Many of you are aware of the term profiler. A profiler is a highly educated person who analyzes a murder scene and can make an informed deduction on the type of killer that committed the crime. There are only a handful (literally) of true profilers within the United States. It was in the 1960’s that the history of profiling began. The nation saw an increase in murder rates in the 1950’s and 1960’s. However, people were worried about the large percent of those murders being strange. In response to the strange murders the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) created the Behavioral Science Unit (also know as B.S.U.). The Behavioral Science Unit was established at the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s headquarters in Quantico, Virginia.
At that time the Behavioral Science Unit dealt crime scenes and profiling. They would analyze the crime scene and use the psychological as well as scientific aspects of the crime to create a profile of the perpetrator. A profile is essentially an informed guess on what type of person committed the murder. For example, if the murder was sloppy and was planned but not well planned, the profiler may say that the perpetrator is disorganized. They usually can tell if the perpetrator lives in the area, his generally age range, his race, etc.
The earlier form of the Behavioral Science Unit went through many different changes and name changes as well. The Behavioral Science Unit is now divided into several different concentrations. Behavioral Analysis Unit 1 focuses on counter-terrorism and threat assessment. Behavioral Analysis Unit 2 focuses on crimes against adults. Behavioral Analysis Unit 3 concentrates on crimes against children and VICAP.
For many years that was no Behavioral Science Unit. Then several years ago the FBI’S Training Division created the current Behavioral Science Unit. The new B.S.U. is only a training component. The current Behavioral Science Unit’s mission is as follows: To develop and provide programs of training, research, and consultation in the behavioral and social sciences in furtherance of the FBI’s strategic priorities, and to support the law enforcement and intelligence communities operational effectiveness. The current Behavioral Science Unit is much more involved in training and not so much in operational aspects; however they do assist law enforcement in operations. The research conducted focuses on developing new and innovative investigative approaches and techniques to the solution of crime by studying the offender and his or her behaviors and motivations.
In case you’re curious here is the process of creating a criminal profile. Step 1 Profiling Inputs: This is the stage of collection and assessment of the materials relevant to a specific case. Step 2 Decision Process Models: Involves arranging information into a logical pattern. Step 3 Crime Assessment: Reconstructing the sequence of events and specific behaviors of both the offender and the victim. Step 4 Criminal Profile: Provides a list of background, physical, and behavioral characteristics of the perpetrator. Step 5 Investigation: The profile is provided to the requesting agency and then incorporated into the agency’s investigation. Step 6 Apprehension: This is the final stage in which the purpose is to cross check the profile with the characteristics of the perpetrator once he or she is apprehended (if they are apprehended).
