Rastro conductual del asaltante sexual serial desde la perfilación criminal inductiva / Behavioral trace of the serial sexual assailant from the inductive criminal profiling

Resumen La perfilación criminal ha despertado interés tanto en el contexto académico como en la cotidianidad, debido a la multiplicidad de casos aberrantes que se presentan día a día en el mundo. Es por eso que el objetivo de este artículo fue identificar a la luz del enfoque estadístico por facetas, desde la perfilación criminal de tipo inductiva, patrones conductuales inferidos de la información que se dispone de la escena del crimen de los casos de caso de Luis Alfredo Garavito Cubillo, alias "La Bestia" quien violentó y asesinó a más de 172 niños y el de Javier Velasco Valenzuela quien asesino, violó y torturó, bajo la modalidad de empalamiento, a Rosa Elvira Cely.

Abstract Criminal profiling has sparked interest both in the academic context and in daily life, due to the multiplicity of aberrant cases that occur day by day in the world. That is why the objective of this article was to identify the light of the statistical approach by facets, from inductive criminal profiling, behavioral patterns inferred from the information available at the crime scene of the cases of Luis Alfredo Garavito's case. Cubillo, alias "La Bestia", who rapes and murdered more than 172 children and Javier Velasco Valenzuela, who murdered, raped and tortured Rosa Elvira Cely in the form of impalement.

Perfilación criminológica: una revisión de la literatura y su aplicación en la investigación criminal en Colombia / Forensic pro ling: a review of the relevant literature and its application in criminal investigation in Colombia / Avaliação criminológica pelo perfil: uma revisão da literatura e da sua aplicação na investigação criminal na Colômbia

El estudio tuvo como objetivo realizar una revisión teórica de los aspectos más importantes de la perfilación criminológica, así como las condiciones bajo las cuales se utiliza esta técnica en Colombia, los resultados que se han obtenido tras utilizarla y los desafíos que representa en este país. Tras realizar la revisión de la literatura sobre el tema, se encontró que pese al creciente desarrollo de la perfilación en países como Estados Unidos, el Reino Unido y España, en Colombia la perfilación criminológica es una técnica de investigación escasamente utilizada, y desconocida tanto por los profesionales de salud mental como por los operadores de justicia. Existen deficiencias en la recolección de información para el desarrollo del perfil, y grandes carencias de investigaciones empíricas que soporten la validez de la técnica. Sin embargo, deben reconocerse adelantos en cuanto al uso práctico que se da de esta técnica, tal como se presenta en un análisis de caso realizado por el Grupo de Ciencias del Comportamiento y Perfilación Criminal (CICOP) de la Policía Nacional. Al final se discuten los desafíos que representan los conocimientos generados respecto a la perfilación criminológica para la investigación criminal en Colombia.

O estudo teve como objetivo realizar uma revisão teórica dos aspectos mais importantes da avaliação criminológica pelo perfil, assim como as condições nas quais se utiliza esta técnica na Colômbia, os resultados obtidos após sua utilização e os desafios que representa nesse país. Após ter feito a revisão da literatura no assunto, achou-se que apesar do desenvolvimento crescente da avaliação pelo perfil nos países como os Estados Unidos, Reino Unido e Espanha, na Colômbia a avaliação criminológica pelo perfil é uma técnica da investigação escassamente utilizada, e desconhecida pelos profissionais da saúde mental e pelos operadores da justiça. Têm deficiências na coleta das informações para o desenvolvimento do perfil, e as grandes carências das investigações empíricas que suportam a validez da técnica. Não obstante, é fundamental reconhecer avanços sobre o uso prático desta técnica, como se apresenta em uma análise de caso feita pelo Grupo de Ciências do Comportamento e Avaliação do Perfil Criminoso (CICOP) da Polícia Nacional. No final os desafios que representam o conhecimento gerado a respeito da avaliação criminológico pelo perfil são discutidos para a investigação criminal na Colômbia.

The purpose of this study has been to carry out a theoretical review of the most important aspects envisaged in forensic profiling together with the conditions in which this technique is used in Colombia and the results having been obtained here from its use, as well as the challenges posed. After having completed the review of the related literature, it was found that despite the growing experience gained in the development of profiling in countries like the United States, the United Kingdom and Spain, a still poorly used investigation technique prevails in Colombia, almost unknown to both mental health professionals and justice operators. There are some deficiencies in the collection of information required for profiling, as well as a notorious lack of empirical researches and investigations serving to support the validity of this technique; nevertheless, some advances should be acknowledged with regard to its practical use as shown in a case study analysis carried out by the National Police “CICOP” (Behavior Sciences and Criminal Profiling Group). To conclude, the challenges posed by knowledge obtained with regard to forensic profiling for criminal investigation in Colombia are discussed.

