Paranoia Agent

[Independent George]

on this subject of serial killers i find it amusing how profiling has never captured a single criminal

yet criminal minds treats it as some be all end all tool

The Wire did it best.

[ScreamingDoom]

I see that show as the modern equivalent of people using mysticism to solve crimes.

This is, unfortunately, rife throughout law enforcement. Many (if not most) of the tools law enforcement use are scientifically suspect.

Fingerprints have never actually been properly tested to see if they truly are unique to a person. In addition, fingerprint matching is extraordinarily error prone and about as scientific as a Rorschach test. A study was done where one group of fingerprint matchers were given details about a crime and a suspect and the other was not, and the group that was given details matched the same evidence to the suspect a vastly increased percentage of the time. False positives were through the roof. Fingerprint matching has more to do with the biases of the technician than any actual scientific procedure.

The classic line-up is also ridiculously error prone. Human memory is terrible and easily influenced by outside forces. Cops don't do double-blind tests in a line-up; they have a suspect they "know" is guilty and will unconsciously encourage a witness to finger that suspect.

Lie detectors are used by law enforcement all the time, though their efficacy has always been in doubt and no actual scientific test has ever been passed by them. I believe the administrators of the tests have a standing order to not agree to any scientific testing (because they know they're peddling technological snake oil).

Really, the only reason cops catch anyone is because criminals tend to be really, really stupid.

[Rocketboy1313]

I know. I used to work in Law Enforcement.

[MithrandirOlorin]

It'd be more accurate to say the Criminals that get caught are really stupid.

And often Innocent.

[Wargriffin]

Bismark was a WWI ship, I as an American honestly think History may have been better off is our side lost WWI.

You as you continue to talk show more and more you're an armchair know-it-all

[MithrandirOlorin]

Yes, cause I screwed up which War one ship was in.

[Darmani]

I know. I used to work in Law Enforcement.

Oh what was your take on the LEO and agents in this show?
Where did it seem silly, seem right, and what was disturbingly 'too real'

[Rocketboy1313]

I don't know anything about Japan's system. Though I have seen videos of suspects committing suicide while in custody, that part rings surprisingly true... Though they did it with a gun and not self-bludgeoning, obviously.

Although, here is a not fun story, I helped work on a serial rapist turned murder investigation in Southwest Florida for Delmer Smith, now on Death row. I worked on 2 instances (before anyone was killed, he escalated later) which involved an old woman being threatened with a gun, tied up, and her television stolen.

The second instance involved a lot more blood, as the suspect had stabbed the old woman in the scalp so hard with the muzzle of the gun that it tore her scalp. He then stripped her, tied her up, tortured her, and stole her stuff.

This was not a spectacle case with wild rumors or anything. No descriptions of a suspect that was garish and subtly menacing.
Just unpleasant.

[Wargriffin]

Yes, cause I screwed up which War one ship was in.

If that was the least of your problems, that be a godsend
____


The criticism of the mindset of Japan as a victim I think is rather interesting since its coming through the lense of a Japanese man.

I mean... The Its just like after war scene takes on a whole new meaning when you look at what he's said

This time there isn't anyone to blame, No foreign country 'cruelly' dropping a powerful weapon... The entire disaster was the populaces fault cause they fed Lil Slugger they let it fester till it turned into flood of black goo and in the end... They didn't learn anything since it went right back to the way it was.

[Darmani]

on this subject of serial killers i find it amusing how profiling has never captured a single criminal

yet criminal minds treats it as some be all end all tool

The Wire did it best.

I think it was my understanding that that actually very accurately broke down the perpetrator. In fact given the fact that they narrowed things down from anyone who could possibly be in the area two very likely a government civil servant agent or even police officer with certain profiles and history
So what's the problem?