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The 1976 Psychological Assessment of Ted Bundy
The 1976 Psychological Assessment of Ted Bundy
“”Do you think I killed those girls?" Ted Bundy asked me this question after we had completed the final interview. We were standing in the corridor outside my office and Ted was about to return to his cell. It was an unusual question to ask... I was caught off guard by the question.” “…With this question, Ted had put me in a lose-lose situation. My best option might have been to tell him that I couldn’t, or wouldn’t, answer his question. However, I said to him, “I don’t know, but if you did, I believe you will do it again.” I’m sure it wasn’t what he wanted to hear. He didn’t say anything. He turned and walked back to his cell. In future conversations we had together he never again asked that question.” “ …Putting all the information I had gleaned from the test data as well as the phone conversations and the personal interviews with Ted… I concluded that it was my opinion that Ted’s personality fit the crime for which he was found guilty. I submitted my report to the court. Then all hell broke loose.” - from The 1976 Psychological Assessment of Ted Bundy Many books have been written about Bundy, but rarely have we had the opportunity to understand the inner workings of his mind. Now, Dr. Carlisle shares the step-by-step psychological assessment process regarding how he determined that Bundy was indeed a violent person and would likely continue to kill if he was set free. Book four in the Development of the Violent Mind series.
“”Do you think I killed those girls?" Ted Bundy asked me this question after we had completed the final interview. We were standing in the corridor outside my office and Ted was about to return to his cell. It was an unusual question to ask... I was caught off guard by the question.” “…With this question, Ted had put me in a lose-lose situation. My best option might have been to tell him that I couldn’t, or wouldn’t, answer his question. However, I said to him, “I don’t know, but if you did, I believe you will do it again.” I’m sure it wasn’t what he wanted to hear. He didn’t say anything. He turned and walked back to his cell. In future conversations we had together he never again asked that question.” “ …Putting all the information I had gleaned from the test data as well as the phone conversations and the personal interviews with Ted… I concluded that it was my opinion that Ted’s personality fit the crime for which he was found guilty. I submitted my report to the court. Then all hell broke loose.” - from The 1976 Psychological Assessment of Ted Bundy Many books have been written about Bundy, but rarely have we had the opportunity to understand the inner workings of his mind. Now, Dr. Carlisle shares the step-by-step psychological assessment process regarding how he determined that Bundy was indeed a violent person and would likely continue to kill if he was set free. Book four in the Development of the Violent Mind series.
268 pages, Kindle Edition
Published January 15, 2020
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About the author
Al Carlisle
6 books22 followersAl Carlisle spent his childhood playing war games with his twin brother, and neighborhood friends, in the fields and vacant lots of Lakewood, Colorado, a suburb of Denver. Al always knew that one day he would be a soldier, a veteran like his Dad. He also developed a keen interest in photography, when he won a contest during Vacation Bible School, he chose a little Kodak Brownie over a football. His desire to serve his country, and his love of photography came together in 1967, the same year he met his wife Pat. Vietnam proved to be a turning point in his life; he no longer saw the Army as a life career choice. Al has lived his life with gusto, knowing how very close he came to being an additional name on that black marble wall in Washington D.C. To which he has paid homage to many times. He currently resides in Orlando, Fl. and is the Pastor of the First Baptist Church of Taft. The purpose for his being spared is manifested in his ministry.
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August 14, 2022
Ted Bundy!
What a barrel of laughs, am I right?
This is my first time delving into a book about a real-life serial killer. It's not my jam, to be honest. But I'm friends with this sweet little old lady who's really into this shit and she loaned me two books on Bundy in (I believe) the hopes of dragging me into her sick, twisted obsession.
Bless her heart.
The author, Al Carlisle, was part of the team that the judge appointed to make sense of Bundy when he was first convicted. See, at that time, there were so many people speaking up on his behalf saying there was no way their nice upstanding friend could have committed this vicious crime, that I'm pretty sure the judge just wanted to dot his i's and cross his t's.
You know, just in case...
