Paul Britton

This was certainly an interesting read, quite disturbing at times and Britton definitely casts himself in a undeniably biased positive light if one reads the book with an understanding of the Colin Stagg fiasco.

Interestingly, Stagg has since been completely vindicated by DNA testing which conclusively proved Robert Napper (whose case also appears in this book) was the perpetrator, yet in a failure of criminal profiling, in this very book Britton writes that it is not possible for the same killer to have done both crimes as they are so different.

Overall, despite being dated by the above events which occurred a decade after the book was published it is still an disturbing insight into numerous other crimes that Britton was involved in developing profiles for.

I would recommend this for anyone with an interest in true crime or psychopathology.… (mais)

An autobiographical account of serious crime detection by a British “psychological profiler”. This kind of writing naturally appeals both to a prurient appetite for forensic detail and to lovers of classic fictional detectives. Holmes, Poirot, Marple etc are all amateur outsiders whose brilliance effortlessly succeeds while the professionals flounder. Who does not enjoy such fantasies?

But here’s the key difference: Britton is not fictional and writes as his own Dr Watson. Whatever the scientific pedigree of psychology and psychoanalysis, they have long been accepted as medical skills in prisons and hospitals. More recently this acceptance has extended to forensics, and profilers like Britton are often “called in” Holmes-like to assist a police investigation.

Britton’s tone is self-vindicatory. He does little to demystify his shamanic role. His endless overtime hours are a necessary self-sacrifice due to a sad shortage of fellow magicians. But if psychological profiling is a true science, surely its tools can be made accessible to the average cop?

Britton, by the way, was the profiler in the famous Rachel Nickell murder investigation. (He describes this himself in another book.) The case culminated in the summary acquittal of Colin Stagg after the judge ruled the entire police evidence inadmissible. It all arose from an improper “agent provocateur” exercise in which Britton played a significant role.

Postscript: DNA evidence has since conclusively proven Stagg's innocence and Britton's hubris.… (mais)