The NCAVC consists of five Behavioral Analysis Units, or "BAU"s:[1]
- Behavioral Analysis Unit 1 (counterterrorism, arson and bombing matters)
- Behavioral Analysis Unit 2 (threats, cyber crime, and public corruption)
Cybercrime has been a problem for the FBI. In today's digital landscape, cybercriminals share similar motives with traditional criminals, but the complex technological aspect of cybercrime poses unique challenges for law enforcement.[2] There have been different approaches to reduce cybercrime through technological advances. Computer sciences and cybersecurity have applied this by using Intrusion Detection Systems (IDSs), Intrusion Prevention Systems (IPSs), firewalls, and anti-virus software to mitigate cyberattack threats. [3]
- Behavioral Analysis Unit 3 (crimes against children)
Behavioral Analysis Unit 3 focuses on crimes against children and provides support to other law enforcement officials through criminal investigative analysis, a process through which analysts review, assess, and interpret offender behavior.[4] Behavioral Analysis Unit 3 also assists other units within the FBI that specialize in crimes against children, such as the Violent Crimes Against Children program (VCAC).[5] The Violent Crimes Against Children program aims to provide quick and proactive responses to threats and/or acts of abuse and exploitation of children that fall within the FBI’s jurisdiction.[6]
The VCAC prioritizes the following violations against children:
- Child abductions: disappearance of a minor, typically 12 years or younger
- Contact offenses against children: production of child sexual abuse material, sextortion, and travel with the intention to engage in sexual activity with minors
- Sexual exploitation of children: producing, trading, distributing, and/or selling child sexual abuse material
- Trafficking of child sexual abuse material: either distribution or possession of the material
- International parental kidnapping: wrongfully keeping a child outside the United States with the intention of obstructing the lawful exercise of parental rights
The Violent Crimes Against Children program responds to the above violations by aiding the child victims and supporting federal, state, local, tribal, and international law enforcement in identifying, investigating, and deterring individuals and groups that exploit children.
- Behavioral Analysis Unit 4 (crimes against adults, ViCAP)
The ViCAP (Violent Criminal Apprehension Program) is a computer program that was established in 1985[7] to help law enforcement solve and identify serial murders. The ViCAP uses a 15-page format that requests information about a crime that was committed.[8]
This includes information on:
- Victim
- Offender
- Crime scene
- Physical evidence
This report is then relayed to the NCAVC which is then put in the system of the FBI’s Behavioral Analysis Unit in Quantico, Virginia. The report is analyzed by the agents to investigate the Criminal Investigation Analysis of a killer. This can help solve unsolved cases and/or new cases in the future, by identifying the suspects of the cases. [8]
- Behavioral Analysis Unit 5 (research, strategy, and instruction)
The headquarters for the BAU is located in Quantico, Virginia.
- ^ "Critical Incident Response Group (CIRG)". FBI Federal Bureau of Investigation. Retrieved 11 October 2017.
- ^ "Redirecting..." heinonline.org. Retrieved 2024-05-11.
{{cite web}}: Cite uses generic title (help) - ^ Kumar, Sumeet; Carley, Kathleen M. (2016-09). "Approaches to understanding the motivations behind cyber attacks". 2016 IEEE Conference on Intelligence and Security Informatics (ISI). IEEE. doi:10.1109/isi.2016.7745496.
{{cite journal}}: Check date values in:|date=(help) - ^ Hoffer, Tia A.; Shelton, Joy Lynn E. (2013), Hoffer, Tia A.; Shelton, Joy Lynn E. (eds.), "IX. The FBI's Behavioral Analysis Unit III: Crimes Against Children", Suicide Among Child Sex Offenders, New York, NY: Springer, pp. 65–65, doi:10.1007/978-1-4614-5937-8_9, ISBN 978-1-4614-5937-8, retrieved 2024-05-09
- ^ "The Federal Bureau of Investigation's Efforts to Combat Crimes Against Children". oig.justice.gov. 2009. Retrieved 8 May 2024.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link) - ^ "Violent Crimes Against Children". FBI.gov. 2024. Retrieved 8 May 2024.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link) - ^ "Violent Criminal Apprehension Program", Wikipedia, 2023-04-08, retrieved 2024-05-11
- ^ a b Rust, Lyle (1989-03-01). "The Violent Criminal Apprehension Program (VICAP) and its Application to Serial Murder". Culminating Projects in Criminal Justice.