So, Al here gave our boy a whole bunch of psychological tests while chatting with him about his past. Unsurprisingly, Ted did his damnedest to gloss over the fact that he had a penchant for clubbing young women over the head and then having sex with their dead bodies.
Although, I think the fact that he wanted to go into politics was a huge red flag, know what I mean? Pfft. Sicko.
But Al didn't think it was a big deal. Instead, he thought Bundy had some inferiority issues because his family didn't have money, had been emotionally scarred when he found out he was illegitimate, and that watching pornography played a big part in feeding his monster.
I'm not so sure about that last thing. If that were the case, I have a feeling the world would be populated by nothing but serial killers.
However, he did eventually rock a porn-stache, so I may be wrong.
Here's what I took away from this one:
Ted Bundy was a psychotic creeper that felt like he deserved more out of life than he was given. He never seemed to be able to see anything through to the end (college, jobs, or relationships), and it was as though he was just desperately hoping that fate would notice how amazing he was deep down and hand him everything on a silver platter. When that inevitably failed to happen, his depression, anxiety, and feelings of self-loathing would kick in and (instead of eating a gallon of ice cream in one sitting like the rest of us) he would eventually just turn his hatred outward, bludgeon some poor girl, and defile her corpse.
Ok. I'm sure there's more to what was wrong with him than that, but you get the gist.
He seemed to be made of some depraved brand of charm, woven out of certifiable horseshit, that he could trot out at will. He flirted with the courtroom at his trials, winked at the media, and seemingly enjoyed his turn in the spotlight.
Have fun while it lasts, Teddy.
Ok. As I mentioned, I'm not an aficionado of these types of books. So if you're a regular true crime reader, I honestly don't know how this one stacks up.
For me? Eh. It was fine. I didn't really think it was very in-depth or showed any new insights into the famous twisted mind of this guy. It was very light on the gory details of the crimes he committed, which was also fine with me. Because...ew.
But I especially liked that this was written in very plain language. I didn't need a degree in bullshit to understand what Carlisle was saying. There wasn't much here, but it didn't try to pad itself out in some overly wordy way. Short and to the point.
On a slightly different note, I remember being a teenager in Florida when Ted Bundy was executed...
The End.
What a barrel of laughs, am I right?
This is my first time delving into a book about a real-life serial killer. It's not my jam, to be honest. But I'm friends with this sweet little old lady who's really into this shit and she loaned me two books on Bundy in (I believe) the hopes of dragging me into her sick, twisted obsession.
Bless her heart.
The author, Al Carlisle, was part of the team that the judge appointed to make sense of Bundy when he was first convicted. See, at that time, there were so many people speaking up on his behalf saying there was no way their nice upstanding friend could have committed this vicious crime, that I'm pretty sure the judge just wanted to dot his i's and cross his t's.
You know, just in case...
So, Al here gave our boy a whole bunch of psychological tests while chatting with him about his past. Unsurprisingly, Ted did his damnedest to gloss over the fact that he had a penchant for clubbing young women over the head and then having sex with their dead bodies.
Although, I think the fact that he wanted to go into politics was a huge red flag, know what I mean? Pfft. Sicko.
But Al didn't think it was a big deal. Instead, he thought Bundy had some inferiority issues because his family didn't have money, had been emotionally scarred when he found out he was illegitimate, and that watching pornography played a big part in feeding his monster.
I'm not so sure about that last thing. If that were the case, I have a feeling the world would be populated by nothing but serial killers.
However, he did eventually rock a porn-stache, so I may be wrong.
Here's what I took away from this one:
Ted Bundy was a psychotic creeper that felt like he deserved more out of life than he was given. He never seemed to be able to see anything through to the end (college, jobs, or relationships), and it was as though he was just desperately hoping that fate would notice how amazing he was deep down and hand him everything on a silver platter. When that inevitably failed to happen, his depression, anxiety, and feelings of self-loathing would kick in and (instead of eating a gallon of ice cream in one sitting like the rest of us) he would eventually just turn his hatred outward, bludgeon some poor girl, and defile her corpse.
