Marathon Bombing, Oklahoma City Bombing at Murrah Building, and San Bernardino Attack Afternoon: 2:00 to 4:30 p.m.: Visit to the Howard County SWAT team VII. Tuesday, August 1 th Serial killer profiling: linking serial offenses Morning 9:30 12: Serial killer Case studies: Ted Bundy, Ed Gein, Karla Homolka Sexual sadist serial killer case studies: Jeffrey Dahmer; Green River Killer Task Force, and the case of Robert Pickton; Angel of death: nurse healthcare serial killer Danielle Poggiali, Beverley Allitt, Kristen Gilbert Afternoon: 2:00 4:30: Profiling Mentally Ill Mass Murderers

5 Page 5 of 5 Profiling Psychology VIII. Wednesday, August 2nd Profiling Mass Murders Morning 9:30 12:30 Diana Fiorili School Shooters 1. Newtown Elementary School shooter Adam Lanza: 2. School shooter at Virginia Tech Afternoon 2-4:30 Case profiles 1. Elliot Rodger case 2. Washington Navy Yard shooting 3. Washington DC Beltway snipers case 4. Gabby Giffords shooting IX. Thursday, August 3, Visit to Detention Center, Profiling Mentally Ill Mass Murderers Morning 9:00 to 12:00 noon: Visit to the Carroll County Detention Center Afternoon 2:00 to 4:30 p.m.: Mock Trial Brevik Norway shooter X. Friday, August 4 th, Cyber attacks on US infrastructure Cyber-attacks on US infrastructure: Does criminal profiling work? Problems with Profiling: False positives & false negatives. The Peggy Hettrick case. The strength of the university depends on academic and personal integrity. In this course, you must be honest and truthful. Ethical violations include cheating on exams, plagiarism, reuse of assignments, improper use of the Internet and electronic devices, unauthorized collaboration, alteration of graded assignments, forgery and falsification, lying, facilitating academic dishonesty, and unfair competition. Report any violations you witness to the instructor. You may consult the associate dean of students and/or the chairman of the Ethics Board beforehand. See the guide on Academic Ethics for Undergraduates and the Ethics Board web site ( for more information.