Interview written and condensed by Ann MacPhetridge, Promega
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For nearly five decades, Dr. Ann Burgess has been at the forefront of forensic psychology and criminal profiling, transforming the way investigators understand violent offenders. Her groundbreaking work with the FBI’s Behavioral Science Unit laid the foundation for modern criminal profiling, and her research on trauma has shaped how forensic nurses, law enforcement, and mental health professionals approach victim advocacy.
At ISHI 36, Dr. Burgess, alongside her granddaughter Alexandra Burgess, will deliver a keynote address exploring the evolution of profiling and the impact of artificial intelligence on forensic investigations. Ahead of her presentation, she sat down with The ISHI Report to reflect on her career, discuss the urgent issue of missing and murdered Indigenous women (MMIW), and share her perspective on the future of forensic science.
What initially inspired you to explore the intersection of psychology and violent behavior, particularly as it relates to forensic investigations?
In 1972, Lynda Holmstrom invited me to participate in a research study on rape victims. She was interested in the topic from a sociology view of women’s issues and my interest was from a clinical and treatment perspective. It wasn’t until the FBI Academy’s Behavioral Science Unit contacted me in 1975 to lecture to their special agents on rape victimology that I became interested in the intersection of psychology and violent behavior. I was asked to develop the methodology for a study of serial criminals that led to understanding the patterns and motives for murder. My initial interest was to try to understand what motivated someone to rape so I could interpret the response of the victim.
Are there any specific cases or projects that stand out as pivotal moments in your career or changed the way forensic nurses approach their work?
When Lynda Holmstrom and I completed our one year of interviewing and data collection on 146 persons admitted to Boston City Hospital for “rape”, we wrote a number of articles for publication including the Rape Trauma Syndrome, the Coping Behavior of the Rape Victim, and Rape: Power, Anger and Sexuality. These research-based articles were widely used in nursing, psychiatry, psychology and social work to combat myths that existed about rape and paved the way for trauma-based counseling for victims. In addition, our work set the foundation for the sexual assault nurse examiner (SANE) and the development of the “rape kit” that was replicated across the United States.
What were the most significant challenges you faced in the early years of your career, and how did those experiences shape the field?
The primary challenge was confronting the rape culture that included common rape myths.
- Victims bear responsibility if they had been drinking,
- Most rapes are committed by strangers,
- The victim's clothing can lead to a sexual assault,
- It is not rape if the victim does not have bruises and injuries, and
- Rape is merely unwanted sex-not a violent crime
Your team was the first to identify shared trauma among serial killers. Can you share how this discovery reshaped how investigators and psychologists understand violent behavior?
The importance of a history of childhood trauma or the absent father provided prevention data for clinicians working with child and adolescent offenders. The history needed to be dealt with by taking a careful child and family history and engaging consultation for the treatment.
Looking back, what do you hope your work has achieved for victims, and how do you see your contributions influencing the next generation of forensic professionals?
I hope my work has emphasized that rape is a traumatic experience, can happen to anyone, anywhere and trauma-based treatment is needed for the victim to recover.
The offender needs to be stopped and apprehended, or he will continue his violent behavior. People need to understand that thoughts drive behavior. A person’s behavior is largely defined by his thoughts. Therefore, in order to prevent further victimization, it is important to understand the mindset of the offender, what makes them do it and what is the criminal’s mind set.
Even in your late 80s, you’re actively teaching and working on cases. What drives your continued passion for this work, and how has your approach evolved over the decades?
There is always something to be learned in each case that can be added to the knowledge base for clinical or legal intervention.
What lessons or advice do you give to your students and young professionals entering this field, particularly in balancing academic rigor with practical application?
Much of my work was due to being in the right place at the right time and agreeing to the challenge., i.e., joining partners in research, lecturing to unfamiliar groups (law enforcement), agreeing to unusual cases (Menendez brothers’ case), etc.
Your current study on missing and murdered Indigenous women highlights an urgent and often overlooked issue. What have been your biggest findings or insights from this work so far, and how do you hope it will drive change?
The 33 cases of missing and murdered Indigenous women aged 50 years and older found that alcohol and/or illicit substance abuse was prevalent; known substance abuse history was identified in victim and/or offender for nearly 70% of cases. Many murders occurred off tribal land and were perpetrated by men, typically younger than their victims, with some form of relationship to them.
What unique challenges have you encountered in studying MMIW cases, and how do these challenges differ from other cases you’ve worked on throughout your career?
We found that the offender was known and/or identified in the majority of cases, with a significant portion resulting in guilty pleas or jury convictions. However, a notable portion of cases remained unsolved or ended with the offender's suicide.
How do you envision the results of your research on MMIW being used to improve investigations, advocacy, or policy?
The findings underscore the need for intervention strategies such as addressing substance abuse in adolescence, intervening early in relationship conflicts, training law enforcement in elder sexual homicide investigations, and providing clinical care for mental illness in cases involving family and partners. Additionally, the study highlights the necessity for a national database to track homicides involving elder Indigenous women, facilitating more effective prevention and response efforts.
Artificial intelligence is becoming a game-changer in many fields. How do you see AI complementing or transforming forensic psychology and behavioral analysis in the near future?
AI is one of my disappointments. My husband’s work, as a computer engineer, was involved in the development of computers using AI and suggested it might be useful to propose for a study at the FBI Academy. I wrote a proposal in the 1990s only to have it rejected at the Unit Chief level with a statement that it was “too far out for work with serial criminals”. If the project had been funded for $60,000, we would have been on the cutting edge of the new science by the year 2000.
What are the ethical challenges you foresee as AI and advanced forensic tools become more integrated into criminal investigations?
We are well into the use of machine learning and topic modeling with Alexandra’s work that she will discuss.
How do you think modern technology and societal changes are influencing patterns of violent behavior, and how should investigators adapt?
First, we have moved from serial killers to the mass killer and second looking at the mindset of the criminal before he acts. Our work uses the 6-step model of 'Pathway to Violence' as a major conceptual framework.
From her early studies on rape trauma syndrome to her contributions in identifying behavioral patterns among serial offenders, Dr. Ann Burgess has fundamentally reshaped forensic science. Her work has not only helped solve cases but has also driven essential reforms in victim care, forensic nursing, and investigative methodologies.
Now, as she looks toward the future, she sees both challenges and opportunities. The rise of artificial intelligence presents new possibilities for criminal profiling, but it also introduces ethical concerns that must be carefully navigated. As her granddaughter Alexandra Burgess joins her in this field, their intergenerational perspective offers a unique bridge between traditional investigative techniques and cutting-edge forensic technologies.
As forensic science continues to evolve, Dr. Burgess's insights remain as vital as ever. Her passion for understanding criminal behavior and advocating for victims serves as a reminder that forensic professionals do more than analyze evidence—they shape justice.
At ISHI 36 this year, attendees will have the rare opportunity to hear directly from one of the pioneers of forensic psychology. Whether you are a seasoned investigator or a student just entering the field, her wisdom offers invaluable lessons on the past, present, and future of forensic science.