Publisher Summary This chapter discusses the magic, myth, and reality of profiling and emphasizes how profiling relates to the core of the serial killer task-force investigation. Profiling is a central operation because in a serial killer task force investigation, especially one that is very quickly overwhelmed by information, is very public, and is heavily covered by the press. Profiling can be central to a task force's ability to understand the nature of the offender they are looking for. Unfortunately, profiling can usually be a disaster, leading investigators on the wrong trails and prolonging the investigation. When profiling is used to refine the crime assessment, the probability of success is greatly enhanced. The efficacy of this approach is validated by police-generated case facts instead of abstract and, sometimes, disconnected behavioral indicators. Here, the crime scene itself becomes the initiation point for pattern recognition, evidence collection, decision making for follow-up, and strategy planning for interviews with suspects. If the category for a particular rape-murderer is identified correctly, the perpetrator can be his own accuser.