Ok. I'm sure there's more to what was wrong with him than that, but you get the gist.
He seemed to be made of some depraved brand of charm, woven out of certifiable horseshit, that he could trot out at will. He flirted with the courtroom at his trials, winked at the media, and seemingly enjoyed his turn in the spotlight.
Have fun while it lasts, Teddy.
Ok. As I mentioned, I'm not an aficionado of these types of books. So if you're a regular true crime reader, I honestly don't know how this one stacks up.
For me? Eh. It was fine. I didn't really think it was very in-depth or showed any new insights into the famous twisted mind of this guy. It was very light on the gory details of the crimes he committed, which was also fine with me. Because...ew.
But I especially liked that this was written in very plain language. I didn't need a degree in bullshit to understand what Carlisle was saying. There wasn't much here, but it didn't try to pad itself out in some overly wordy way. Short and to the point.
On a slightly different note, I remember being a teenager in Florida when Ted Bundy was executed...
The End.
March 5, 2018
This book is based on a report that Dr. Al Carlisle wrote for the judge to help him determine a sentence for Ted Bundy after he was found guilty of the aggravated kidnap of Carol Da Ronch near Salt Lake City, Utah. Bundy was sent over to the Utah State Prison for a 90 day period for Dr. Carlisle and the rest of the team to test and talk to him to get a full idea of him psychologically and assess him for violence for the court.
The judge had been rather surprised by a group of citizens who rallied on behalf of Ted Bundy despite his conviction, saying they still believed he was innocent and asking him to make sure he wasn't sending him away wrongfully. So the judge requested this added step, just to be sure. I found it quite interesting as part of the Ted Bundy lore, filling in some of the picture of him mentally, telling how he tried to fool the experts and how he was doing while being held. No one knew at that time if he had killed anyone. There were only suspicions.
"Dr. Carlisle’s assignment was specific: Determine to the best of his ability, without being biased by any of the reports previously done, whether Ted Bundy had a violent personality. The judge would use this information in deciding whether Bundy should serve time or be released on probation."
The book shares the evaluation process and its conclusions, along with some of Ted's answers on different tests he took. There are conversations he had with Dr. Carlisle during that time and in later years. and it even has a letter found in Bundy's effects after his death that he wrote to Dr. Carlisle and never sent. All in all, a very unique look at the killer that would be lacking if left out. For Ted Bundy readers, and true crime readers, and psychology readers.
The judge had been rather surprised by a group of citizens who rallied on behalf of Ted Bundy despite his conviction, saying they still believed he was innocent and asking him to make sure he wasn't sending him away wrongfully. So the judge requested this added step, just to be sure. I found it quite interesting as part of the Ted Bundy lore, filling in some of the picture of him mentally, telling how he tried to fool the experts and how he was doing while being held. No one knew at that time if he had killed anyone. There were only suspicions.
"Dr. Carlisle’s assignment was specific: Determine to the best of his ability, without being biased by any of the reports previously done, whether Ted Bundy had a violent personality. The judge would use this information in deciding whether Bundy should serve time or be released on probation."
The book shares the evaluation process and its conclusions, along with some of Ted's answers on different tests he took. There are conversations he had with Dr. Carlisle during that time and in later years. and it even has a letter found in Bundy's effects after his death that he wrote to Dr. Carlisle and never sent. All in all, a very unique look at the killer that would be lacking if left out. For Ted Bundy readers, and true crime readers, and psychology readers.
