Psychology within the FBI

Psychology & the FBI
What is the most important factor in an unidentified subject's psychological profile?

Thursday, March 27, 2014

Third Answer


  • EQ: What is the most important factor in an unidentified subject's psychological profile?
  • Answer #3: Studying all the evidence at face value and making conclusions from that is also very important when creating a profile
  • 3 details to support the answer:
  1. Most often when a behavioral science unit shows up to an investigation it is after all resources have been exhausted. 
  2. Conclusions must be made on evidence collected from the crime scene until further leads can be gathered. 
  3. This evidence being used must be collected and interpreted correctly or cases can be incorrect or illegitimate. 

Monday, March 3, 2014

Blog 17: Fourth Interview


1.     How does profiling work?

2.     How does psychology contribute to profiling?

3.     What are the different possible ways to get into profiling as a profession?

4.     How long did it take for you to get to your current position within the FBI?

5.     How did you originally get involved with the FBI's Behavioral Science Unit?

6.     Was there a case that inspired you to join the Behavioral Science unit?

7.     In you opinion what is the best way to become a profiler?

8.     What advice would you give to someone like me who has a great interest this?

9.     What are some qualities a profiler needs to possess, personality-wise? Profile a profiler.

10.  What is the typical workday of a profiler like? What's the strangest, most unusual of bizarre case you handled?

11.  Since you do this everyday and are so trained to notice things about people do you ever find yourself profiling people outside of work?

12.  What is the goal of the FBI in terms of understanding and dealing with psychopaths. 

13.  Since profiling consists of more than just creating profiles what advice do you give to prosecutors when you assist them?

14.  What are some of the assumptions that you have heard about the behavioral sciences?

15.  In your eyes how important is being able to determine the typology of an offender?

16.  From your experiences how has victimology helped further a case or close and investigation?

17.  When you examine a case what is the most important thing to you?

18.  With so many possibilities within cases and evidence how long did it take you to begin seeing patterns within the cases you studied?

19.   What are some things they sexual crimes tend to have in common?

20.  Besides murders where else can profiles be used? How effective are they and are they used frequently in these situations?