Perfiles criminológicos: el arte de Sherlock Holmes en el siglo XXI

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Summary Within the frame of an international interest to explain and reduce violent behavior, criminological profiles provide relevant knowledge on the characteristics and circumstances concerning violent events, their authors and victims. In this review the main lines of investigation on this subject are addressed, as well as some of the most important findings and inquiries yet to be solved. Finally, some challenges and perspectives of this type of research and the application of criminological profiles are discussed. Our conclusions include the necessity of developing a line of research to generate an insight into this subject in general, as well as to assess its applicability in specific contexts in Spanish speaking countries. Even though criminological profiles have been simultaneously supported and criticized, the findings in this research area evince the possibility of creating useful criminological profiles with accuracies above the random level. However, the outcomes of studies related to this subject suggest a precautionary approach with respect to its achievements. This manuscript reviews the research on criminological profiles from five study areas: a) crime and delinquent typologies; b) behavioral patterns and the theory of facets; c) spatial patterns and geographical profiles; d) temporal patterns and chrono-ecological rhythms, and e) reliability and validity. Studies in crime and delinquent typologies are marked within a clinical focus, in which deductive logic, experience of the profiler and analysis of previous cases are the keys to tackle cases of unknown aggressors. One of the representative models in this line is that of the FBI, which proposes a classification of murder scenes that are related with two different types of delinquents: unorganized (probably with mental disorder) and organized (probably psychopaths). This model also propounds the existence of a third type called "mixed" category, which includes characteristics from both previously mentioned types. The main contribution of clinical methodology has been the identification of socio-demographic characteristics common in persons committing crimes such as homicide, rape, robbery, pyromania and even terrorist acts; the selection of a victim type; characteristics of their modus operandi, and motivations referred to by perpetrators for justifying the deed. Recent research goes beyond mere descriptive studies by means of co-occurrence analysis of variables. From this viewpoint, hypotheses are posed and demonstrated based upon the study of large samples, this resulting knowledge is then applied to the analysis of new cases, casuistics (statistical methodology). This perspective originates the identification of behavioral patterns that initially give no support to previous classifications but propound more specific categories. Results from different type of offenses consistently indicate the existence of some useful behavioral patterns for the identification of the various ways of perpetrating a crime and its relation to distinct types of criminals. Among the main identified patterns are: violence used, level of planning and aggressor-victim relationship. Besides, the evidence supports the idea of a relation between the characteristics in the commission of a crime (information from the crime scene and the victims) and the characteristics of those persons responsible of the crime (in terms of the useful information leading to their identification and capture). The results of an investigation from a statistical viewpoint suggest that typologies can not be seen as static or rigid and that it is necessary to review the evidence backing up those typologies before using it in crimes committed by unknown aggressors and in contexts differents from the ones initially proposed. The theory of facets is the most representative model along this line. One of the most crucial findings so far is the existence of spatial patterns and their applicability in the elaboration of geographical profiles. In this sense, the relations between the zones in which crimes occur and the possible characteristics of the criminals have been studied. Results indicate that offenders tend to perpetrate their offenses in familiar places and near the areas in which their everyday life takes place. This knowledge has been useful for the development of computer programs that can predict the area where a criminal may live in or in which he may remain most of the time, based on the information available from the case investigation (for example, the place where the victims disappeared or where the bodies were found). Studies in this area indicate that the choice of places and victims is not at random, even in crimes that may be classified as impulsive. With respect to chrono-ecological patterns, there is evidence pointing to a relation between the commission of a crime and certain biological rhythms associated with annual, seasonal and lunar rhythms; though the information relating the lunar cycle and homicides is still controversial. In relation to the validity and reliability of profiles, research indicates that profiles depend on the type of offense, quality and quantity of available information, as well as the abilities of the persons performing the profile. Valid and reliable profiles are associated with both a large amount of available information and with the fact that persons trained in doing profiles are endowed with abilities of logical thinking and insight into human behavior. However, it is not quite clear if the main ability for producing accurate profiles is that of analysis and level of general intelligence on the part of the profile designer or a specific type of knowledge or training. In spite of the achievements in the study of profiles at international level, Latin America has experienced a slow development in this area. Mexico in particular, is not an exception. Publications on this subject in Spanish are really scarce. The development in the research on profiles and the questions pending an answer lead us to propose, as well as to discuss, the necessity for the development of a research line in criminological profiles in countries like Mexico with the aim of making a contribution at international level to the identification of behavioral, cognitive, criminological, spatial and chrono-ecological patterns. Besides, there is a need to corroborate whether if the international findings are valid in our contexts, and to what extent they can be introduced into our practice. Finally, we propound that this research line be permanent and independent of immediate reactions in the face of crimes creating great impact. This line must be constituted upon the basis of theoretical models empirically demonstrated, the search of relations between available information in crime cases of unknown aggressors and data that may be useful for the identification and capture of offenders. Among the challenges and perspectives of criminological profiles we must go beyond deductive tools to approach a science based on scientific evidence.