Behavioral Analysis: Ted Bundy

Behavioral Analysis Unit-Understanding the Criminal Mind

Theodore “Ted” Bundy, who was charged with murder, escaped from prison in 1977 and continued his killing spree. Murders are committed everyday in the United States and to catch these killers it takes great resources by law enforcement agencies. One of the agencies devoted to this fight is the Behavioral Analysis Unit (BAU) of the FBI. The BAU played an instrumental role in the capture of Ted Bundy by providing a psychological assessment of Bundy giving local and state agencies a better understanding of how he operated. Although the BAU isn’t one of the most commonly known agencies, it is definitely one of the more important agencies, because it provides more insight about a criminal

It was led by special agent Jack Kirsch and included agents Howard D. Teten and Patrick Mullany. The BAU consists of five different investigative units as part of the National Center for the Analysis of Violent Crime (NCAVC) investigating crimes that have to do with bombing, terrorism, crimes against children, and serial killers. “Here I am at school, taking courses in abnormal psychology, criminal psychology-- and (also) working crime scenes on a daily basis, and I’m beginning to see parallels.” said Howard Teten as he began seeing patterns between what he was learning and the crime scenes he saw. Although Howard D. Teten wasn’t chief of the BAU, he is known as one of the founding fathers of the BAU. He is known as being the first FBI agent to give a profile for the FBI. The BAU was formed to create a profile of criminals based on their crimes, behavior, and their past. By creating this psychological profile they can figure out their motive and anticipate what they will do next. Photo courtesy

One of the more important services provided is the profiling of suspected serial killers. When profiling, agents look for certain aspects of the crime, including the interaction between the victim and killer, choice of weapon, cause of death, and disposal of the body. They will also look for different patterns in the victims and the crimes. All of these can help determine the social behavior, lifestyle, level of expertise, and motive of the criminal. The profile of a criminal can help other law enforcement to gain a better understanding of the criminal, their motive, and what they are most likely going to do next. “We focus on the motivations of the offenders. What’s the meaning behind the activities at a crime scene? Why was a particular person victimized? Were they specifically targeted by this individual or were they simply a victim of opportunity in the wrong place at the wrong time?”, Said Mark A Hilts of the BAU. Through these various services, the BAU has made a difference in the fight against violent