About – Biography

Professional History

Over the last 20 years Professor Canter has been prolific in mapping out the discipline of Investigative Psychology, opening up thinking on the psychology of criminal actions, and the ways in which this can inform police investigations and the courts.

Professor David Canter

Professor Canter is frequently asked to contribute to strategic policing issues at national and international levels. He has provided expert evidence in diverse legal cases of international significance.

David’s award-winning (Anthony Award; Crime Writer’s Association Golden Dagger Award) account of the development of the science behind “offender profiling” and key cases using “geographical offender profiling” can be found in his popular books Criminal Shadows as well as Mapping Murder.

David Canter’s commitment to the systematic, scientific analysis of human behaviour, which recently earned him one of only 26 prestigious BPS Honorary Fellowships ever awarded across the discipline, emerged from his work on how people act in disasters and emergency situations, from the Kings Cross fire to the Bradford City football ground disaster to the evacuation of the World Trade Center on 9/11.

Earlier in his career, Professor Canter played a crucial role in establishing another sub-discipline: Environmental Psychology. He continues to lecture around the world on developments in this field.

Read more about Professor David Canter on Wikipedia here.

Entry in Who’s Who

Professor David Victor Canter

CANTER, Prof. David Victor, PhD; FBPsS; Professor of Psychology, University of Liverpool, since 1994; b 5 Jan. 1944; s of late Hyman Victor Canter and Coralie Lilian Canter (nee Hyam); m 1967, Sandra Lorraine Smith; one s two d. Educ: Liverpool Collegiate Grammar Sch.; Liverpool Univ. (BA Hons 1964; PhD 1969). Research Associate, Liverpool Univ., 1964-65; Strathclyde University: Res. Associate, 1966; Res. Fellow, Building Performance Res. Unit, 1967-70; Lectr, 1971-72; University of Surrey: Lectr, 1972-78; Reader, 1978-83; Prof. Of Applied Psychology, 1983-87; Prof. of Psychology, 1987-94; Hd of Dept of Psychology 1987-91. CPsychol 1988; AcSS; Hon. Mem. of Psychology Society of South Africa; FAPA; FRSA. Mem., Forensic Sci. Soc. Hon. Mem., Japanese Inst. Of Architects, 1971. Man. Ed., Jl of Envmtl Psychology, 1981- 2002. Man. Ed. Jl of Investigative Psychology and Offender Profiling 2003- Publications: Architectural Psychology, 1970; Psychology for Architects, 1974; (ed jtly) Psychology and the Built Environment, 1974; Environmental Interaction, 1975; (with P Stringer) Psychology of Place, 1977; (ed jtly) Designing for Therapeutic Environments, 1979; (ed) Fires and Human Behaviour, 1980, 2nd edn 1990; (ed jtly) Psychology in Practice, 1982; (ed) Facet Theory, 1985; (ed jtly) The Research Interview, 1985; (ed jtly) Environmental Perspectives, 1988; (ed jtly) Environmental Policy, Assessment of Communication, 1988; (ed jtly) New Directions in Environmental Participation, 1988; (ed jtly) Environmental Social Psychology, 1988; (with M. Comber and D. Uzzell) Football in its Place, 1989; (ed jtly) Empirical Approaches to Social Representations, 1992; Criminal Shadows: inside the mind of the serial killer, 1994 (Golden Dagger and Athony Awarded) ; (jtly) The Facets of Homelessness, 1995; Psychology in Action, 1996: (ed jtly) Criminal Detection and the Psychology of Crime, 1997; Assessing Accounts of Crime, 1998; (ed jtly) Profiling in Policy and Practice, 1999; Interviewing and Deception, 1999; The Social Psychology of Crime, 2000; Profiling Property Crimes, 2000; Mapping Murder, 2003; Becoming an Author (with G.Fairbairn) 2006; Geographical Offender Profiling 2 vols (with D.Youngs) 2008. Written and presented six-part TV Series “Mapping Murder”; contribs to learned jls, newspapers, radio, TV. Recreations: clarinet, musical composition, horticulture. Address: Department of Psychology, University of Liverpool, Liverpool L69 7ZA. T: (0151) 794 3910, Fax: (0151) 794 3938; e-mail: .

“Who’s Who” 2007