Forensic Application of Behavioral Evidence Analysis

Korean J Leg Med 2018;42:44-55

Department of Forensic Medicine, Chosun University School of Medicine, Gwangju, Korea

E-mail: ysk007fm@hotmail.com

Criminal profiling of violent, serial crimes plays a critical role in police work worldwide. However, its performance in Korea remains a topic of debate and has been deemed unsatisfactory; empirical studies on the behavioral characteristics of murderers are extremely scarce. This work analyzes some murder or suspicious death cases using autopsy, ruling, and public media reports, where available, as well as literature reviews. The findings are expected to raise research interest in the field of behavioral evidence analysis and encourage researchers to analyze murder cases with consideration for wound interpretation and case reconstruction. The basic concept of behavioral evidence analysis is that different patterns of offending actions will reflect differences in the personality traits or motives of offenders. The analysis of offending behaviors and witness or suspect statements can be a useful investigative tool for solving violent crimes. This paper presents a description of the case history, autopsy findings, and psychological connotations for eight murder or suspicious death cases, including serial killing, in the context of behavioral evidence analysis.

Key Words: Criminal profiling; Motivation; Autopsy; Reconstruction; Wound interpretation