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The FBI's Behavioral Analysis Unit is one of the best known and most important units within the Bureau. The use of profiling and psychology to apprehend criminals has revolutionized how we understand and identify them. It's also been the subject of popular TV shows such as Criminal Minds and Mindhunter, as well as movies like Silence of the Lambs. However, it is not without controversy. In fact, there are some people who think it doesn't work at all. Learn more about the development of the FBI's Behavioral Analysis Unit and how agents utilize profiling and behavioral analysis to catch criminals on this episode of Everything Everywhere Daily. This episode is sponsored by Quinn's as the weather cools here in Wisconsin, I'm swapping in the pieces that actually get the job done that are warm, durable and built to last. And Quince delivers every time with wardrobe staples that'll carry you through the season. 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Investment Advisory Service is offered by Stash Investments LLC and SEC Registered Investment Advisor. Investing involves risk offer is subject to T's and C's. The Behavioral Analysis Unit, or BAU, evolved from the FBI's Behavioral Science Unit, or BSU. The BSU was founded in 1972 under J. Edgar Hoover, in the last days of his long reign as Director of the FBI. The unit was designed to understand, profile and study criminal behavior, specifically in response to the rise of violent crime during the previous decade. The original unit was composed of just 11 members. The unit's goal was to help law enforcement understand the criminal mind, especially the minds of serial killers. Some of the most notable members of the early BSU included agents John Douglas and Robert Ressler, along with forensic nurse and criminologist Dr. Anne Burgess. Part of the early work of BSU agents included traveling to different prisons and interviewing serial predators. In these interviews, they gathered information on their crimes, how they planned them, details remembered from the time of committing the crime, their motivations, and how they disposed of evidence. Through these interviews and research, they coined the term serial killer for those who repeated murders in a repeated or serial cycle. Noted predators that they interviewed included Edmund Kemper, who was known as the Co Ed Killer and has been confirmed to have killed at least eight women John Wayne Gacy, otherwise known as the Clown Killer, who had been confirmed to have killed at least 33 young men and David Berkowitz, or the Son of Sam, who is confirmed to have killed at least six people and injured others. They used information from these interviews to compile a database of information that would aid in understanding and predicting future criminal behaviors as well as the type of person who would commit the crime. The database was considered to be complete in 1979 after Douglas and Ressler had interviewed 36 different predators. After completing this database, profilers were then sent out into the field to consult on active investigations. These consultations were done through a technique called criminal profiling. Profiling is done by using the behavior and actions done during the crime to create a profile of the type of person who could have committed the action. Profiling can help narrow down the pool of suspects during an investigation and help create a picture of the psychological characteristics the killer or offender could have. Additionally, behavioral analysis can be used to find the motive behind a crime. There are often many behavioral clues left at a crime scene that can help provide insight into the mind of the criminal. In 1985, the Behavioral Science Unit at the FBI Academy was officially established by the national center for the Analysis of Violent Crime, or ncavc. This meant that the BSU received more resources and support for investigative and operational activities, including additional training programs and increased research efforts. Part of this was the creation of ViCAP, or the violent Criminal Apprehension Program, which held the data from different criminal cases, including the earlier research done by Douglas and Ressler. With ViCAP, investigators had an easier time identifying and matching different aspects of the crime to the profile of the offender. The Behavioral Analysis Unit of today was established in 1997 as part of the NCAVC and the FBI's Critical Incident Response Group. Through this, they aid in investigations across the country and at US Embassies around the world, as well as assisting other groups within the FBI. The modern BAU is split into five different units. Unit one deals with counterterrorism, bombing, and arson cases. Unit two analyzes white collar crime, including public sector corruption and cybercrime. Unit three specializes in crimes against children. Unit four works on analyzing crimes against adults. And finally, Unit five, which conducts research on behavior and provides instructions for law enforcement to apply behavioral analysis in their investigations. The BAU primarily focuses on preventing violence by identifying various concerning behaviors through requests from different agencies. The BAU will provide assistance through consultations. These can be in person and on site or through simple phone calls. These consultations allow the BAU to assist with criminal investigation analysis. This analysis is completed through a behavioral and investigative lens. To give you an idea of how criminal analysis works, I'll provide an example of one of the many behaviors profilers look for when analyzing a violent crime. When arriving at the crime scene, profilers can examine whether or not an offender is considered organized, disorganized, or mixed. Determining if an offender is one of these three categories can help assess their intelligence, job type, relationship status, and mental status. An organized offender is typically someone who is intelligent, likely socially skilled and more than likely employed, likely in a committed relationship, and probably has no history of mental illness. When determining if an offender is organized, investigators will look for whether a weapon was brought to the crime scene, if there's any biological evidence like DNA left behind, if the victim was physically constrained, or if the body was hidden or concealed. Disorganized offenders are the opposite. They are more likely to have a history of mental illness could be employed, but the job would likely require little skill, likely to not be Very intelligent, struggle with real intimate relationships and do not function well in society. This is shown at the crime scene through a general feeling of disorder, the crime scene not appearing to be planned, including the weapon being obtained from the crime scene, DNA being left behind and the body being disposed of poorly. Another key aspect of profiling that behavioral analysis look for is victimology. Knowing