Mindhunter by John E. Douglas and Mark Olshaker is a gripping book that explains how criminal profiling developed within the FBI’s Behavioral Science Unit. To understand how criminals operate, profilers must understand them on a psychological level. Douglas and Olshaker utilize detailed case studies, personal anecdotes, and their own analysis to give an overview of the mind of a serial killer. While initially reluctant to give the book a chance because of its morbid nature, Mindhunter proved to be a valuable work that provides insight into the world of criminal profiling. Mindhunter opens with a narrative by former FBI agent John E. Douglas. His point of view remains for the entirety of the book. Douglas explains what criminal psychology is by reflecting on his experience as a profiler at the FBI’s Behavioral Science Unit. Douglas’ work can be summarized as attempting to answer the question of “what kind of person could have done such a thing?” (Douglas and Olshaker, 14). Douglas and those like him are required to step into the minds of people who have committed violent crimes against others. Unlike typical detective work, behavior analysts depend heavily on their opinions instead of searching for evidence. By studying crime scenes, criminals, and working with law enforcement, criminal profilers can make various conclusions about an UNSUB—unknown subject—in order to catch them. Douglas reflects on the time when he was brought into Anchorage, Alaska to help indict a suspected serial killer. Unlike the majority of his cases that featured an UNSUB, Anchorage police had a top suspect: Robert Hansen. The only problem was that they did not have enough evidence to prosecute him. Hansen appeared to be a respectable family man who attended church and ran a successful business. Douglas was brought in to find behavioral evidence that could indicate a more sinister pattern of behavior. Modus operandi (MO) is what a perpetrator does to commit a crime. Hansen’s MO had evolved throughout the years which made it difficult to nail him down. Detectives in Anchorage provided Douglas with the location of the bodies and evidence they found on the scene. Hansen was a seasoned hunter who decided to start hunting women instead of animals. He chose to target women who participated in sex work because he viewed them as inferior. Once he was able to take her back to his house (his wife and children were conveniently on vacation) he would assault and kill her. This progressed into Hansen making various excuses to get sex workers to board his plane. He proceeded to take them to the secluded Alaskan woods where he would hunt and kill them for sport. One victim, seventeen, managed to escape and provide police with a description of Robert Hansen in her crucial witness statement. Douglas concluded that Hansen was teased in his youth and felt rejected by women. This hatred morphed into cognitive dissonance which allowed him to have both a family and brutally murder women. Douglas’ analysis was used to figure out a motive. This evidence was presented to a judge who issued a warrant, allowing investigators to search Hansen’s home. They found memorabilia from his victims and the gun he used to shoot them. This was enough to put him away for life. Mindhunter is not an easy read because of the nature of its content, but it provides valuable information about the minds of violent criminals. John Douglas’ work was not fulfilling in the sense that he had to solve horrific crimes in a way that was rarely seen before. As a pioneer in criminal profiling, Douglas had to ‘sell’ the practice to various law enforcement agencies and detectives who saw it as akin to witchcraft. Douglas’ empathetic approach to providing victim’s families with closure is what fueled his work. The behind-the-scenes look at the FBI’s early challenges in understanding and preventing serial crime helps me appreciate their efforts. The psychological impact on those who immerse themselves in the world of serial crime is immense. At the peak of his career, Douglas experienced a rupture in the right side of his brain and remained in a coma where he was presumed vegetative. He eventually woke up and was able to recover, but this showed how much of a toll his work was taking on him. Mindhunter blends true crime with psychology to provide a new perspective on what investigative strategies are used to solve violent crimes. This difficult read explores darker aspects of humanity and the toll this has on investigators trying to bring perpetrators to justice. Criminal profilers within the FBI’s Behavioral Science Unit are tasked with telling the story of victims who had their voices taken from them.
Mindhunter opens with a narrative by former FBI agent John E. Douglas. His point of view remains for the entirety of the book. Douglas explains what criminal psychology is by reflecting on his experience as a profiler at the FBI’s Behavioral Science Unit. Douglas’ work can be summarized as attempting to answer the question of “what kind of person could have done such a thing?” (Douglas and Olshaker, 14). Douglas and those like him are required to step into the minds of people who have committed violent crimes against others. Unlike typical detective work, behavior analysts depend heavily on their opinions instead of searching for evidence. By studying crime scenes, criminals, and working with law enforcement, criminal profilers can make various conclusions about an UNSUB—unknown subject—in order to catch them.
Douglas reflects on the time when he was brought into Anchorage, Alaska to help indict a suspected serial killer. Unlike the majority of his cases that featured an UNSUB, Anchorage police had a top suspect: Robert Hansen. The only problem was that they did not have enough evidence to prosecute him. Hansen appeared to be a respectable family man who attended church and ran a successful business. Douglas was brought in to find behavioral evidence that could indicate a more sinister pattern of behavior. Modus operandi (MO) is what a perpetrator does to commit a crime. Hansen’s MO had evolved throughout the years which made it difficult to nail him down. Detectives in Anchorage provided Douglas with the location of the bodies and evidence they found on the scene. Hansen was a seasoned hunter who decided to start hunting women instead of animals. He chose to target women who participated in sex work because he viewed them as inferior. Once he was able to take her back to his house (his wife and children were conveniently on vacation) he would assault and kill her. This progressed into Hansen making various excuses to get sex workers to board his plane. He proceeded to take them to the secluded Alaskan woods where he would hunt and kill them for sport. One victim, seventeen, managed to escape and provide police with a description of Robert Hansen in her crucial witness statement. Douglas concluded that Hansen was teased in his youth and felt rejected by women. This hatred morphed into cognitive dissonance which allowed him to have both a family and brutally murder women. Douglas’ analysis was used to figure out a motive. This evidence was presented to a judge who issued a warrant, allowing investigators to search Hansen’s home. They found memorabilia from his victims and the gun he used to shoot them. This was enough to put him away for life.
Mindhunter is not an easy read because of the nature of its content, but it provides valuable information about the minds of violent criminals. John Douglas’ work was not fulfilling in the sense that he had to solve horrific crimes in a way that was rarely seen before. As a pioneer in criminal profiling, Douglas had to ‘sell’ the practice to various law enforcement agencies and detectives who saw it as akin to witchcraft. Douglas’ empathetic approach to providing victim’s families with closure is what fueled his work. The behind-the-scenes look at the FBI’s early challenges in understanding and preventing serial crime helps me appreciate their efforts. The psychological impact on those who immerse themselves in the world of serial crime is immense. At the peak of his career, Douglas experienced a rupture in the right side of his brain and remained in a coma where he was presumed vegetative. He eventually woke up and was able to recover, but this showed how much of a toll his work was taking on him.
Mindhunter blends true crime with psychology to provide a new perspective on what investigative strategies are used to solve violent crimes. This difficult read explores darker aspects of humanity and the toll this has on investigators trying to bring perpetrators to justice. Criminal profilers within the FBI’s Behavioral Science Unit are tasked with telling the story of victims who had their voices taken from them.