Mapping Murder: The Secrets of Geographical Profiling

Canter, David V.

ISBN 10: 1852270780 / ISBN 13: 9781852270780

Published by Virgin Books, London., 2003

About this Item

original cloth hardcover, 240 pages, cloth a little marked otherwise very good in very good unclipped dustwrapper. We are a real bookshop with real books situated in and shipping from the United Kingdom. Shelf B111.

Seller Inventory # 144577

Bibliographic Details

• Title: Mapping Murder: The Secrets of Geographical Profiling
• Publisher: Virgin Books, London.
• Publication Date: 2003
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 1852270780
• ISBN 13: 9781852270780
• Binding: Hardcover
• Edition: 1st Edition
• Condition: Very Good
• Dust Jacket Condition: Very Good
• Seller catalogs:
  • Science/Technology/Medicine

About this title

Synopsis

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.

Review

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.