Mind Hunter: Inside the FBI's Elite Serial Crime Unit

As the model for Jack Crawford in The Silence of the Lambs, Douglas has confronted, interviewed,and studied scores of serial killers and assassins, including Charles Manson, Ted Bundy, and Ed Gein, whodressed himself in his victims' peeled skin. Using his uncanny ability to become both predator and prey,Douglas examines each crime scene, reliving both the killer's and the victim's actions in his mind, creatingtheir profiles, describing their habits, and predicting their next moves.

Now, in chilling detail, the legendary Mindhunter takes us behind the scenes of some of his most gruesome,fascinating, and challenging cases -- and into the darkest recesses of our worst nightmares.

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Mindhunter enters the minds of some of the country's most notorious serial killers to tell the real-life story of the Investigative Support Unit (ISU) -- the FBI's special force that has assisted state and local police in cracking some of the country's most celebrated serial murder and rape cases. The unit specializes in understanding the chemistry and mechanical workings of the brain's of these serial criminals, and did its homework by interviewing such murderers as Charles Manson and David Berkowitz (the Son of Sam). John Douglas, who worked for the FBI for 25 years, is an authority on the unit, and his book combines the best of nonfiction with that of a murder mystery.

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Average Customer Review:
0 of 0 people found the following review helpful:

"...an insightful journey into the life of FBI profiler John Douglas." ~JC Angelcraft, 2008-08-22
Mind Hunter, (Inside the FBI's Elite Serial Crime Unit) is an insightful journey into the life of a FBI profiler John Douglas. The book reads like a novel and is narrated in the first person. This book does not contain extensive case file information. Neither is it dedicated to reviving or retelling the details of the horrific crimes committed by the infamous perpetrators contained within its pages. Rather, "Mind Hunter" is an inside look into the man and the person who as it seems became a profiler not by intent but almost by default. The book also affords the reader a chance to gain a few insights into the history and manner in which the FBI's Behavioral Science unit has evolved over the last generation.

In the broadest sense the study of psychology is the science of profiling people. The better psychologists perceive, evaluate and analyze the verbal and non-verbal information about their patients, the more able they will be to help them find solutions for their complaints. Almost everything one learns in the study of general psychology points to understanding the complex nature of the human condition. Knowing well the various personality theories as well as developmental psychology can help pinpoint the origins of particular behavior. Knowing how to read symptoms and diagnose a condition is fundamental to the skills one learns on their way to becoming a behavioral science practitioner. In law enforcement, these basic powers of perception are further trained, refined and tuned to help authorities capture criminals and solve crimes. Although John Douglas never trained as a therapist, his skills developed through education, work experience and on the job training.

For those of you following this career path you will gain from this book the impact the profession can have on ones personal life, family, friends and the public at large. Within its pages you will preview the pressures, pitfalls, and rewards that come with this career. Do not expect much academic "how to" material although some insight can be gleaned by the careful and perceptive reader.






1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

good book but his second book is much better , 2008-04-17
this book is very similiar to many of his books. This book discusses much of his life. His second book is much better if you are interested in true profiling.


0 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

Good read, 2008-02-16
this is well written, and worth your time to read.
gives you insight about the reasons why men do
such wicked things.
It's good to know the FBI has figured these guys out, and
are able to track them down more easily.


0 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

Analyzing Criminal Behavior, 2008-01-04
Mark Olshaker has written a very readable, entertaining, and educational book on the life and career of Special Agent John Douglas of the FBI. Douglas was one of the leading experts on criminal personality profiling and a pioneer of modern criminal investigative analysis. The 'Prologue' tells of the physical breakdown Douglas endured from overwork. This is a shocking and misleading introduction! The nature of violent crime has changed since 1960. The murder rate has gone up and the solution rate had gone down (p.30). Crimes between strangers lack an obvious motive. This need created the behavioral approach to criminal profiling. The Investigative Support Unit assists local police in focusing their investigations. Few towns or counties ever have a serial killer or the experience to learn the techniques for solving rare crimes (p.31). [G. K. Chesterton's "Father Brown" used to solve crimes by getting inside the head of the murderer, a feat that seems illogical compared to "Sherlock Holmes" and other detectives.]

[As I remember it, the "Mad Bomber" was caught when police work matched the handwriting in the letters (p.33) to the employee records. Metesky contracted TB and was then fired for being out sick.] The early chapters tell of Douglas' life, education, military service, and how he joined the FBI. These are colorful stories. Douglas was most successful in clearing bank robberies when he developed a "signature" to link several crimes together (p.86). His background in psychology led him to behavioral science (Chapter 5). After Douglas joined the Behavioral Science group he learned that the academic expert's opinions had limited applicability to law enforcement. [Academics don't get the details known to the police, law officers see a limited area. Only national police can see the whole picture.]

Douglas knew the importance of actual experience (pp.104-105). Chapter 6 tells about a strange murderer who was released against the advice of state psychiatrists (p.107). Chapter 7 tells about other serial murderers. Good psychics can pick up on small, nonverbal clues; keep them away from detectives who know the details (p.151). The following chapters describe the cases that he worked on. Is there a classic profile to a serial killer (p.178)? Can an interrogator educe a confession from a suspect (p.186)? Chapter 11 tells about the Atlanta child murders and the conviction. Chapter 15 tells about the solution to the murder of a two-year old boy. Wrapping the body in a blanket was a clue (p.283).

Serial killers are not legally insane, but not normal either (p.338). Their mental disorders derive from their sexual interests and their character. Insanity means not knowing the difference between right and wrong (p.339). Can a brain tumor cause a murderous rage (p.341)? Violent, sexually based serial killers can not be rehabilitated [except by a death sentence]. If they are released on parole they will return to past behavior (p.343). Don't confuse a psychopath with a psychotic (p.345). Killers are created by a bad background (p.357). [Like Ted Bundy?] That seems like an incurable problem given our society. Crime can be lowered by families at the grassroots level (p.374). [Does it takes a village?] The changes in family life since 1960 has effects. [No mention of the National Highway System since the 1950s and the ease of travel for everyone, including serial killers.]



0 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

Another great J. Douglas book!, 2007-09-16
What can I say other than John Douglas never fails to deliver? This book is a great read, and I loved it!

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