Criminal Profiling

[Aamartin]

Anyone with an interest in crime and a TV knows what profiling is...

My question(s) are....

IF Lizzie had indeed been a lesbian, would she profile differently than if she had been straight? Many people believe themselves to be gay and later realize they are transgendered.

I do not wish to make this a debate about Lizzie's sexuality... However, they say women murder with poison, etc... Not hatchets. BUT, if Lizzie had been gay and/or transgendered, would she have profiled differently? Are they any studies of this?

Opinions?

[Curryong]

I am completely without medical training whatsoever, so forgive me for any blunders. I do believe though, that no criminal profiler would equate a person's sexuality with the level of violence shown in a particular crime. Or in using an atypical weapon for their sex, ie a hatchet for a female. It's true that poison has always been regarded as a woman's weapon, but surely that is/was really a matter of convenience. Women, even nowadays are usually the cooks in the household.
If one of the procedural steps of criminal profiling is to examine the victims' background and former activities in order to find possible motivations for the crime, then certainly the profiler would really try to 'unpeel' Andrew's emotional relationship with his two daughters. In the book 'The Cases that Haunt Us' the profiler writing about the Lizzie Borden case suggested that Lizzie should be approached sympathetically about possible sexual abuse. Certainly, to me, Lizzie's attack on Andrew's face does show a heightened level of personal anger. I don't believe, however, that her sexuality would come into play there, even if there was abuse from Andrew in the past.

[PossumPie]

I am completely without medical training whatsoever, so forgive me for any blunders. I do believe though, that no criminal profiler would equate a person's sexuality with the level of violence shown in a particular crime. Or in using an atypical weapon for their sex, ie a hatchet for a female. It's true that poison has always been regarded as a woman's weapon, but surely that is/was really a matter of convenience. Women, even nowadays are usually the cooks in the household.
If one of the procedural steps of criminal profiling is to examine the victims' background and former activities in order to find possible motivations for the crime, then certainly the profiler would really try to 'unpeel' Andrew's emotional relationship with his two daughters. In the book 'The Cases that Haunt Us' the profiler writing about the Lizzie Borden case suggested that Lizzie should be approached sympathetically about possible sexual abuse. Certainly, to me, Lizzie's attack on Andrew's face does show a heightened level of personal anger. I don't believe, however, that her sexuality would come into play there, even if there was abuse from Andrew in the past.

Making assumptions based on the sex of the individual is a bit tricky. While you could say it is "more likely" a woman would commit murder or suicide by poison or hanging than firearm or jumping off a building, it can never be certain. A woman "tends" to be more concerned about appearance, and doesn't want to blow half of her head away in a suicide. They also "tend" to be more averse to physical violence. Women also are trained from an early age to avoid violence more than men are. In the USA 86% of domestic violence cases are male on female. Interestingly, homosexual domestic violence also tends to be the more masculine partner perpetrating violence on the more feminine partner. MORE controversial is that perhaps genetics plays into it, that in the DNA of men there is more propensity for protection, violent confrontation. Males of many species are the aggressor, you can't "blame" that on stereotyping, it is just genetics. BUT female especially in the cat family (cats, lions, puma, tiger, etc) tend to be the more prolific hunters) Males tend to dominate females in the wild, but there are exceptions, some FEMALE spiders and Praying mantises will kill their sexual partner if given the opportunity.
By looking at the genetic and environmental pieces, Women would "tend" not to use a violent dirty way to kill, BUT there have been cases in history where women have butchered, hacked up and violently killed men...just not many.
Remember that some clues point to Lizzie at least considering, and perhaps attempting poisoning before the physical attack, it may have been a last resort for her, not her method of choice.

[Aamartin]

My opinion, criminal profiling is a great tool, but it is just that, a tool. The show Criminal Minds was interesting, but I quit watching it because even fictionally, I couldn't stand seeing what people do to other people....

I also think that gay people could cross gender boundaries when it pertains to profiling in general. All the jokes about lesbians at home depot aside-- I have known both very 'butch' lesbians who were as manly as very masculine men and gay women as feminine as very feminine women. I think they would profile across their biological gender lines.

My point is-- IF Lizzie was indeed a lesbian, and a manly one at that-- I see no problem with her brutally swinging a hatchet.

All this said-- I am college educated in this area.

[MysteryReader]

[quote="Aamartin"]My opinion, criminal profiling is a great tool, but it is just that, a tool. The show Criminal Minds was interesting, but I quit watching it because even fictionally, I couldn't stand seeing what people do to other people....

The show Criminal Minds is fiction- there is no "profiling" done like that in law enforcement fields. It's very general.

[Curryong]

I suppose, in cases of domestic violence especially, a woman who wanted to kill her abusive partner (because she had simply had enough) would have to be extremely careful if confronting them with gun or bread knife etc., quite simply because of the obvious truth, that males are (usually) much stronger physically than women. Therefore, if the male seized the weapon in a struggle it would be much the worse for her. Lizzie was quite petite and I certainly don't think it was a coincidence that Andrew was both snoozing and lying down when he was attacked.

I know it is true that most cases of domestic violence and murder are male to female. However, I have volunteered in the social welfare area for over twenty years, and have known several couples where the wife, (partner) has been aggressive and violent and the man, even when physically stronger, has borne the brunt of the behaviour. I do wonder
whether female to male violence is under-reported because of shame, the thought of being regarded as a wimp and a 'mouse' etc.

[Aamartin]

My opinion, criminal profiling is a great tool, but it is just that, a tool. The show Criminal Minds was interesting, but I quit watching it because even fictionally, I couldn't stand seeing what people do to other people....

The show Criminal Minds is fiction- there is no "profiling" done like that in law enforcement fields. It's very general.

Yes it is....