news release
BCIT forensic program launches geographic profiling courses
October 12, 2004
Crime fighters are learning the latest geographic profiling techniques this week as B.C. Institute of Technology’s forensic science technology program launches it first courses on the investigative technique.
Geographic profiling uses the locations of a connected series of crimes to determine the most probable area of an offender’s residence. It is generally applied in cases of serial murder, rape, arson, and robbery. It can also be used in single crimes, such as auto theft, burglary and bombing, that involve multiple scenes or other significant geographic characteristics.
Investigators examine the link between geographic crime site information and the known propensities of serial criminals in their selection of a target victim and location. The system produces a map of the most probable location of the criminal’s centre of activity. In most cases it is the offender’s residence.
Vancouver-based Environmental Criminology Research Inc. (ECRI) provides Rigel geographic profiling software. The software is being used by leading police agencies in North America and Europe. The BCIT geographic profiling courses use the software product as well as training curriculum developed by ECRI.
Lorie Velarde, a crime analyst with the Garden Grove Police Department in California, is teaching the geographic profiling courses at the BCIT Downtown Campus this week and next week. She is a trained geographic profiling analyst and regularly makes presentations at law enforcement conferences on the topics of geographic profiling and crime mapping.
Media can contact: Christine Watt, Forensic Science Technology, (604) 412-7539; Michael Becker, BCIT Media Relations, (604) 432-8773; Philip MacLaren, ECRI Sales and Marketing, (604) 718-2060
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