Have you read any of Colin Wilson`s work ?
Wilson is a Philosopher/ Criminologist. He was the first modern day theorist to write about the concept of how psychology can be utilized effectively to capture serial killers. He wrote, what I think, is his masterpiece; The Psychology Of Murder, back in 1970. He did most of his research at the FBI HQ, in the States, & at that time he also gave a series of lectures to those training there, which, by all accounts were incredible & groundbreaking. Wish I had of been there ! Although, the first person to use psychoanalytical skills to catch a serial killer was James A Brussel in the early 1960`s.
Brussel was a practicing Psychoanalyst in Boston Massachusetts who offered his skills to the Police when the investigation into, what would later become known as The Boston Strangler case, stalled. Bruseel employed typical Analytical skills that his education afforded. He was able to describe the type of person who could & would do something as horrendous as Albert De Salvo extrapolated onto the rich, older women of Boston in 1963.
Brussel began by breaking down the facts the Police gave him. Through this interaction with the Police Brussel was able to explain how the suspect would dress, where he from originally & whether he smoked or not. He was even able to tell Officers that the suspect would miss a bottom button on his cardigan/ jacket, due to an altercation he would of had with his Mother, or significant female other, when he was around four or five.
De Salvo was arrested initially due to the way he fastened his cardigan. He was spotted leaving his place of work as a janitor with his bottom cardigan button fastened wrongly ! He admitted to the killings & Brussel, rightfully, went down in history as a genius.
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