The 1976 Psychological Assessment of Ted Bundy (Development of the Violent Mind)

I thought this might not be as thorough and interesting as it is. Very informative about Bundy's psychological state.The doctor spoke to people who knew Bundy over the phone as part of his evaluation. Bundy had just been convicted of kidnapping in Utah in the Carole DaRonche case, the only known victim to have escaped.At this time, author Ann Rule told the doctor that Bundy would not be capable of a kidnapping or other violent crime.The doctor was not determining Bundy's guilt. The judge wanted to know if Bundy was a violent person prior to sentencing him.The doctor formed the opinion that Bundy had a violent nature and was quite capable of further violence.I found the information from other people who knew Bundy fascinating. They are mentioned in Rule's famous book, The Stranger Beside Me.Rule wrote of an elderly woman that Bundy was friends with while he was in college in Washington state as if the woman considered Bundy a rascal.In the conversation with the psychiatrist, this retired nurse described Bundy as scheming, secretive and frightening.Rule mentioned a river rafting trip during which Bundy became mean to his date. One of the men on the trip, a newspaper reporter for 10 years, told the doctor that he was shocked by the mood changes and alteration of personality that Bundy displayed that day.The doctor also spoke to the dream girl "Stephanie," who described Bundy as too wimpy and indecisive.Bundy lived behind a facade of intelligence, politeness and potential. He quickly failed at almost everything he started, failing or dropping out of three universities. Yes, he managed a degree in psychology. He failed at his other attempts at higher education for lack of follow through.We find out about one more Utah murder that Bundy admitted to at the end of his life.This doctor has interviewed other serial killers, and has his own theory about how they become that way and how they feel about their crimes.

This is the best book by far that I have read about how a person becomes a serial killer. I've never been interested in gory details of the serial killer but the "WHY". This is only a personal opinion but to me the most important thing from birth is that the child builds an Identity, he knows who he really is. There are many different kinds of serial killers and we've heard the list of killing animals, fires,etc.etc. but what they also have is no identity of their own. Scott Peterson was called the "golden boy" by his parents. He was polite ,helpful, worked hard, loved by everyone, but he was this because he wanted to please his parents. He had no identity of his own. Looking back though we see he had affairs while he dated Laci, while he was married to Laci and after he killed her. There were things in his life that would and did one day happen. He had to kill Laci to get rid of the trigger of fear that was overwhelming him. Only one death but put in the same circumstances again, he would kill again. This book is about Ted Bundy and you can read it, but Bundy and many others had no real identity of their own. They were fake people who killed to feel better. You will see that in some ways each life came about in different ways, but both are or would have been, in Scotts case, serial killers. Very interesting and thought provoking book.

This book is a must read for any true crime enthusiast. More so, especially the final third, should be of high interest for law enforcement. The most facinating aspect of this book is that it was written by Dr. Al Carlisle, a man who assessed Bundy for a judge to determine if Bundy was violent so he could hand down the most appropriate sentence. Dr. Carlisle was the first to make the Violent Mind determination and he explains the process simply and eloquently in this fascinating book. This book is a vital piece of the Bundy story.

Violent Mind: The 1976 Psychological Assessment of Ted Bundy, is a fascinating look into what it was like to interact with Ted Bundy, after his Utah arrest and incarceration for the kidnapping of Carol DaRonch. During this time, Carlisle got to know Bundy quite well, and it’s clear Bundy grew to trust him. And that trust created an atmosphere where Ted was able to speak freely with the doctor; although there were times when Bundy hedged his answers, not wanting to reveal his true inner-workings, as it were. Carlisle, however, was well aware of what he was attempting, and it was a stark reminder of who and what he was dealing with. The book also has an excellent flow to it (story after story), and I could elaborate on why this is, but I'm not going to. Suffice it to say, that if you’re interested in the diabolical crimes of this most unique American serial killer, this is a must-read book. Indeed, after having written a trilogy of books about the life and murders of this most diabolical serial killer, I found myself captivated with the turning of each page.

I loved this book, and highly recommend this author to anyone interested in knowing what went on beyond the sick mind of one of the most prolific killers in this country's history. It really is hard to believe those things this guy did, & I have always thought they should have let him live longer so that there could be closure on some of the other killings he did that were never even investigated. I also think they could have studied him to see what the hell happened to make him do what he did, & they could have used him to help with other cold cases.

Yes, Carlisle is a psychologist and it would seem weird if he didn't provide at least a few answers. Yet, the way he provides them, draws up his conclusions and delivers his argument was brilliant.What I loved and trusted immediately was how Dr. Al Carlisle reflects on how poor he felt his previous book on Bundy was. It's like he's saying 'OK, this time around I'm getting it right.' You felt straight away like he was out to prove something. You feel his energy and you run with it.Some have said they can't stand reading Bundy's lies and drivel, I however find what he says absolutely fascinating, so if you're looking for never before read/heard Bundy dialogue like I was, you'd be buying the right book.It never details the crimes, if you're looking for that you should buy Ann Rules 'The Stranger Beside Me' - Carlisle is simply providing evidence of HOW he developed his violent nature. Al isn't out to 'get' Bundy, he goes in like a true professional by not making any judgments or jumping to any conclusions, stating several times 'I'm not there yet...' or 'I still hadn't found the smoking gun to prove he was violent...'I also LOVED how he goes into extensive detail at the end about how a serial killer in general becomes a cold-hearted killer by involving citations from other authors about their findings on the psyche of other killers. It was the icing on the cake.Dr. Carlisle is fair in his approach and is facts driven and I found the tests and examinations he ran truly gripping.If you're curious about Bundy or killers in general, this book is a must.

fantastic book , if your into bundy and into the mind of his then this is the book , this is not about the killings but the reason why he done them and the back story of his childhood and his complex relationships with woman and his weird sex life. this is the book that you can read 150 pages and it will fell like nothing , i was gripped and could not put it done. One of the best bundy books i’ve ever read as i have quite a lot, thier is also a second book as well which i have to read next

I chose this rating as this is an absolutely fascinating book that covers all angles. In other words the writer had not predetermined the guilt of the person being researched but by sheer logic and understanding came to the rightful conclusion about said subject. Gripping and inciteful

I watched many documentaries about Ted, but non gave me so much understanding ,the background and his family. How he controlled his stress and stayed so confident instead. Those, whom say it's not good enough 😂 first of all , graduate Criminal Psychology in PhD, do research on this particular case for 50years , and than you can claim your evaluation with evidence that this book not good enough. This book is straight to the point. Simply written,but not so simple subject ,so everyone could understand.

Ted Bundy was a card wasn't he