The Prison Study

When Douglas arrives at BSU the agency is still under the direction of J. Edgar Hoover and his preconceived notions of FBI training and indoctrination. During the Hoover regime profiling is discouraged to avoid risking FBI embarrassment from an incorrect profile. Behavioral training is done on a "road school" program with veteran agents. For example, Bob Ressler travels with Douglas for two weeks passing "war stories" and case hearsay to local police departments and academies. Douglas observes that instructors often teach about cases veteran students in the class have experience with and that their experience can conflict with the instructor's comments that are based on theory or hearsay.

Douglas notices the criminals who commit the crimes that they teach about are not interviewed. For example, Ed Kemper is convicted on eight counts of first-degree murder and is serving multiple life sentences. His case is being taught...