The Crime Classification Manual
The Federal Bureau of Investigation’s (FBI) National Center for the Analysis of Violent Crime published a book called the Crime Classification Manual during a time of increased rates of violent crime and decreased case solve rates (Douglas et al., 1992a). The manual was based on ten years of FBI work studying a wide range of violent offender types (Douglas et al., 1992a).
The authors’ of the manual intended to address existing law enforcement issues in order to increase the rates of solved violent crimes. Specifically, they noted that there was little consistency between police departments when it came to investigation processes and techniques, as well as the language and definitions used when describing violent crime (Douglas et al., 1992a). The inconsistencies between departments was maintained because there was little shared training across departments (Douglas et al., 1992a).
To improve consistency and provide shared knowledge across police departments the manual would serve as “a diagnostic system that will standardize terminology and for the first time formally classify the critical characteristics of the perpetrators and victims of the three major violent crimes — murder, arson, and sexual assault” (Douglas et al., 1992a). The benefit being that all police departments could be working with “the same investigative techniques and definitions used by the FBI to coordinate their investigations and solve crimes” (Douglas et al., 1992a).
The Crime Classification Manual identifies for investigators the clues and crime scene indicators common to each type of crime, so they can begin piecing together a solution and establishing a motive as soon as they arrive at the scene. Once a general idea of the perpetrator and the motive has been established, investigators can use the CCM to identify the other aspects common to that type of crime: victimology, modus operandi, physical evidence, the weapon, autopsy results, etc. (Douglas et al., 1992a).
The authors developed the Crime Classification Manual with the American Psychiatric Association’s Diagnostic and Statistical Manual in mind (Douglas et al., 1992b).
References
Douglas, J. E., Burgess, A. W., Burgess, A. G., & Ressler, R. K. (1992a). Crime Classification Manual (pp. inside front cover). Lexington Books.
Douglas, J. E., Burgess, A. W., Burgess, A. G., and Ressler, R. K. (1992b). Homicide. In J. E. Douglas, A. W. Burgess, A. G. Burgess, & R. K. Ressler (Eds.), Crime Classification Manual (pp. 17-162). Lexington Books.