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fabrisseFor anyone who's interested, this was the blurb about the lecture. This segment of notes is predominantly from Dr. Vecchi.
In 1972, the FBI Academy opened at Quantico. While a certain amount of training is done for the FBI, it's primary intent and purpose is to train local law enforcement officials. (My uncle was sheriff of Stanislaus County, CA for awhile. He came to train at the FBI academy in 1973. I had no idea he'd been one of the early ones until this lecture. He retired after having to call in the FBI to work on this case.)
The BSU was put into a basement at Quantico and told to "do something Behavioral." Their primary duty at that time was teaching the 13 week course. In listening to the officers they were training, they started to find crime patterns which led to the early work defining serial killers including their motivations and techniques.
These days, they see themselves as "Pracademics" (from practitioner + academic) who are constantly trying to find ways to improve law enforcement and analysis. All of them hold at least a Master's degree in Psychology, Sociology, Anthropology or "one of the other -ologies." Most of them will earn a Ph.D. in one of the cognitive sciences while working in the department.
(For those of you outside DC, this is very common throughout government. My Dad got his Ph.D. in International Relations while working 18 hour days at the Pentagon. Those cliches about workaholics in Washington exist for a reason.)
These days they see themselves as a three legged stool providing Training, Research, and Consultation.
One of the earliest research projects to come out of the unit was John Douglas's database of interviews. When he originally asked permission to do it, the Bureau denied him because they thought the killers would either deny his request or lie to him. Actually, most of them told the truth (as established by test questions to which Douglas and the other interviewers already knew the answers), and after a couple of years in jail, most were willing to talk to him if only to relieve the monotony. The aforementioned ego and love of notoriety among psychopaths also helped him.
Among their current core services, they are providing operational assistance to other agencies. They are embedded in Iraq, working on hostage analysis worldwide, tracking trends in crime, and working on the psychology of hacking and malware.
They also created the Undercover Safeguard Process to assist undercover police and agents. This was spun off into its own unit just as the BAU was earlier. SWAT was one of their earliest spin offs on the tactical side of law enforcement.
Vecchi discussed Hostage taking because the motives and styles differ according to the region and the culture where the hostage is taken. They are doing more research for negotiations, but also in training people on how to be the right kind of hostage for their situations. As he put it, if you're taken in the Middle East, you probably have days to live. Escape and evasion is the key training. If someone is taken in certain parts of South America, he needs to know how to be a cooperative hostage. He's there until rescued as the jungle prevents effective escape. The project's full name is Global Hostage Taking Research and Analysis project and is known by the acronym GHosT RAP. They're looking at the Somali Pirates at the moment.
The Futures Working Group is looking at school violence of all types -- internal from the students and external threats like the man who killed the Amish girls -- and cybercrimes. Counter-espionage is another large project that's come to them since 9/11.
They are doing studies of Aberrant Violence and Exploitation which includes human trafficking and stalkers. Psycholinguistics, especially the analysis of written statements (the Unabomber helped prompt this one), is a major area of study.
Another unit that's in the process of being spun off from the BSU is Terrorist Research and Analysis Project (TRAP -- I love the fact that their symbol includes a labyrinth). They are looking at how belief systems, as opposed to personal charisma in cults, can influence and shape crimes. They use members of the Sea Shepherds, the Weather Underground, the KKK and other groups to provide them with insight and training.
Polygraphs and how to beat them are one phase of their current research. They are using brain scans to refine interrogation techniques, and also establishing wellness programs for law enforcement officials which include not only mind and body programs but spirituality and faith. Vecchi made it clear that no specific belief system was being used, but that studies show humanity has a spiritual component that needs nurturing to keep people's psyches healthy.
There are four main consultation types: Academic, Administrative, Operational, and Case. Any member of the BSU may work on any type.
A couple of years ago, someone left a message on his professional voicemail -- and his remark that some of the calls he gets "just aren't right" got a big laugh -- from a man who had done independent research on serial killers and had a great many artifacts from them.
Upon checking out the man and his collection, which includes things like letters to friends and family members instead of the formal interview results or letters sent to law enforcement, it was decided to build and house a museum similar to Scotland Yard's black museum. It won't be open to the public, only to law enforcement and academics who have credentials and a research topic.
During the question and answer section, Dr. Vecchi was not happy when someone asked about the FBI using psychics. He mentioned that they "crawl out of the woodwork" during child abduction cases. FBI policy is that psychics are never used. However, Dr O'Toole said the FBI had only used them if the family insisted because they did not want to add to the family's stress. She did not imply any of them had been helpful, but did admit she thought some people were sensitive to atmospheres. When asked if studies would be done as to psychics effectiveness, Dr. Vecchi emphasized that no double blind study had proved psychic abilities.
