Mapping Murder: The Secrets of Geographical Profiling [Hardcover]

The eminent criminal psychologist and first British 'offender profiler', Professor David Canter, suggests that criminals reveal their identities not just by their methods but also from the chosen locations of their activities. This new science of 'geographical profiling' has enabled police throughout the world to solve a number of high-profile cases by revealing what criminals are trying to hide and what their next moves are likely to be. Professor Canter recounts some engrossing stories about well-known murders and rapists and how they were caught. He also writes of his theories about 'marauders and commuters' whose attempts to satisfy their brutal desires lead to their downfall. There are also in-depth studies of mass murderers such as Fred and Rose West and Dennis Nielsen who construct 'spiders' webs' to lure and destroy their victims.

THE SCIENCE OF POLICE WORK IN CATCHING THE KILLERS --This text refers to the Paperback edition.

David Canter believes the roots of murder can be better understood by careful consideration of the parallels between the criminal's psychological journey and the actual paths he follows. He conducts a meticulous exploration of a number of notorious crimes, taking us on the murderers' journeys in both the psychological and geographical sense. His work has enable police departments across the world to solve a number of high-profile cases, since his contribution to the capture of the vicious "railway murderer", John Duffy. He describes how the uptake of this innovative approach is enriching detectives' mental maps of the how and why of murder, throwing light on previously unsolved crimes as far afield as Newfoundland, Las Vegas and New Zealand. With first-hand experience of applying his techniques, Canter expands on his theories of what distinguishes criminals from each other, probing depp into the twisted logic of men whose crimes have shocked the world. He gives a detailed profile of his "marauders and commuters" theory - looking at killers whose confused and devious attempts to satisy their brutal desires led to their capture. An in-depth study is made of murderers like Fred West and the Belgian Marc Dutroux - who constructed "spiders' webs" to lure and then destroy their victims. He shows how these webs operated like black holes, due to the absence of information relate to the disappearance of the victims. Details are also given of criminal "marauders" who venture out to find their victims, as well as the "travelling killers", like Robert Black, Peter Sutcliffe and Peter Moore. Most chillingly, the role of the victims is examined: how someone can unwittingly become etched on a murderer's map without realising the journey they are taking could be their last.

'Horrifying, yet enthralling' New Scientist

'David Canter is the most eminent guide one could wish for in this difficult and serious subject' Brian Masters, author of Killing for Company and She Must Have Known

Criminals reveal who they are and where they live not just from how they commit their crimes, but also from the locations they choose.

This is the claim of renowned criminal psychologist and profiler David Canter. In this groundbreaking book, now fully revised and updated, Canter leads us into the labyrinthine psyche of serial killers, rapists and other violent criminals, and reveals how geographical profiling is changing the way police work and our understanding of the criminal mind.

From Jack the Ripper to Fred West's house of horror and the recent Suffolk murders, Canter analyses the geographical maps of killers' actions and the psychological maps of their thoughts to provide a fascinating insight into the most notorious criminals of all time.

David Canter is the UK's leading pioneer of criminal psychological profiling. His book, Criminal Shadows, won the Golden Dagger Award for crime non-fiction.

--This text refers to the Paperback edition.

David Canter is the UK's leading pioneer of criminal profiling and winner of the Golden Dagger Award for his book Criminal Shadows. He is professor of Psychology and Director of the Centre for Investigative Psychology at the University of Liverpool. --This text refers to the Paperback edition.