The FBI’s Behavioral Analysis Unit (BAU), was first formed in 1972 under the name the Behavioral Science Unit. The foundation of the unit was agents Robert Ressler and John Douglas. Ressler and Douglas wanted to bring in elements of psychology to help develop a profile of unidentified spree or serial killers, which they called Unknown…
Every now and then, everyone is tempted to run afoul of the law. Whether it’s running that red light, or taking that small item without paying, most Americans have, at least, contemplated breaking the law. What stops us? For most, it’s the fear of getting caught. But imagine if that was somehow lessened by a…
Like a movie, a person’s life consists of three acts. For most people, the third act is a simple continuation of the second, continuing to work in that same field, getting a promotion, or finally retiring. In rare cases, the third act comes with a complete reversal where the person changes their behavior and thereby…
In philosophy, determinists believe that free will is an illusion and that, therefore, human beings can’t be held morally responsible for their actions. As a result of nature and nurture, man’s actions are inevitable. Although he was unable to articulate determinists’ philosophy, HH Holmes believed that he was born to kill. He believed that he…
Most, if not all of us, have secrets. It’s part of the human experience. In most cases, our secrets can be shameful or embarrassing, but sometimes people keep incredibly dark secrets and hold on to them for their entire lives. Then, just as they are about to leave their Mortal Coil, they decided to share…
The old saying goes that justice is blind. Experience tells us she’s also as unpredictable as a drunken horse on roller skates. Over the course of legal history, there have been a number of seemingly open-and-shut cases that have ended up not with convictions, but with the accused swanning out of court into the bright…
Traveling in Asia is out of this world. The culture is alien, and the food is far removed from what people eat in the west. And no, we’re not talking about fortune cookies (which were actually invented in San Francisco). And of course, there is so much more to Asia that’s incredible to explore. When you’re…
While gangs are known for their violence towards rival groups, along with officers of the law, little is reported on their victimization of their own members. Gaining membership into a gang is no small feat, and requires a willingness to expose oneself to pain, suffering, and possibly one’s own demise. With that, we’d like to…
On this list, you’ll find some of the most terrifying gangs and crime syndicates from every continent on Earth, with the exception of Australia and, obviously, Antarctica. No one’s going to be muscling in on penguin turf anytime soon. As for the Land Down Under, it’s because while Australia has some scary biker gangs, which…
The yakuza is the Japanese mafia and their name essentially means “good for nothing.” The name is believed to be drawn from the lowest hand in the Japanese card game baccara, which is similar to Blackjack. In the game, getting the cards ya-ku-sa (“eight-nine-three”) is the worst possible hand you can get. Yakuza can refer…
Every so often there are trials that become so famous they grab the attention of millions of people from around the world. These are five of those cases from the last century and the early part of this one, where the drama was so immense that the world became enraptured. 5. The Trial of Leon…
Human trafficking is one of the most despicable crimes that one person can commit against another, and it is sadly way too common. The FBI says that it is the third biggest criminal activity. Anyone can become a victim of human trafficking, which is modern day slavery, and according to the United Nations, about 20 percent of…