Leads to an increased understanding of the nature of crimes and the individuals who commit them This landmark book standardizes for the first time the language and terminology used throughout the criminal justice system. It classifies the critical characteristics of the perpetrators and victims of the three major violent crimes-murder, arson, and sexual assault-based upon the motivation of the offender.Based on the primary intent of the criminal, the Crime Classification Manual leads to an increased understanding of the nature of crime and of the individuals who commit such crimes. This is an indispensable reference for anyone whose work brings them into contact with either the offender or victim of violent crime. The Crime Classification Manual: * standardizes terminology within the criminal justice field* facilitates communication within the criminal justice field and between criminal justice and mental health* develops a data base for investigative research A decade in development, this work forms the basis of contemporary investigative profiling, the highly acclaimed strategy in which crimes are solved by generating a profile of the suspect. This best-selling manual provides law enforcement and mental health professionals access to the same information used by the FBI to coordinate their investigations.Also available is the Pocket Guide to the Crime Classification Manual, which presents in handy outline form the data in the main volume and serves as a quick in-the-field reference tool.