why a victim is chosen can aid in finding the motivation behind the crime. There are many different reasons why a victim could be chosen, including race, sex, age, lifestyle, and other aspects. Knowing these can be key in identifying people most at risk for a crime and the psychology behind why the perpetrator would pick that specific victim. Behavioral analysis can also be used to figure out the signature and the modus operandi, or MO of the criminal. The MO is simply the actions the perpetrator took when committing the crime. So if a killer were to bring a weapon to the crime scene, you may be able to conclude that part of their MO would be threatening the victim prior to the attack. Another part of the MO could be if the residence of the victim was staked out beforehand. If the killer were to know that part of the victim's routine was to take a lunch break at home when no one else was around, they could be confident that there'd be little risk in attacking the victim in that moment. Additionally, if there was little planning, it can also play into a profile. If the scene shows a fight or if the killer was interrupted, it can show that the criminal was unprepared or did not premeditate the crime. Something as small as the killer being let into the house without needing to break in can hint that the victim and killer knew each other or that the perpetrator made his appearance appearing non threatening. Knowing the MO of a perpetrator can show crucial information about the relationship between the victim and the killer on the other side of the coin. Finding a signature of the perpetrator can also indicate information about their psychology and aid in creating a profile. A signature can show a need or fantasy of the killer. This is most often found in serial murder cases and is usually indicative that the killer needed to do something beyond the actual crime itself. A signature can simply be posing the victim after the crime, taking an item, or deciding to taunt the police. A signature is not always present at a crime scene, but it can be useful in the investigation and psychological understanding of the perpetrator. Profiling can occur in different phases of a criminal case. The first phase is the investigation. During this phase, profilers see whether or not different crimes can be linked they then see if the evidence can reveal if the killer is organized or disorganized, the mo, the signature of the perpetrator, and the victimology. All of these can be used to create a profile of the perpetrator's characteristics, assess if they are likely to escalate their crimes, and develop a strategy to catch the perpetrator. The apprehension phase is when the profile is used to narrow down where to look for the criminal, what information should be revealed to the public, and the reaction the criminal may have if caught. And the final phase is the prosecution phase. Here, the profiler would be considered an expert in the case. They will use the evidence to show how to connect the perpetrator to the crime. There have been many high profile cases that the FBI's Behavioral Analysis Unit has consulted on. But to illustrate how they work, I'll look at one of their first and most notable cases, that of the serial killer Ted Bundy. Bundy was a US serial killer who was confirmed to have killed 20 victims, but he has confessed to killing at least 30 and is suspected of having killed even more. Bundy's killings occurred across state lines in different jurisdictions, and profiling was one of the main ways investigators managed to link different murders together. This was done by analyzing the behavioral patterns at the crime scenes and recognizing similarities amongst the victims. Resources like VICAP kept a log of the crimes that occurred in different jurisdictions and linked patterns that appeared similar. In Bundy's case, evidence of a serial killer first appeared in Washington State with 10 women going missing over the span of eight months. Then in Utah, a similar pattern appeared. Bundy was arrested and later escaped twice, but the pattern continued in both Colorado west, where he was imprisoned, and later in Florida when he had escaped prison. The FBI was able to release a profile on his M.O. as well as the type of victims he would be looking for. The FBI considered Bundy to be organized, evidenced by his choice of weapon and the ruses he used to lure his victims. They knew from his past murders that Bundy would look for victims where young people were most likely the beach. They also learned from his victims that he would target younger brunette women with long hair that they parted down the middle. By releasing this profile, they hoped to have people on the lookout for someone of Bundy's description at locations where he was likely to be, while also protecting potential victims. Before behavioral analysis and resources like ViCAP, it would have been difficult to link crimes across state lines as differing agencies would simply be unaware that a similar crime had taken place elsewhere. There are some controversies and problems with behavioral analysis and profiling. The largest problem is that it isn't an exact science. There's no empirical evidence to show that it works. There is fear of bias and assumptions being made which can lead to poor profiles based on opinion. Many people consider it almost a pseudoscience. To be fair, however, it isn't something that you can actually run a controlled experiment for. You can't let a serial killer run loose just to test to see if you can find them. Despite potential downsides, the BAU is considered one of the FBI's most valuable tools. Having grown in manpower and research capabilities, they now mainly work in providing aid and collaborating with different law enforcement agencies. The work of the Behavioral Analysis Unit has had significant impact on the way law enforcement approaches and understands violent crime. Criminal profiling has become one of the main tools that police departments and the FBI use to understand criminal behavior and help bring criminals to justice. The Executive producer of Everything Everywhere Daily is Charles Daniel. The associate producers are Austin Otkin and Cameron Keefer. Research and writing for this episode was provided by the Olivia Ash. Today's review comes from Listener Dog's Best Friend over on Apple. Podcasts in the United States. They write has made me a more well rounded person. This podcast makes the long walks I take with my dog Hunter go by fast. I love the wide variety of topics, even if some go over my head. I'm a member of the Completionist Club and still listen to all the encore episodes. Keep them coming. Thanks Dogs Best Friend. Congratulations on your Completionist Club membership and please make sure to bring Hunter to the Completionist Clubhouse at some point as I'm sure all the other members would love to meet him. As always, if you leave a review on any of the major podcasting apps, Facebook or Discord, you too can have it read on the show.

