John Douglas
MAGNOLIA – John Douglas, a pioneer criminal profiler, will deliver the 2010 Emerson-Thomas-Crone Lecture at 7 p.m., Monday, April 12, in Foundation Hall in the Donald W. Reynolds Campus and Community Center on the Southern Arkansas University campus.
Douglas founded and oversaw the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Criminal Profiling Unit and pursued widely-known criminal investigations as head of the Bureau’s Investigative Support Unit.
Douglas broke new ground by using evidence at crime scenes to develop a profile of criminals that revealed their habits and predicted their next moves. His early profile of the Unabomber was treated with skepticism, but the application of behavioral science findings became standard in criminal investigations.
He pursued infamous serial murderers including the “Atlanta child murderer” and the “Trailside Killer” in San Francisco throughout his long career. He also interviewed dozens of convicted killers, including Charles Manson, Sirhan Sirhan, Richard Speck, John Wayne Gacy, David Berkowitz (Son of Sam) and James Earl Ray to better understand the minds of violent criminals. This research produced landmark studies that earned both academic awards and aided law enforcement investigators.
Douglas has been the basis for characters played by Scott Glenn in “The Silence of the Lambs” and Harvey Keitel in “The Red Dragon.” Among his many books are Mindhunter: Inside the FBI’s Elite Serial Crime Unit, Journey Into Darkness, The Anatomy of Motive, and Inside the Mind of BTK: The True Story Behind the Thirty-Year Hunt for the Notorious Wichita Serial Killer.
The Emerson-Thomas-Crone Lectureship in the Humanities was established by an initial gift from Sarai T. Crone. Her son, John T. Crone, III, of San Antonio, Texas, completed the funding of her commitment as executor of her estate. The lectureship in the College of Liberal and Performing Arts at Southern Arkansas University provides for an annual presentation by an outstanding figure in history, literature, psychology, sociology, or political science.
The lecture is free and open to the public. A reception and book signing for John Douglas in Salon A in the Reynolds Center will follow the presentation. For more information, contact the College of Liberal and Performing Arts at (870) 235-4200.
