 At the time of criminal profiling's conception, Douglas claimed to have been doubted and criticized by his own colleagues.The efficacy of profiling remains unclear as many studies have shown it is often too vague to be definitive enough to build a comprehensive criminal profile.Douglas first made a public name for himself with his involvement in the Atlanta murders of 1979–81, initially through an interview he did with "People Magazine" about his profiling of the as yet unidentified killer as a young black man.