Chapter 6, Taking the Show on the Road Summary and Analysis

John Douglas describes the inception, initiation, authorization and funding of a prison study that is the core of criminal-investigative analysis in the modern age. Behavioral Science Unit in June 1977 has nine special agents primarily teaching a course in Applied Criminal Psychology developed in 1972 by Howard Teten. The course uses research and teaching from academic psychology that has limited value to law enforcement or crime detection. Hoover discourages "profiling" to solve crimes. Teten and Mullany do casual personality profiles but commit none of them in writing to avoid embarrassing the FBI if a profile is wrong. Police officers are given help on request but get no formal profile training.

When Douglas arrives at BSU his training is provided through "road schools" with Bob Ressler. They spend two weeks on the...