Crime Quote by John E. Douglas
““My colleague Roy Hazelwood, who taught the basic profiling course for several years before retiring from the Bureau in 1993, used to divide the analysis into three distinct questions and phases—what, why, and who: What took place? This includes everything that might be behaviorally significant about the crime. Why did it happen the way it did? Why, for example, was there mutilation after death? Why was nothing of value taken? Why was there no forced entry? What are the reasons for every behaviorally significant factor in the crime? And this, then, leads to: Who would have committed this crime for these reasons? This is the task we set for ourselves.””
About This Quote
Source Book: Mindhunter by John E. Douglas and Mark Olshaker, 1995
Profiling involves three questions: what happened, why it happened, and who likely did it, guiding investigative focus.
In simple terms: Analyze crime by event, motive, and perpetrator.
Key Takeaway
Apply systematic questioning in investigations.
Themes
crime analysis
investigation
psychology
Mood
analytical
methodical
Type
educational
practical
When to use this quote
- law enforcement
- academic research
- case reviews
- training programs
Key Concepts
behavioral profiling
forensic reasoning
Questions to Reflect On
- How would you handle ambiguous motives?
- What evidence best answers each question?
A Different Perspective
Complex cases may not fit a tidy three‑question model.