Everything Everywhere Daily – FBI Behavioral Analysis Unit

Host: Gary Arndt
Episode Date: October 11, 2025

Overview

In this episode, Gary Arndt explores the history, methodology, successes, and controversies surrounding the FBI's Behavioral Analysis Unit (BAU). He delves into the evolution of criminal profiling, its effectiveness and challenges, and the BAU's role in high-profile cases, notably the pursuit of serial killer Ted Bundy. The episode critically examines what makes behavioral analysis a powerful—if imperfect—tool in modern law enforcement.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Origins of Behavioral Analysis at the FBI

Background: The BAU grew out of the Behavioral Science Unit (BSU), established in 1972 under J. Edgar Hoover.
Purpose: Created in response to a rise in violent crime to understand, profile, and study criminal behavior—especially among serial killers.
Team: Original unit comprised 11 members, including notable figures like John Douglas, Robert Ressler, and Dr. Anne Burgess.
Method: Agents traveled to prisons to interview serial offenders, collecting data on planning, motives, and evidence disposal.
- “Through these interviews and research, they coined the term serial killer for those who repeated murders in a repeated or serial cycle.” (06:04)

2. Building the Foundation of Profiling

Data Collection: By 1979, 36 serial predators had been interviewed, forming a foundational database.
- Interviewed high-profile killers: Edmund Kemper, John Wayne Gacy, David Berkowitz.
Outcome: The database aimed to predict criminal behaviors and help identify potential offenders.

