Austin Dodge
3-5-2024
After a long day at school and activities, one of my favorite things to do before going to bed is to turn on a show to relax and unwind. Sometimes I go for comedy, and other times I gravitate towards crime drama. I have been watching the show Criminal Minds on and off for about two years now. I have always been fascinated with how the show portrays the FBI's Behavioral Analysis Unit (BAU) as a team who works together to solve crimes, each with different yet equally important skills. The team is able to determine so much information about the culprit based on limited evidence left behind at the crime scene. One of the characters, Penelope Garcia, specializes in technology and data analysis. She uses a seemingly infinite data base to acquire any information that the team may need. Her ability to research online information quickly is mind boggling. Another key character is Agent Spencer Reid, who is the show's genius, with an IQ of 187, an eidetic memory, and the ability to read 20,000 words per minute. He is able to quickly recall data and knowledge about any topic that he has read about in the past to figure out behavioral patters. Reid and Garcia use a process called victimology, the study of the victim's background and or lifestyle, to draw connections to motives for the crimes.
As previously mentioned, Penelope Garcia, the Technical Analysist, needs to search these enormous databases for specific information. Sometimes she is given very little to work on - possibly a type of industry the unsub might work in, or a possible neighborhood in a city. Taking that information, she is able to identify patterns based on the data she collects. She is able to provide the team with valuable statistical information based on her findings. Her research is instrumental in narrowing down location, vehicle type, job locations, and a myriad of other clues to aid the team. In short, data is an invaluable tool in helping to solve crime. The ability to access and sort through large amounts of data is an important skill in many fields, but Criminal Mind shows its importance in finding criminals.
The massive online criminal database grants Garcia the tools she needs to cross-reference information and sort through criminal records. Many criminals are savvy with hacking, but Penelope, with the help of the FBI's data software, is usually able to find the criminal. This gives viewers a window into the challenges that the government faces as hackers and actors become more sophisticated. In addition to computers, the BAU uses interviews and interrogation to gather more in depth and personal data. The team questions witnesses, survivors, and ultimately the criminal. The information that is collected provides valuable insights into the mind of the perpetrator. The show takes place all over the country, and the team is able to know where to go through data collected by geographical profiling. In most episodes, the team analyzes geographical data and patterns to further isolate the unsub. The show highlights the use of advanced technology and forensic tools to analyze evidence such as DNA, fingerprints, and digital traces. While the portrayal may exaggerate the speed and accuracy of these processes, it reflects the importance of scientific analysis in criminal investigations. As someone who loves technology and data, I think I would enjoy having a job similar to Penelope Garcia and work in the FBI's BAU Unit.
