Crime Classification Manual

This text classifies the three major felonies - murder, arson, and sexual assault - based on the motivation of the offender, standardizing in one place the language and terminology used throughout the criminal justice system. It should provide police officers, detectives, homicide investigators, and other law enforcement personnel, in any size community, access to the same information as used by the FBI to co-ordinate their investigations. The guide forms the basis of contemporary investigative "profiling", the acclaimed strategy enabling law enforcement personnel to solve a crime by generating a profile of the suspect. Drawing from such disciplines as nursing, psychiatry, and psychology, each of the three crime classification groups reflect current relevant research on actual criminal cases. Each classification includes an in-depth case study, which analyzes an actual crime, giving users examples of specific crime scene characteristics to look for. The CCM will facilitate communication within criminal justice and mental health professionals. Furthermore, it develops a database for investigative research.