3. The Process and Science of Profiling

Profiling Defined: Uses behavioral clues from crime scenes to build a psychological and behavioral profile of unknown offenders.
Techniques:
- Organized vs. Disorganized Offenders:
  - Organized: Intelligent, socially skilled, likely to have relationships and employment.
  - Disorganized: More likely mental illness, chaotic lifestyle, poor planning at crime scene.
  - “Determining if an offender is one of these three categories can help assess their intelligence, job type, relationship status, and mental status.” (17:18)
- Victimology: Understanding why a victim is chosen provides insight into the perpetrator’s motives.
- Modus Operandi (MO) vs. Signature:
  - MO: How the crime was committed.
  - Signature: Psychological “stamp” or unique element, e.g., taunting police or posing victims.

4. Evolution and Structure of the BAU

1985: FBI Academy officially established the Behavioral Science Unit under the National Center for the Analysis of Violent Crime (NCAVC).
- Launch of ViCAP (Violent Criminal Apprehension Program) to centralize and track crime details.
1997: Modern BAU established as part of the Critical Incident Response Group.
- Five specialized units handle crimes ranging from terrorism to crimes against children to research and training.

5. Application: High-Profile Case Study—Ted Bundy

Case Background: Bundy killed 20–30 young women, crimes spanned several states.
Investigative Impact:
- Profiling and ViCAP helped link cases across jurisdictions.
- Bundy profile: Organized killer—chose victims with shared traits, used manipulation/ruses.
  - “The FBI considered Bundy to be organized, evidenced by his choice of weapon and the ruses he used to lure his victims.” (33:24)
- Public profiling aided prevention and victim protection.

6. Controversies and Critique

Not an Exact Science:
- “There’s no empirical evidence to show that it works. There is fear of bias and assumptions being made which can lead to poor profiles based on opinion. Many people consider it almost a pseudoscience.” (39:27)
Experimental Constraints: Practical and ethical challenges in controlled testing of profiling effectiveness.
Continued Value: Despite criticism, the BAU is “one of the FBI’s most valuable tools” due to its collaborative capability and influence on law enforcement worldwide.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

On the Creation of “Serial Killer” Term:
- “Through these interviews and research, they coined the term serial killer for those who repeated murders in a repeated or serial cycle.” (06:04)
On Organized vs. Disorganized Offenders:
- “Determining if an offender is one of these three categories can help assess their intelligence, job type, relationship status, and mental status.” (17:18)
On Impact of Profiling in the Bundy Case:
- “The FBI considered Bundy to be organized, evidenced by his choice of weapon and the ruses he used to lure his victims. They knew from his past murders that Bundy would look for victims where young people were most likely—the beach.” (33:24)
On Critique of Profiling:
- “There’s no empirical evidence to show that it works. There is fear of bias and assumptions being made which can lead to poor profiles based on opinion. Many people consider it almost a pseudoscience.” (39:27)

Important Timestamps

| Timestamp | Segment | |-----------|-----------------------------------------------------------------| | 02:30 | Origins and mission of the BSU/BAU | | 06:04 | Serial killer term and early interviews | | 11:40 | The process of profiling & offender typologies | | 17:18 | Organized vs. disorganized offenders explained | | 22:20 | Victimology, MO, and signature analysis | | 28:30 | High-profile cases & introduction to Ted Bundy case | | 33:24 | Profiling’s role in apprehending Ted Bundy | | 39:27 | Criticism and debate over the scientific status of profiling |

Summary Flow & Tone

Gary delivers a clear, fact-rich narrative with a tone that balances respect for the BAU’s notable achievements with healthy skepticism for its limitations. He uses vivid real-life examples and careful definitions to keep the explanation practical and insightful.

Conclusion

This episode is a compact yet comprehensive overview of the FBI’s Behavioral Analysis Unit. Listeners learn the history and inner workings of criminal profiling, see its tangible impact in famous cases, and hear a balanced critique of its actual scientific grounding. Gary’s storytelling makes this a compelling listen for anyone interested in true crime, psychology, or law enforcement.