Interpretation and Behavioral Analysis

1. INTRODUCTION

Crime scene analysis may lead to different ways of interpretation and classification of a crime investigated. Additional information can be obtained by methods of behavioral analysis where an overall view of the criminal case is provided and conclusions regarding the underlying motive(s) can be drawn (1–10). Behavioral analysis in unsolved homicide cases is playing a more important role in the field of police work (11–13). The method of behavioral analysis was developed in the United States and further developed in different European countries in the late 1980s. Today, it is routine practice for police agencies to perform analytical procedures in unsolved homicide cases in close cooperation with experts from different fields, such as psychiatry, psychology, and forensic pathology. This analytical process should not be confused with offender profiling. The forensic pathologist investigating the death scene and examining the victim’s body will most often contribute valuable information to a careful...