Finding the criminals before they commit the crime.
This is a weee bit scary - and perhaps a little unethical? And what do they do with these people once they know who they are?BRITISH criminal psychologists are putting together a list of the 100 most dangerous murderers and rapists before they have committed any such crimes, The Times has reported.
Experts from London's Metropolitan Police's Homicide Prevention Unit are creating psychological profiles, compiled through statements from previous partners, information from mental health workers, and details of past complaints.
"My vision is that we know across London who the top 100 people are," Homicide Prevention Unit senior criminal psychologist Laura Richard said.
"We need to know who we are targeting."
Once an individual has been targeted, police can decide whether to make moves towards an arrest - though the newspaper did not specify on what grounds this could occur - or they could alert relevant social services.Well... really - whatever they want!
4 Comments:
This does sound incredibly creepy and unethical. But then I read the original source, and the list is compiled of people who have a history of domestic violence. So yes, it's before they've committed rape and murder, but it's after they've committed some other serious crimes. It's creepy to call it a future murderer list, but they could call it a dangerous people list. I also have no problem with them making arrests for the crimes they have already done.
Mon Nov 27, 09:15:42 AM CST
If they are such a problem b/c of the crimes they have already committed - shouldn't they just be kept in jail to begin with. I mean that's the (wrong but) logical next step.
Mon Nov 27, 09:24:15 AM CST
yes...I guess I was as disturbed that they're creating this list as I was that these people weren't already in jail for the crimes they're committing.
Maybe some did go to jail for domestic violence, served their time, and then got out. In that case they do NOT deserve to be arrested again!
Mon Nov 27, 10:45:35 AM CST
Thanks Steve for a very relevant post. Mental health participation in police activities has always been ethically a bit off to me. People don't question it too much when it comes to criminal investigations, but then on the extreme end you have participation in military investigations and psychological torture techniques. Why aren't the mental health professionals backing off and saying, "Hey, wait a minute, I ain't doing that." It's pretty sad when the professional organizations have to come out and say that certain things are just not OK to do. The members should be figuring that out for themselves.
Mon Nov 27, 08:57:48 PM CST
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