Abstract

Geographical offender profiling proposes that it is possible to predict the likely area where serial killers live by analyzing where and how they committed their crimes. This information could be used by police to prioritize suspects and make better use of their resources. Based on findings from years of research on the field, a software was developed to assist in this endeavor: Dragnet. While there have been tests of this software’s applicability internationally, only one was conducted in Brazil but with a small sample. The present study sought to verify Dragnet’s accuracy with a larger sample of Brazilian serial killers. Data was collected from police and court records of two capital cities. The sample consisted of 66 serial killers whose crime location and home address were available. In 84.9% of the cases the offender’s home was within the area predicted by the software, and in 63.6% of the cases it was within the top areas suggested. While they show promise, these results are discussed as to how they could be improved and the importance of a qualitative analysis, considering factors that may influence offender’s mobility. Future research projects are suggested to address these issues.