October 2, 2017
Reviewed by Demetrius Svette
*This book was provided for an honest review
Most minds are not like mine; I bought my first serial killer book when I was nine years old and fell in love with the twisted psychopaths after that. I look into all different kinds of serial killers to learn their habits, wants and needs- to find out what drives them to the brink of madness. How did they become that way? It is what I always try to figure out. It is more of an art form to these particular people. Some can cover up that darkness, but some are completely overtaken by the dark side of their minds. If you have a respect towards the crazies (as I call them) then you will respect this book, titled Violent Mind: The 1976 Psychological Assessment of Ted Bundy. You may ask yourself why and I’ll tell you, but where should I begin? I fell in love from the title alone, Assessment of Ted Bundy; but not only is it an assessment of a very famous serial killer, but the author- Dr. Al Carlisle- was actually a part of the assessment team for ninety days. Are you ready to explore the depths of the twisted inner working of a true violent mind? If you are, then look no further.
Ted Bundy was convicted of aggravated kidnapping in March of 1976 of a young woman in Salt Lake City, Utah; at the time of this conviction, he was not accused or convicted of any other violent crimes. Many of Bundy’s friends and family did not believe he was capable of doing these heinous acts of violence. The judge presiding over the case ordered a psychological evaluation on Bundy, which was performed with a ninety-day diagnostic team at the Utah State Prison where Ted was sent after trail. Dr. Carlisle was one of these team members. You will go in depth with them in this step by step process using the actual questions given to Bundy and his genuine answers to them. The judge will use the assessment- alongside of Dr. Carlisle’s evaluation- to gain the information needed to decide whether he should serve time or be released on probation. With these until recently unpublished findings, you can understand why and how Bundy became the most famous one of the all.
Dr. Al Carlisle should be praised to the higher tops of the globe for providing the world his eye-to-eye experience with Ted Bundy. Through reading this phenomenal assessment, he made me feel as if I were there across from Bundy, reliving the process that Carlisle went through in 1976. I thank Dr. Carlisle humbly for that. He also provided us with not just the assessment, but also never before seen interviews (the kind that make people all around the world buy blu rays just to see hours upon hours of extra footage) that includes letters that Ted Bundy actually wrote to Dr. Carlisle. Throughout this book, you build this emotional attachment from Bundy’s answers because you get to experience his personality. I have learned way more about him from Dr. Carlisle than I ever would have from a movie, documentary or anything else out there. He is lucky and fortunate to have done this to be able to provide all these great experiences to the society within a disturbed world; furthering the understanding of the inner minds of serial killers and how they work. Not only has Carlisle interviewed Ted Bundy, but he has done so with other serial killers and I will be looking into more from him- reading more of his extensive research and interviews with the others.
*This book was provided for an honest review
Most minds are not like mine; I bought my first serial killer book when I was nine years old and fell in love with the twisted psychopaths after that. I look into all different kinds of serial killers to learn their habits, wants and needs- to find out what drives them to the brink of madness. How did they become that way? It is what I always try to figure out. It is more of an art form to these particular people. Some can cover up that darkness, but some are completely overtaken by the dark side of their minds. If you have a respect towards the crazies (as I call them) then you will respect this book, titled Violent Mind: The 1976 Psychological Assessment of Ted Bundy. You may ask yourself why and I’ll tell you, but where should I begin? I fell in love from the title alone, Assessment of Ted Bundy; but not only is it an assessment of a very famous serial killer, but the author- Dr. Al Carlisle- was actually a part of the assessment team for ninety days. Are you ready to explore the depths of the twisted inner working of a true violent mind? If you are, then look no further.
Ted Bundy was convicted of aggravated kidnapping in March of 1976 of a young woman in Salt Lake City, Utah; at the time of this conviction, he was not accused or convicted of any other violent crimes. Many of Bundy’s friends and family did not believe he was capable of doing these heinous acts of violence. The judge presiding over the case ordered a psychological evaluation on Bundy, which was performed with a ninety-day diagnostic team at the Utah State Prison where Ted was sent after trail. Dr. Carlisle was one of these team members. You will go in depth with them in this step by step process using the actual questions given to Bundy and his genuine answers to them. The judge will use the assessment- alongside of Dr. Carlisle’s evaluation- to gain the information needed to decide whether he should serve time or be released on probation. With these until recently unpublished findings, you can understand why and how Bundy became the most famous one of the all.
