FBI Criminal Profiling in the United States
Federal Bureau of Investigation: Criminal Profiling
Introduction to FBI Criminal Profiling
The FBI’s profiling unit, part of its National Center for the Analysis of Violent Crime, advises law enforcement officers, most often local police investigators, in cases of unsolved serial and violent crimes. These crimes may include serial murders and rapes, individual homicides, child abductions, arsons, bombings, product tamperings, and vicious or unusual crimes. By using behavioral science research and computer models, profilers can often predict the characteristics and behavior of an unknown criminal suspect. For example, a profiler may infer that the person who committed a murder is probably between the ages of 25 and 35, lives within a few blocks of the victim, likes to hunt and fish, and drives a sport utility vehicle. This technique, portrayed in the movie The Silence of the Lambs (1991), has led to the apprehension of hundreds of serial killers and rapists. Profilers at the center also conduct research on criminal thought processes, motivations, and behaviors.” (1)
Resources
Notes and References
- Information about FBI Criminal Profiling in the Encarta Online Encyclopedia
Guide to FBI Criminal Profiling
In this Section
Federal Bureau of Investigation, Federal Bureau of Investigation Structure, FBI Jurisdiction and Investigative Responsibilities, FBI Agents, Law Enforcement Services, FBI Law Enforcement Services (including FBI Fingerprint Identification, FBI Laboratory, FBI Criminal Profiling, FBI Police Training, National Crime Information Center and Crime Statistics), FBI History (including FBI Early Years, Hoover Reforms, FBI in the World War II and Postwar Era, FBI Antiradical Activities, FBI Reform, Ruby Ridge, FBI Under Freeh and September 11 Attacks), FBI and the Patriot Act and National Lawyers Guild.