Inside the Mind of Criminal Profilers 2001
Distributed by Films for the Humanities and Sciences, Box 2053, Princeton, NJ 08543; 800-257-5126
Produced by High Road Films for the Discovery Channel
Director n/a
VHS, color, 48 min.
High School - Adult
Criminal Justice
Date Entered: 11/09/2018
Reviewed by Nancy E. Frazier, E. H. Butler Library, State University of New York College at BuffaloCriminal profiling, as defined by FBI expert Howard Teten, is a “method of identifying the perpetrator of a crime based on an analysis of the nature of the offense and the manner in which it was committed. Various aspects of the criminal's personality makeup are determined from his or her choice of actions before, during, and after the crime…combined with other pertinent details and physical evidence, and then compared with the characteristics of known personality types and mental abnormalities to develop a practical working description of the offender.” It is a twisted journey into the dark psychopathology of the criminal mind. This riveting film features the work of four distinguished criminal profilers whose skills and intuition helped solve puzzling, horrifying cases, often with little physical evidence.
The film features the work of profiler David Caldwell in the solving of the sensational Crystal Todd murder and tragic Susan Smith case, involving the young mother convicted of drowning her two young sons. Gus Gary’s profile helped solve the case of the infamous Seattle arsonist. Dayle Hinman’s persistence in sticking by her profile of the killer of Rachel Carlson and her baby paid off in the conviction of Carlson’s boyfriend and an accomplice. Mike Prodan’s incredibly accurate profile of the murderer of prostitutes in Riverside, California led to a conviction. Several common themes emerge about the profilers- their compassion for the victims, their ability to determine what is probable, and their ability to look into the killer’s mind and use that knowledge to apprehend him/her.
The film is an excellent blend of interview sequences with the profilers, crime scene still photographs, and dramatic recreations of crimes. Pre-recorded videos from interviews with Susan Smith and Paul Keller (convicted Seattle arsonist) are featured. Chilling scenes and descriptions of crimes make the film unsuitable for young children. Highly recommended for anyone interested in the fascinating work of profilers.