Dr. Al Carlisle should be praised to the higher tops of the globe for providing the world his eye-to-eye experience with Ted Bundy. Through reading this phenomenal assessment, he made me feel as if I were there across from Bundy, reliving the process that Carlisle went through in 1976. I thank Dr. Carlisle humbly for that. He also provided us with not just the assessment, but also never before seen interviews (the kind that make people all around the world buy blu rays just to see hours upon hours of extra footage) that includes letters that Ted Bundy actually wrote to Dr. Carlisle. Throughout this book, you build this emotional attachment from Bundy’s answers because you get to experience his personality. I have learned way more about him from Dr. Carlisle than I ever would have from a movie, documentary or anything else out there. He is lucky and fortunate to have done this to be able to provide all these great experiences to the society within a disturbed world; furthering the understanding of the inner minds of serial killers and how they work. Not only has Carlisle interviewed Ted Bundy, but he has done so with other serial killers and I will be looking into more from him- reading more of his extensive research and interviews with the others.
May 31, 2021
As a forensic psych nerd I loved this book!
In 1976 Ted Bundy was convicted of aggravated kidnapping. The judge ordered a 90-day psych eval to determine his potential for future violence (this is prior to Bundy's multiple escapes and convictions, but after he murdered close to 30 women).
Dr. Carlisle's assignment was to determine if Bundy had a violent personality. This book includes each detailed psych assessment he completes with Bundy, conversations with him and those that knew him throughout each stage of his life, Bundy's psychiatrist's findings, a VERY detailed summary of findings, and an appendix section that will wow true crime lovers! This is a MUST read in genre.
4.5 rounded up...only because it needed another round of editing for repetitiveness and typos.
In 1976 Ted Bundy was convicted of aggravated kidnapping. The judge ordered a 90-day psych eval to determine his potential for future violence (this is prior to Bundy's multiple escapes and convictions, but after he murdered close to 30 women).
Dr. Carlisle's assignment was to determine if Bundy had a violent personality. This book includes each detailed psych assessment he completes with Bundy, conversations with him and those that knew him throughout each stage of his life, Bundy's psychiatrist's findings, a VERY detailed summary of findings, and an appendix section that will wow true crime lovers! This is a MUST read in genre.
4.5 rounded up...only because it needed another round of editing for repetitiveness and typos.
August 14, 2024
I listened to this one on audible. I’ve been fascinated by the criminal mind and interested in the psychological testing processes used in the past and currently.
September 23, 2022
The assessments are interesting. You get a picture of someone that is deeply disturbed and who is desperately trying to manage the impressions that others have of him. While the "snapshot in time" assessment does give a picture of Ted's emotional and family history, and some predictions of future behavior, the reader won't get a clear picture of Ted's depravity unless coupled with other books on the subject.
April 7, 2018
New Insight to Bundy
Recommend to anyone who has read the Aynesworth/Michaud interviews as augmented material.
The woman cleaning the oven card I do not believe is likened to Liz. I believe it's Bundy pining for the corpses in the Cascades, all dirty but still beautiful to him.
Recommend to anyone who has read the Aynesworth/Michaud interviews as augmented material.
The woman cleaning the oven card I do not believe is likened to Liz. I believe it's Bundy pining for the corpses in the Cascades, all dirty but still beautiful to him.
January 19, 2021
A good read
I would recommend this boom for anyone who Wants to get a better idea of how he thought. We read a lot about what he did but not a why? We still do not really have that answer but this was a good evaluation
I would recommend this boom for anyone who Wants to get a better idea of how he thought. We read a lot about what he did but not a why? We still do not really have that answer but this was a good evaluation
August 2, 2020
An interesting look into the mind of one of history's most notorious serial killers, before anything was officially known of his deeds.
October 3, 2023
Some fascinating new insights through interviews, I don't care much for the author, seems self important
October 8, 2018
Forever infamous
An intriguing read that she’s a different light on a serial killer that we’ve come to to as a charmer and so called lady’s man. I love that this was written by a psychologist it made for some very interesting reading material!!
