Final answer:
Criminal profiling is a multifaceted practice that combines empirical data analysis, such as geographic profiling, with psychological evaluation, resulting in an approach that is both an art and a science.
Step-by-step explanation:
Criminal Profiling is often considered an art supplemented by various sciences. When considering the statement that best describes this practice, it can be seen as a combination of art and empirical methods informed by psychology and other relevant fields. Criminal profiling involves understanding psychological characteristics and behaviors to predict the actions of criminals. Professionals use both data-driven methods like geographic profiling, which applies principles such as distance decay, and psychological assessments to provide a multi-angle analysis of criminal behavior. This approach is neither wholly scientific nor entirely subjective as it includes instincts and informed hunches alongside standardized practices.
By comparing the elements of the criminal profiling to the scientific method, which includes hypothesis testing, observation, and experimentation, it is evident that profiling incorporates empirical research along with intuitive practices. It is thus best characterized as a combination of art and science, with elements like geographic profiling being more rigorously scientific while the psychological aspects can be more interpretive.