Predators: Who They Are and How to Stop Them (Hardcover)

~ (Author), Michael R. King (Author), thomas Mchoes (Author)
Key Phrases: predatory killers, escape tactics, predatory criminals, Oklahoma City, Ben Rhoades, Risk Continuum (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description

An inmate, incarcerated for the rape of seventy-five women, reveals in an interview that if his victims had simply put a pair of old construction boots at the front door, he would have passed by and never even considered them as potential targets. The grieving father of a murdered seventeen-year-old woman admits that he should have been more involved in his daughter's life and paid attention to the "friends" in her immediate circle.

Most of us only half-listen to the public service announcements about safety in the home. We lock our doors at night, but do little else to change habits that may make us the next victims of the dangerous individuals who are always on the watch for their next opportunity.

This book takes readers through the mindset of predatory criminals--their motives, various plans of attack, and way of thinking--and then teaches simple lifestyle techniques that will help reduce the risk of becoming victimized. Criminal behavior specialists Greg Cooper and Mike King provide expert analysis based on real-life cases, in addition to moving insights from victims and criminals themselves. The authors make the point that the people who commit these crimes aren't much different from the predators of the wild, preying on the weak and unsuspecting. What makes these individuals more dangerous than their instinctive wildlife counterparts, however, is that they consciously choose to inflict their will on the more vulnerable members of their own species. To protect our loved ones and ourselves requires that we truly educate ourselves about the predators who live in our society and then take appropriate action. This excellent, in-depth study will help readers lead safer lives.

About the Author

Gregory M. Cooper (American Fork, UT) is an investigative support services manager for Motorola Inc. Formerly, he worked as Assistant Federal Security Director for Law Enforcement, U.S. Department of Homeland Security; as the police chief of Provo, Utah; and as a unit chief and criminal profiler for the FBI.

Michael R. King (Ogden, UT) is a product planning manager and senior investigative analyst for Motorola. He is a former State Attorney General Chief of Staff and intelligence supervisor for the Utah Criminal Intelligence Center, Department of Public Safety, Division of Homeland Security.

Tom McHoes (Springville, UT) is a freelance journalist who was previously a crimes/investigative reporter for the Provo Daily Herald and The Roseville Press-Tribune.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 318 pages
• Publisher: Prometheus Books; illustrated edition edition (June 19, 2007)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1591025060
• ISBN-13: 978-1591025061
• Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 6.2 x 1.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #325,845 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The criminal mind explained, September 10, 2007

By	Kerry D (Southern California) - See all my reviews

This book explains how you can reduce your risk of becoming a victim. The authors provide an understanding of how the criminal mind works and why the criminal may or may not pick someone as a victim. The book uses past crimes as examples and tells what the victim could have done that may have reduced their risk of becoming a victim. In the first example, the victim was a housewife who was raped by a criminal who lived nearby. She was watched by the criminal for 6 weeks. He knew that she and her husband maintained the exact same schedule every day. If the housewife and her husband had altered their schedules a few times a week, the criminal may not have chosen her as a victim. In finding the perpetrator of a crime, the investigators start by analyzing who the victim is and from learning this, a motive and suspects emerge. This is called "Victimology" and it is the foundation of all police investigations. I recommend this book highly. It is well written and very informative.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Crime Prevention Tips from the Experts...Criminals, August 31, 2007

By	Stephen Mccaskill "www.crimesceneblog.com" (South Carolina) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

Title: Predators: Who They Are and How to Stop Them

Authors: Gregory M. Cooper, Michael R. King, Thomas McHoes

Summary: This book takes readers through the mindset of predatory criminals--their motives, various plans of attack, and way of thinking--and then teaches simple lifestyle techniques that will help reduce the risk of becoming victimized.

Criminal behavior specialists Greg Cooper and Mike King provide expert analysis based on real-life cases, in addition to moving insights from victims and criminals themselves. The authors make the point that the people who commit these crimes aren't much different from the predators of the wild, preying on the weak and unsuspecting. What makes these individuals more dangerous than their instinctive wildlife counterparts, however, is that they consciously choose to inflict their will on the more vulnerable members of their own species.

To protect our loved ones and ourselves requires that we truly educate ourselves about the predators who live in our society and then take appropriate action. This excellent, in-depth study will help readers lead safer lives.

Review: Television news, cable networks, and others are constantly bombarding us with how to protect ourselves. Commercials run on radio and television promoting the latest advances in home security systems. You can even purchase video cameras embedded in teddy bears, so you can spy on the babysitter to make they are only raiding your refrigerator, not your jewelry case.

But what many folks don't know is that a pair of dirty shoes can acts as a deterrent to a criminal.

Brad Morrison is a rapist who attacked 75 women across 11 states. Here is something this serial rapist had to say about how he selected a house.

"There were all kind of things that would make me say, 'This isn't the right place.' Like, if they had a dog, then forget it. Even a small one makes to much noise. If I saw a pair of construction boots, for example, out on the porch or on the landing, I walked right on by."

Predators: Who They Are and How to Stop Them is full of information from the attackers, rapists, and molesters themselves. There are chapters on Victimology and how to find ways to reduce you chance of becoming a victim. There are also sections on crimes against children, the elderly, and kidnapping.

But don't think that this is just another volume full of "lock your doors, make sure you install dead bolts." There is real information, gathered from interviewing real criminals, that many folks may have not thought of before.

This is one of the most fascinating books I have read on the subject of crime and crime prevention. I honestly cannot recommend it highly enough.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars An outstanding safety guide., September 7, 2007

By	Midwest Book Review (Oregon, WI USA) - See all my reviews

PREDATORS: WHO THEY ARE AND HOW TO STOP THEM examines the lives, circumstances and modus operandi of predatory criminals, from their motives and methods of stalking and attack to lifestyle changes and techniques which will reduce the possibility of becoming a victim. In a world increasingly haunted by such predators, this book will provide invaluable safety keys for both general interest public library patrons and college-level collections strong in social issues. The authors point out those who commit crimes prey on the weak - and that a best defense is to appear strong and difficult. An outstanding safety guide.

Diane C. Donovan
California Bookwatch