REVIEW: MINDHUNTER: INSIDE THE FBI'S ELITE SERIAL CRIME UNIT BY JOHN DOUGLAS AND MARK OLSHAKER

Published by Pocket Star Books, 1996. Paperback, 397 pgs

     I expected to be disturbed by this book. The subject is quite clear. I thought I had prepared myself through other literature and movies to hear the worst kinds of depravity that human beings can inflict on each other. However, I still found myself repeatedly shocked at the details in these cases.
      John Douglas was one of the original profilers, who worked tirelessly to integrate behavior profiles into narrowing the focus of a complex case. The much-used phrases of modus operandi and signature were compared and contrasted, and I had previously had a much different idea of what those terms meant. Finding a criminal's "rock" or vulnerability point is a painstaking and necessary strategy for apprehension. Some common sense conclusions end up being anything but, and even if they do turn out as planned, conviction is a tricky tight rope.
      By far, the most difficult and simultaneously uplifting section had to do with a 17 year old girl's last will and testament written to her beloved family at 3:10 AM in preparation for her death at the hands of her captor. She talks about loving God and family, not letting the situation break their faith, and professing the joy she had in her life. Utterly remarkable, and Douglas marks it as the most impressive thing he's seen in his 25 year career. There are instances of grace and good character, but this book is primarily chock-full of inadequate personalities and perversions. A review couldn't possibly provide an adequate summary.  
     On a positive note, I'm impressed by the dedication of officers and profilers in studying their craft and doing the best they can with the resources given. The analysis and staging to draw out suspects was a fascinating topic. The integration of the media to help the cases, as well as "face saving strategies" employed (when interrogating subjects) was mind boggling. I'm interested in reading more of his up to date work, since the forensic technology has advanced monumentally in the last twenty years since publication. I recommend to anyone interested in psychology and true crime.