An intriguing read that she’s a different light on a serial killer that we’ve come to to as a charmer and so called lady’s man. I love that this was written by a psychologist it made for some very interesting reading material!!
September 30, 2024
I’m having a hard time understanding how has this book provided a more authentic perspective than any of the documentaries I have watched about the killer before. I’m not convinced this was worth my time, but I’m fascinated by psychology and especially bothered minds. I would love to understand the why and the how - this why I read this book.
March 5, 2018
🌿Review time!
🌿Al Carlisle - "Violent Mind: The 1976 Psychological Assesment of Ted Bundy"
🌿This time I read a non-fiction book and it's not rare of me to read true crime but I read this one in a record winning time - one day! I got this eBook as a gift and I didn't know how much I wanted to read it before I started reading it.
🌿I haven't read about Ted Bundy explicitly before except for "The Phantom Prince" which I was lucky to get as a digital temporary version. The book shook me in all kind of ways and it really fascinated me too. That's why I opened this book right away.
🌿I haven't read any other Carlisle books but I have to say I just might start reading his other publications.
🌿Now, this book isn't boring or dry. Far from it. While Al explains how he drew conclusions from interviews with Ted and those close to him, he also provides parts of those interviews and even adds letters Ted wrote to him from prison.
🌿"The Phantom Prince" gave me a pretty deep insight of what kind of a person Ted was and I knew majority of his life and crime from other general true crime books so I didn't really expect this book to show me anything new but it really did. Al lays down everything he knows, every detail he sees as important and this was just one amazing read.
🌿One thing I never understood, which was confirmed by several people from Ted's background, that people, and girls mostly, saw him as handsome. Sorry gals, Ted is a one man I probably will never find handsome and that's not because he killed people, I just don't understand how so many women and girls fell for him 😂
🌿Do I recommend this book? Definitely. One of the most interrsting reads of this year despite the year being still young!
🌿My rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐/⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
🌿Al Carlisle - "Violent Mind: The 1976 Psychological Assesment of Ted Bundy"
🌿This time I read a non-fiction book and it's not rare of me to read true crime but I read this one in a record winning time - one day! I got this eBook as a gift and I didn't know how much I wanted to read it before I started reading it.
🌿I haven't read about Ted Bundy explicitly before except for "The Phantom Prince" which I was lucky to get as a digital temporary version. The book shook me in all kind of ways and it really fascinated me too. That's why I opened this book right away.
🌿I haven't read any other Carlisle books but I have to say I just might start reading his other publications.
🌿Now, this book isn't boring or dry. Far from it. While Al explains how he drew conclusions from interviews with Ted and those close to him, he also provides parts of those interviews and even adds letters Ted wrote to him from prison.
🌿"The Phantom Prince" gave me a pretty deep insight of what kind of a person Ted was and I knew majority of his life and crime from other general true crime books so I didn't really expect this book to show me anything new but it really did. Al lays down everything he knows, every detail he sees as important and this was just one amazing read.
🌿One thing I never understood, which was confirmed by several people from Ted's background, that people, and girls mostly, saw him as handsome. Sorry gals, Ted is a one man I probably will never find handsome and that's not because he killed people, I just don't understand how so many women and girls fell for him 😂
🌿Do I recommend this book? Definitely. One of the most interrsting reads of this year despite the year being still young!
🌿My rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐/⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
April 1, 2018
Interesting
This was shorter than a typical book, and lacked the kind of sureness I was hoping for. However, it does present some cogent theories as to what happens in the process of becoming a serial murderer. It’s presented as fact, but with far from proof of that.
I had to keep reminding myself that the assessment was from 1976, although the author/psychologist who did the assessment does use knowledge gained since to explain his reasoning. I was left with food for thought, but not a feeling of the mystery explained. In fact, this author’s postulations stipulate that these killers experience very real emotions and guilt, contrary to the prevailing theory that anyone who could do such heinous things must be stone cold incapable of compassion or remorse.
