No. 152 / Jun 7, 2021
Crime is constantly occurring around us. Many of those who commit crimes are brought to justice, but there are cases in which perpetrators have not been to arrest and cases that remain unsolved. Efforts to catch criminals involved in unsolved cases and to prevent crime altogether prompted the study of criminal psychology. This discipline is concerned with the study of criminal behavior and rehabilitation, and crime prevention, and spans issues such as criminal intentions, thoughts, objectives, and responses. It is a common misconception that criminal psychology is synonymous with profiling. In truth, the former involves the study and analysis of criminals’ motives, methods, and general theories of criminality. Profiling, however, uses scientific and psychological knowledge to catch criminals.
Scientific research in criminal psychology began in earnest in the late 19 century. Many cases have been analyzed thus far, and the broken window theory is one of the best known products of this analysis. In addition, there are many notable studies related to crime, including the bystander effect and the Milgram experiment. More recently, gaslighting and stalking have emerged as social problems related to criminal psychology. Gaslighting is a term derived from the play Gas Light in 1938, and refers to strengthening one’s control over others through psychological or situational manipulation. Gaslighting is a form of emotional abuse that is psychologically damaging to the victim. Stalking refers to the intentional and continuous harassment or extension of obsessive attention, regardless of the other person’s will. It often results in both mental and physical harm for victims. In a column titled Stalking Is a Murder Trailer, Lee Soo-jung, a Professor of Criminal Psychology at Kyunggi University, emphasized the dangers of stalking. Gaslighting and stalking are regular occurrences everyday life, and an there is a chance that an individual can stalk another without even knowing it is a crime (e.g., under the illusion that the victim likes me).
Profiler is a profession that mainly uses criminal psychology. Their analysis of the circumstances or evidence involved in a criminal case informs the investigation, narrows the pool of suspects to catch the criminal, and uses psychological strategies to elicit a confession. The United State (U.S.) began profiling in the 1950s and Korea began in the 2000s, shifts which helped solve cases, including murders. Majoring in the study of psychology or sociology is advantageous to those who want to be profilers. Persons with master’s degrees or higher pass a special bond organized by the National Police Agency, receive training for six months, pass a police exam, and become profilers.
This means that it is a crime, a mistake committed in violation of the law. Park Ji-sun, a crime psychologist, and a professor of social psychology at Sookmyung Women’s University, said this on a broadcast program. “If you commit a crime, you will surely be caught.”
By Kim Jae-hyun, AG Cub Reporter
zxc2337@ajou.ac.kr
Comentaris