NCJ Number
144396
Journal
Police Chief Volume: 60 Issue: 6 Dated: (June 1993) Pages: 38,40-42,44-45
Date Published
1993
Length
6 pages
Annotation
The Violent Criminal Apprehension Program (VICAP) was created by the FBI in 1985 to address the problem of tracking highly mobile serial murderers who carry out their crimes across jurisdictional boundaries.
Abstract
The program provides a national clearinghouse to collect, review, and analyze reports submitted by law enforcement agencies. Data are collected on unsolved or solved homicides or attempts that are suspected to be part of a series; missing persons in cases strongly indicating foul play; and unidentified bodies where the manner of death is suspected to be homicide. VICAP works by determining similarities between individual cases reported in the database. Factors that are analyzed include modus operandi, victimology, physical evidence, suspect description, and suspect behavior exhibited before, during, and after the crime. VICAP provides information to all law enforcement agencies reporting similar crimes in order to initiate a coordinated multiagency investigation. On-site case analysis, multiagency coordination, forensic laboratory coordination, and other case consultations are provided upon request. 10 notes