[.ca] Crime Classification Manual: A Standard System for ... (ISBN 0787938858)

Leading the field of crime classification:
Whilst written primarily for the American law enforcement community this book is an excellent read and will provide a highly useful guide to police officers, criminal lawyers and criminologists the world over. John Douglas proves again that he is one of the leaders in the field of behavioral science providing a character type for each of the main crime classes. I recommend that anyone embarking on a degree with emphasis on criminal law or the sociology of crime should read this book. The primary objective of the work is to allow US police departments to classify serious crimes for analysis purposes. Thus, if you are expecting a "profiling" guide, you will be disappointed. If on the other hand you are content with some insights into patterns of offending and potential distinguishing features, the manual is of value. It contains operational advice to police which I am less competent to judge, although the information on interview methods is limited. Finally don't buy it as a book to plough through - it is definitely for referring rather than reading, and as such should certainly be in all police libraries.

Technical, not for light reading:
I am studying forensic psychology and this book has been insightful and helpful. I have read everything john douglas has written and this is just perfect, precise, and organized in every way. Bravo!

Not Too Technical:
I think this book is such a wonderful resource. As someone who is in school studying to work in Forensics this was a great book to read. It was not too technical and I would recommend this to anyone in law enforment, anyone who wants to some day work in law enforcement or anyone interested in learning from the masters.

Grade Schoolers trying to Overachieve.:
I cannot believe that John Douglas was head of the FBI's BSU until I remember that those FBI folks have absolutely no experience or knowledge of homicide or criminal investigation. The sections on crime scene staging appear to have been written by children. Try throwing in a corrupt exchange between organized crime and a district judge that involves a convenient murder in exchange for the judge's "insider" tips. The FBI has jurisdiction over judicial corruption. However, to create a mole the crime scene staging must be successful. Bet they would blow it! Probably, a rank amature could solve the case though.

A must have for CJ profesionals:
This book clissifies the three major violent crimes: Arson, Murder and Sexual Assaults. This book is to the Criminal Justice profession what the DSM is the the Psychology/Psychiatry profession. This book is a useful guide for any law enforcement processional who is involved in investigative process. The manual presents several sories which help the reader learn the facts of a case, prior to the authors discussing about the specific elements of the crime. The authors provide the investigator with "notes" on how to investigate a specific major felony - and what to look for in the criminal's profile.