Profile the criminals

Author: (American) Jenee Boylean
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2002-09-01
Features: For over two decades, the name of Jenee Boylean has echoed in the investigations of many major cases in the United States, including the shocking bombing of the Oklahoma Federal Building. The perpetrator of the TWA explosion case committed multiple crimes over a decade, and despite the efforts of the FBI and local police, the case remained unsolved, plunging the American public into fear. In 1998, the perpetrator was finally apprehended, with the suspect sketches drawn by Jenee Boylean playing a crucial role. In this book, Jenee Boylean recounts her experiences over the years in drawing sketches to assist in solving cases, demonstrating the impact of witnesses' emotions, psychology, and individual differences on their observations and memories. She also calls for reforms in the traditional methods of sketching in criminal investigations. On the other hand, her experiences in the book also serve as a true reflection of the painful and winding journey of individuals seeking self-fulfillment in contemporary society. The book also provides a glimpse into many social issues in modern America, such as the constant occurrence of robberies and murders, the spiritual emptiness of some individuals, especially the youth, the bureaucratic nature of the judicial system, and the widespread use of drugs. These issues offer a vivid lesson to those who hold overly idealized views of American society.
Written in the first person, the book follows the author's career development as the main thread, weaving together many cases she personally experienced. After graduating from high school, Jenee Boylean lived independently and pursued her education far from her hometown. During her part-time job assisting police in interviewing witnesses, she inadvertently entered a neglected field. She discovered that different witnesses described the same suspect differently, and their own emotions and psychological states greatly influenced their descriptions. The traditional methods of sketching suspects used by the FBI and local police departments were riddled with flaws, as they ignored the individual differences and emotional and psychological influences of witnesses, leading to heavy failures in a series of cases.
Later, Jenee Boylean devoted herself to this field and achieved remarkable success. The common belief among law enforcement agencies and the public is that the success of a suspect sketch depends primarily on the artist's artistic talent, but in reality, it hinges on whether complete and accurate information can be obtained from the witnesses. When FBI or police artists meet with witnesses, they typically ask a series of pre-prepared questions directly from the witness forms. Sometimes, they show witnesses a series of photos of facial features, asking them to select the suspect's features and piece them together into a face. The resulting sketches often bear little resemblance to the suspect's true appearance, leading to numerous incorrect leads, the loss of the best opportunity to solve the case, and the escape of the criminal, who may even continue their crimes. As a result, public confidence in the FBI and police forces waned.
What is more important is that incorrect sketches and the flawed way of questioning witnesses severely damaged the memories of the witnesses. Jenee Boylean was often called in to cases in such situations. She believed that each witness had a different reference point for their perception and description of the suspect. For example, an Asian person might perceive the suspect as having fair skin, while a Caucasian person might perceive them as having darker skin. The discrepancies in the descriptions of the suspect by different witnesses often proved them to be credible rather than the opposite. She was familiar with the impact of psychology and emotions on witnesses' memories and always built trust with them during interviews, helping them to relax completely. This allowed witnesses to retrieve the most authentic and reliable information from their subconscious, much like picking up a coin from the bottom of a murky river.
With her skills, patience, compassion, and selfless dedication, Jenee Boylean's sketches often bore a striking resemblance to the actual suspects, leading to the swift resolution of many cases, such as the Polly Klass case, the Justin Jones case, the Oklahoma Federal Building bombing case, the Diana Ortegas case, the TWA explosion case, the Ruth Meyer case, the Martin Ganz case, and the Cola Jones case, among others. Her achievements were recognized and rewarded by society. In 1994, she received the FBI's "Special Contribution Award," and in 1997, she was honored as one of the winners of the "Seven Awards for Business and Professional Women." Additionally, she frequently appeared on radio and television programs to discuss the progress of criminal investigations. She persistently called for reforms in the traditional methods of obtaining information from witnesses and sketching suspects, urging authorities to protect witnesses' memories as they would protect fingerprint evidence. Later, she became a host on a television program, fulfilling her childhood dream.
Complementing the main narrative is the author's personal life. Jenee Boylean made great sacrifices in her personal life to pursue her career. Love brought her and Robert together, but their married life exposed the cracks and conflicts between them: Robert was narrow-minded, selfish, lacking in understanding and tolerance. Jenee could leave home at any moment due to sudden cases and might not return for several nights while working. However, her husband could not accept this lifestyle of constant absences and sleepless nights. Her career success and the fame and fortune that followed also wounded his narrow self-esteem. For a long time, she tried to change herself and give up her work as a sketch artist, striving to be a "normal" housewife according to her husband's standards. But her compassion made it impossible for her to refuse to lend a helping hand. The tug-of-war in their relationship and the frequent conflicts ultimately led to their divorce.
The book combines real-life criminal investigations with informative content, making it highly readable. The interplay of light and dark threads ensures that the numerous cases and life fragments are well-balanced and orderly. The content is primarily presented in chronological order, with occasional flashbacks creating suspense and enhancing the reading experience. The book portrays a three-dimensional "I," whose journey in love and career reflects the awakening of self-awareness and the deepening understanding of life in modern society: "My" pursuit of self-fulfillment deepens the book's intellectual depth: the value of life lies in diligently pursuing one's dreams, benefiting others, and creating a true sense of existence amidst the void of time and space. The author's positive life philosophy serves as a and inspiration to those who are disillusioned and empty in today's society.