In 1972, the FBI Academy opened at Quantico. While a certain amount of training is done for the FBI, it's primary intent and purpose is to train local law enforcement officials. (My uncle was sheriff of Stanislaus County, CA for awhile. He came to train at the FBI academy in 1973. I had no idea he'd been one of the early ones until this lecture. He retired after having to call in the FBI to work on this case.)
The BSU was put into a basement at Quantico and told to "do something Behavioral." Their primary duty at that time was teaching the 13 week course. In listening to the officers they were training, they started to find crime patterns which led to the early work defining serial killers including their motivations and techniques.
These days, they see themselves as "Pracademics" (from practitioner + academic) who are constantly trying to find ways to improve law enforcement and analysis. All of them hold at least a Master's degree in Psychology, Sociology, Anthropology or "one of the other -ologies." Most of them will earn a Ph.D. in one of the cognitive sciences while working in the department.
(For those of you outside DC, this is very common throughout government. My Dad got his Ph.D. in International Relations while working 18 hour days at the Pentagon. Those cliches about workaholics in Washington exist for a reason.)
These days they see themselves as a three legged stool providing Training, Research, and Consultation.
One of the earliest research projects to come out of the unit was John Douglas's database of interviews. When he originally asked permission to do it, the Bureau denied him because they thought the killers would either deny his request or lie to him. Actually, most of them told the truth (as established by test questions to which Douglas and the other interviewers already knew the answers), and after a couple of years in jail, most were willing to talk to him if only to relieve the monotony. The aforementioned ego and love of notoriety among psychopaths also helped him.
Among their current core services, they are providing operational assistance to other agencies. They are embedded in Iraq, working on hostage analysis worldwide, tracking trends in crime, and working on the psychology of hacking and malware.
They also created the Undercover Safeguard Process to assist undercover police and agents. This was spun off into its own unit just as the BAU was earlier. SWAT was one of their earliest spin offs on the tactical side of law enforcement.
Vecchi discussed Hostage taking because the motives and styles differ according to the region and the culture where the hostage is taken. They are doing more research for negotiations, but also in training people on how to be the right kind of hostage for their situations. As he put it, if you're taken in the Middle East, you probably have days to live. Escape and evasion is the key training. If someone is taken in certain parts of South America, he needs to know how to be a cooperative hostage. He's there until rescued as the jungle prevents effective escape. The project's full name is Global Hostage Taking Research and Analysis project and is known by the acronym GHosT RAP. They're looking at the Somali Pirates at the moment.
The Futures Working Group is looking at school violence of all types -- internal from the students and external threats like the man who killed the Amish girls -- and cybercrimes. Counter-espionage is another large project that's come to them since 9/11.
They are doing studies of Aberrant Violence and Exploitation which includes human trafficking and stalkers. Psycholinguistics, especially the analysis of written statements (the Unabomber helped prompt this one), is a major area of study.
Another unit that's in the process of being spun off from the BSU is Terrorist Research and Analysis Project (TRAP -- I love the fact that their symbol includes a labyrinth). They are looking at how belief systems, as opposed to personal charisma in cults, can influence and shape crimes. They use members of the Sea Shepherds, the Weather Underground, the KKK and other groups to provide them with insight and training.
Polygraphs and how to beat them are one phase of their current research. They are using brain scans to refine interrogation techniques, and also establishing wellness programs for law enforcement officials which include not only mind and body programs but spirituality and faith. Vecchi made it clear that no specific belief system was being used, but that studies show humanity has a spiritual component that needs nurturing to keep people's psyches healthy.
There are four main consultation types: Academic, Administrative, Operational, and Case. Any member of the BSU may work on any type.
A couple of years ago, someone left a message on his professional voicemail -- and his remark that some of the calls he gets "just aren't right" got a big laugh -- from a man who had done independent research on serial killers and had a great many artifacts from them.
Upon checking out the man and his collection, which includes things like letters to friends and family members instead of the formal interview results or letters sent to law enforcement, it was decided to build and house a museum similar to Scotland Yard's black museum. It won't be open to the public, only to law enforcement and academics who have credentials and a research topic.
During the question and answer section, Dr. Vecchi was not happy when someone asked about the FBI using psychics. He mentioned that they "crawl out of the woodwork" during child abduction cases. FBI policy is that psychics are never used. However, Dr O'Toole said the FBI had only used them if the family insisted because they did not want to add to the family's stress. She did not imply any of them had been helpful, but did admit she thought some people were sensitive to atmospheres. When asked if studies would be done as to psychics effectiveness, Dr. Vecchi emphasized that no double blind study had proved psychic abilities.
