Q: What is criminal profiling?
A: What you are calling criminal profiling, we refer to as behavioral analysis. Behavioral analysis is a behavior-based investigative and analytical technique used to assist FBI Special Agents in assessing the personalities of their subjects and targets. Based on these assessments, strategies for interviews, approaches, undercover operations or various other recommendations can be developed.
Q: How do you (and the FBI) use criminal profiling?
A: The FBI has four teams made up of specially trained FBI personnel which provide guidance on FBI and law enforcement investigations. These units are called BAU-1, BAU-2, BAU-3, and BAU-4.
BAU-1 provides behaviorally-based investigative and operational support to complex and time sensitive crimes and other matters of significance involving acts or threats of violence through application of investigative case experience, education, specialized training, and research. These services are focused upon matters involving international and domestic terrorism, arson and bombing matters, acts of targeted violence, and anticipated or active crisis situations.
BAU-2 provides critical operational support to matters involving threat management, cyber investigations, and white collar/public corruption matters.
BAU-3 provides specialized and behaviorally based investigative and operations support to law enforcement agencies involved in the investigation of crimes against children. Through the process of criminal investigative analysis, BAU-3 reviews and assesses the facts of a criminal act and interprets offender behavior and victim/offender dynamics during the commission of the crime or as displayed at the crime scene.
BAU-4 provides operational support to federal, state, local, and international law enforcement agencies involved in the investigation of unusual or repetitive violent crimes involving adult victims, through the application of investigative case experience, education, specialized training, and research. Behavioral analysis resources are primarily focused on serial, mass, and other murders; sexual assaults; kidnappings; missing person cases; and other violent criminal acts targeting adult victims. Behavioral-based services include crime analysis, investigative suggestions, interview/interrogation strategies, media strategies, linkage analysis, personality assessments, profiles of unknown offenders, search warrant affidavit assistance, and expert testimony.
The above units coordinate their assistance through a network of Coordinators located in each of the 56 FBI field offices.
Q: How do you decide when criminal profiling will be helpful?
A: This decision is made usually by the FBI Special Agent running a particular investigation. If there are gaps in an investigation or an unknown behavior component to a particular crime, that Special Agent will solicit the input and guidance from one of the aforementioned Behavioral Analysis Units.
Q: How accurate is criminal profiling?
A: I would differ to the experts who work these types of matters on a daily basis to answer this question. However, from my experiences, behavioral analysis has been extremely helpful in a variety of different types of FBI investigations. I recommend the utilization of these professionals on a regular basis.
Q: How important is the criminal profiling process to the overall investigation?
A: Behavioral analysis is another tool in the Special Agent’s tool belt. Special Agents bring a variety of different tools and techniques to each investigation they work. Not all FBI investigations utilize this technique. When behavioral analysis is utilized in an investigation, it is critical piece of the puzzle and can break investigations wide open and result in the solution of crimes that have occurred or prevent future crimes from occurring.
Q: What is the most interesting case you've worked on involving criminal profiling?
A: One of the most interesting cases I worked was a gang case that had taken over a community. This gang’s presence was so powerful and terrorizing in this particular community that it was causing a phenomenon known as “cluster suicides”. These suicides were occurring at an alarming rate and seemed to be unrelated at first. However, with the assistance of the Behavioral Analysis Unit, the FBI determined a link between the gang’s activity and the suicide victims who resided in that community. This link made through behavioral analysis was critical in disrupting and ultimately dismantling the gang and removing them from the community. When the gang was removed, the suicides stopped. It is the most fascinating case I have ever worked.
A: What you are calling criminal profiling, we refer to as behavioral analysis. Behavioral analysis is a behavior-based investigative and analytical technique used to assist FBI Special Agents in assessing the personalities of their subjects and targets. Based on these assessments, strategies for interviews, approaches, undercover operations or various other recommendations can be developed.
Q: How do you (and the FBI) use criminal profiling?
A: The FBI has four teams made up of specially trained FBI personnel which provide guidance on FBI and law enforcement investigations. These units are called BAU-1, BAU-2, BAU-3, and BAU-4.
BAU-1 provides behaviorally-based investigative and operational support to complex and time sensitive crimes and other matters of significance involving acts or threats of violence through application of investigative case experience, education, specialized training, and research. These services are focused upon matters involving international and domestic terrorism, arson and bombing matters, acts of targeted violence, and anticipated or active crisis situations.
BAU-2 provides critical operational support to matters involving threat management, cyber investigations, and white collar/public corruption matters.
BAU-3 provides specialized and behaviorally based investigative and operations support to law enforcement agencies involved in the investigation of crimes against children. Through the process of criminal investigative analysis, BAU-3 reviews and assesses the facts of a criminal act and interprets offender behavior and victim/offender dynamics during the commission of the crime or as displayed at the crime scene.
BAU-4 provides operational support to federal, state, local, and international law enforcement agencies involved in the investigation of unusual or repetitive violent crimes involving adult victims, through the application of investigative case experience, education, specialized training, and research. Behavioral analysis resources are primarily focused on serial, mass, and other murders; sexual assaults; kidnappings; missing person cases; and other violent criminal acts targeting adult victims. Behavioral-based services include crime analysis, investigative suggestions, interview/interrogation strategies, media strategies, linkage analysis, personality assessments, profiles of unknown offenders, search warrant affidavit assistance, and expert testimony.
The above units coordinate their assistance through a network of Coordinators located in each of the 56 FBI field offices.
Q: How do you decide when criminal profiling will be helpful?
A: This decision is made usually by the FBI Special Agent running a particular investigation. If there are gaps in an investigation or an unknown behavior component to a particular crime, that Special Agent will solicit the input and guidance from one of the aforementioned Behavioral Analysis Units.
Q: How accurate is criminal profiling?
A: I would differ to the experts who work these types of matters on a daily basis to answer this question. However, from my experiences, behavioral analysis has been extremely helpful in a variety of different types of FBI investigations. I recommend the utilization of these professionals on a regular basis.
Q: How important is the criminal profiling process to the overall investigation?
A: Behavioral analysis is another tool in the Special Agent’s tool belt. Special Agents bring a variety of different tools and techniques to each investigation they work. Not all FBI investigations utilize this technique. When behavioral analysis is utilized in an investigation, it is critical piece of the puzzle and can break investigations wide open and result in the solution of crimes that have occurred or prevent future crimes from occurring.
Q: What is the most interesting case you've worked on involving criminal profiling?
A: One of the most interesting cases I worked was a gang case that had taken over a community. This gang’s presence was so powerful and terrorizing in this particular community that it was causing a phenomenon known as “cluster suicides”. These suicides were occurring at an alarming rate and seemed to be unrelated at first. However, with the assistance of the Behavioral Analysis Unit, the FBI determined a link between the gang’s activity and the suicide victims who resided in that community. This link made through behavioral analysis was critical in disrupting and ultimately dismantling the gang and removing them from the community. When the gang was removed, the suicides stopped. It is the most fascinating case I have ever worked.