When crimes of violence are committed, VICAP analysts collect, collate, and analyze the information about crimes such as homicide, attempted homicide, missing persons, child abductions, sexual assaults, and unidentified deceased persons.
Why is this done? Glad you asked. That's a great question. They examine crime data and patterns to identify potential similarities among crimes, create investigative matrices which may lists findings, evidence, and sources of evidence. They develop timelines and identify homicide and sexual assault trends and patterns. VICAP contains crime scene descriptions, victim and offender descriptive data, including name and other personal identifying information, laboratory reports, criminal history records, court records, news media references, crime scene photographs, and statements. In summary, it is a wealth of information used to identify and match violent crime cases based upon things such as characteristics and modus operandi; information used to investigate, track and apprehend violent serial offenders.
Now, we, the general public can't just walk up and request to view this database. The information is shared with federal, state and local criminal law enforcement agencies investigating, tracking, and apprehending violent serial offenders.
If you're reading this, you must have an interest in serial killers. Hey, I think you would enjoy two series I have out now. The Marston Series and The Dawn Knight series. If you prefer to have your stories short, over a meal, then, Dawn Knight is the perfect lunch date. The Marston Series contains two novels with serial killers—Murder By The Book and The Confession. Each novel is a stand-alone story.
