The VERA method: criminal profiling

VERA is an acronym for Victim-Scene-Reconstruction-Author. The method is applied in cases of homicide, kidnapping, robberies, sexual assaults, in single or serial cases and also when high-risk disappearances of people occur.

Criminal profiles are a fundamental tool for police investigation. The Behavior Analysis Section of the Spanish CNP is currently using the VERA method for criminal profiling. Developed by Mr. Juan E. Soto Castro, head of the Section, and of the National Police Corps, psychologist and researcher. The VERA method is becoming established as one of the most successful and professional methods. methods of drawing this type of profiles.

VERA is an acronym for Victim-Scene-Reconstruction-Author. The method It is applied in cases of homicide, kidnapping, robberies, sexual assaults, in single or serial cases. Also when high-risk disappearances of people occur. It uses a combination of concepts and principles from psychology, research studies and my own professional experience.

Data collection

During data collection, each and every one of them is classified to the extent that they belong to the different sections. A difference is made between whether the data relates to the victim, the crime scene, the possible perpetrator, etc. Each data is identified with a code where the first letter is D (data).

The second letter corresponds to the block in which it is classified (V for victim, E for Scene) followed by its order number. It is important during data collection that a clear differentiation of the modus operandi, the ritual, the staging and personal seal. All of the above corresponds to the first phase of data collection.

In the second phase, inferences are made based on the idea that A crime is a very complex scenario and we work on the hypothesis that most of them follow a common thread.. Thus, it is essential to correctly reconstruct the history they represent. In this way, the data collected is analyzed individually, but also as a whole.

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As in the first phase, each of the inferences is noted by assigning a code. In this case, it will always begin with the letter I of inference, followed by the corresponding letter if it is in reference to the victim, the author, etc. Inferences must be rigorous and objective. They must also be disposable when new data requires it.

The third phase is that of the hypotheses, which will be coded in the same way as above, this time with the letter H. A list of hypotheses is prepared from which the criminal profile will be drawn up. Hypotheses can derive from each other, that is, they are developed progressively.

Profile layout

The information collected includes the characteristics of the victim. It is essential to know the reasons why this person in question was chosen as a victim, if it was a random decision, if they belonged to a risk group, etc. Inspection of the crime scene and related places also provides very valuable information for drawing up the profile.

The reconstruction of the crime is what clarifies the modus operandi, the staging, the ritual or the personal seal of the criminal. Reconstruction seeks to understand how it happened and allows us to analyze the interaction of the perpetrator of the crime with the victim based on the analysis of behaviors. All of this is related and elaborated based on multiple theories and research studies in the field of psychology.

The collection of data about the perpetrator of the crime is done with special attention. It should result in the most approximate description possible of the physical appearance and behavioral profile. This is the phase that will allow investigators to have more precise information about the perpetrator of the events.

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The entire VERA method is a progressive and cumulative technique. Data, inferences and hypotheses can be added to each other. All the principles of psychology that are appropriate are applied to these data in order to sufficiently profile the personality and behavior of the aggressor, criminal or delinquent.

Utilities of the VERA method

The VERA method has proven to be very effective in drawing up psychological profiles of perpetrators of crimes. In addition, this method is proving especially useful in other areas. It also enables the creation of a statistical database of aggressors, delinquents and criminals classified by criminal and psychological typology.

It also allows comparing the profile drawn with the real profile of the criminal once arrested, which constitutes a very effective tool to improve the drawing of future profiles which may well be based on those previously drawn by coincidence of data. It can also be really useful for future research projects, as well as improving current ones.