Profilers analyze a suspect’s personality and behavioral patterns to solve serial killings and strange crimes that can’t be solved with usual investigation techniques. When Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency installed the Behavioral Analysis Unit in the Office of Forensic Science Planning of the Criminal Affairs Division, profiling investigation techniques were introduced to Korea in 2000. This corner will introduce profilers.

Profilers are dispatched to solve violent crimes like serial murders mainly because of lack of evidence. The profiler goes over the scene of the incident and reconstructs the crime, for example, how criminals prepared their crimes and how they committed the crimes. The profiler analyzes the suspect’s motives and traits.

To be a profiler, majoring in psychology and sociology is advantageous, and people who have postgraduate degrees are the first priority. When applicants pass the special recruitment program, they have training for 6 months, and then the new profilers are assigned to the Office of Forensic Science Planning.

The role of a profiler is important when inducing a confession from criminals. Profilers are experts in opening a suspect’s mind. Therefore, they need to have both level-headed judgment and sensitivity. However, to predict a criminal’s behavior and to understand their psychology, profilers need to put themselves in a suspect’s shoes. In addition, they need to be more quick-witted than other people.

Profilers solve violent crimes and induce a confession from criminals. Though profiling is hard work, profilers feel satisfaction in that they can play an important role in society.