This was shorter than a typical book, and lacked the kind of sureness I was hoping for. However, it does present some cogent theories as to what happens in the process of becoming a serial murderer. It’s presented as fact, but with far from proof of that.
I had to keep reminding myself that the assessment was from 1976, although the author/psychologist who did the assessment does use knowledge gained since to explain his reasoning. I was left with food for thought, but not a feeling of the mystery explained. In fact, this author’s postulations stipulate that these killers experience very real emotions and guilt, contrary to the prevailing theory that anyone who could do such heinous things must be stone cold incapable of compassion or remorse.
August 21, 2018
Interesting perspective of the monster we knew as Ted Bundy. Right from the psychologist who did an assessment and wrote the psychological evaluation for the courts. It gave some real insight to what made Ted Bundy who he became. I've always been interested in the psychology behind the mind of the serial killer, and this book really gave some insight into what and how they think, their emotions or lack there of, and their ability to understand what they are doing and that it is wrong. Very interesting book. Highly recommend it to those interested in the psychology behind the serial killer.
February 26, 2018
This book was strictly the psychiatrist\psychologist point of view with transcripts of the sessions had with Ted Bundy. It was very interesting how the potential for violence was gleaned from the tests and conversations had with him. This book was not a rehashing of his crimes at all so someone looking for gruesome details of violent murders would be disappointed. What it did include was interviews with the people who knew him. It was a quick read and well written.
April 9, 2018
Fast read...Informative
This book is not a true crime account of Bundy's murders but centers on his review and evaluation. I enjoyed learning the impact that detachment and compartmentalization has on the criminal mind. I also enjoyed the discussion of the homicidal tendencies becoming an actual addiction.
This book is not a true crime account of Bundy's murders but centers on his review and evaluation. I enjoyed learning the impact that detachment and compartmentalization has on the criminal mind. I also enjoyed the discussion of the homicidal tendencies becoming an actual addiction.
November 10, 2017
Ted Bundy is the poster boy of charismatic serial killers. In Violent Mind, Dr. Carlisle offers his in-depth exploration of "Ted's" psychological make-up. A fascinating read. Highly recommended.
DP Lyle, award-winning author, lecturer, and story consultant
DP Lyle, award-winning author, lecturer, and story consultant
November 22, 2017
Excellent. Dr. Carlisle really has wonderful insight to this infamous killer. There is some new material too!
January 11, 2018
couldn't put it down.
March 7, 2018
A quick read, but enjoyed detailed background information about Ted and his past from the mouths of people who knew him personally. Would definitely recommend this book.
March 30, 2018
Very interesting and in depth look into the psychological assessment on serial killer Ted Bundy by Dr. Carlisle.* I received a copy of this book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review *
April 1, 2018
5 Stars
I really enjoyed this book. I love learning about psychology and what makes people tick, so this was the perfect read for me.
I really enjoyed this book. I love learning about psychology and what makes people tick, so this was the perfect read for me.
April 6, 2018
Compelling, informative, highly interesting. Read it in less than 24 hrs. I simply couldn't put it down.
September 9, 2024
I found this to be a very poor assessment. I don’t believe Dr. Carlisle had any real understanding of what was going on in Ted Bundy’s mind. He goes into the assessment with the stated intention of determining Bundy violent, which was not his job - his job was to determine, unbiased by the kidnapping conviction, if there was any psychological evidence of Ted Bundy being a violent person; and from interviews, and several tests that he administered, Bundy demonstrated no evidence of being violent, psychotic, psychopathic, or troubled, all which Dr. Carlisle takes as being evidence in itself that Bundy was hiding something deep. He goes into every test with the assumption that Bundy is disturbed and refuses to accept any evidence to the contrary. Throughout the book he keeps bringing up the fact that he still hasn’t found “the smoking gun”, and that is how it ends, without any smoking gun, without any real evidence that Bundy was anything but a well-adjusted individual. I think that’s what’s most terrifying to people about Bundy - he didn’t seem disturbed at all, he seemed very well-adjusted, and I think he basically was - he was a true psychopath, as I would define such a thing. I found Carlisle’s interpretations of things Bundy said in his responses to be lacking in any real insight. In his interviews of others (most of whom didn’t actually know Bundy except from a few encounters), he asks a lot of leading questions. Overall I feel as though Dr. Carlisle only really demonstrated himself to be a poor psychologist with no real understanding of the human condition.
