NCJ Number
194968
Journal
Journal of Counterterrorism & Homeland Security Int'l Volume: 8 Issue: 2 Dated: 2002 Pages: 28-30
Date Published
2002
Length
3 pages
Annotation
This article examines the use and effectiveness of offender profiling in aiding the investigations and capture of terrorists.
Abstract
Investigating terrorist incidents are rarely easy with terrorists being unlike other criminal offenders. Today, it is becoming increasingly more common for terrorist incidents to be committed by one individual. In addition, terrorist incidents are typically seen as well planned and well organized making identification often difficult. They tend to be better equipped, trained, and highly motivated. This article examines, through FBI case analysis, how effective current terrorist profiling is and if it is more likely to hamper an investigation. Problems discussed in terrorist profiling were divided into two camps, problems of accuracy and problems of impact. Overall, terrorist profiles have shown that they can be accurate and separately have significant impact on the course of an investigation.