All that said, I still would recommend this book for anybody interested in Ted Bundy’s mind and life as it includes Ted’s own responses on various tests, as well as excerpts from interviews of Diane Edwards and Elizabeth Kloepfer, who both knew Ted Bundy intimately, which I found valuable, albeit not very in-depth - this lack of depth is another weakness of the assessment. Dr. Carlisle also presents the opinions of other professionals, including a Dr. Van O. Austin, a prison psychiatrist, which I found insightful and to the point - I’d like to read his report(s) in full if I can get my hands on them.
All that said, I still would recommend this book for anybody interested in Ted Bundy’s mind and life as it includes Ted’s own responses on various tests, as well as excerpts from interviews of Diane Edwards and Elizabeth Kloepfer, who both knew Ted Bundy intimately, which I found valuable, albeit not very in-depth - this lack of depth is another weakness of the assessment. Dr. Carlisle also presents the opinions of other professionals, including a Dr. Van O. Austin, a prison psychiatrist, which I found insightful and to the point - I’d like to read his report(s) in full if I can get my hands on them.
April 25, 2018
Excelente libro. Dr Carlisle presenta los test psicológicos a los que Ted Bundy fue sometido, intentado diagnosticarlo como violento o no, antes de su sentencia en el caso de intento de secuestro de Carol DaRonch. El autor no conoce que Bundy es sospechoso de múltiples asesinatos y violaciones enEashington, Utah, Colorado. Y a pesar de que Bundy miente en sus respuestas, tratando de presentarse como una persona ‘mormal’ ( de lo que se enorgullece después al comentárselo a su amiga Ann Rule, ya que él era graduado en Psicología, materia que estudió, pienso yo, para tratar de entenderse a sí mismo), el autor informa a la Corte que “ el individuo en cuestión es violento, y si ha cometido un crimen antes, volverá a cometerlo.” Meses después Bundy escaparía de la cárter, huiría a Florida y cometería varios crímenes más.
En la parte final del libro, el autor hace una explicación sobre el Yo dividido de los asesinos en serie, la compartimentada personalidad, la disociación, el rol de la fantasía (violenta), la obsesión, la habituación ( al crimen/ abuso sexual/ homicidio), el declive y finalmente la caída de un asesino en serie. Realmente interesante. Explicación que se puede aplicar también a asesinos en masa ( como Columbine, donde los que cometieron la masacre fantaseaban en verse superiores, armados hasta los dientes, y como una especie de ‘Trrminator’ entrar al colegio y acabar con todos y con todo). Difícil entender porqué no puede ser considerado una enfermedad mental, ya que se parece mucho a la addiccion al alcohol y drogas, pero la adiccion al crimen violento no causa daño sólo al perpetrador sino a muchas personas. No quiero decir que no merezcan ser encarcelados y castigados, sino que pueda ser diagnosticado, intentar tratarlo, y más importante aún: prevenirlo.
En la parte final del libro, el autor hace una explicación sobre el Yo dividido de los asesinos en serie, la compartimentada personalidad, la disociación, el rol de la fantasía (violenta), la obsesión, la habituación ( al crimen/ abuso sexual/ homicidio), el declive y finalmente la caída de un asesino en serie. Realmente interesante. Explicación que se puede aplicar también a asesinos en masa ( como Columbine, donde los que cometieron la masacre fantaseaban en verse superiores, armados hasta los dientes, y como una especie de ‘Trrminator’ entrar al colegio y acabar con todos y con todo). Difícil entender porqué no puede ser considerado una enfermedad mental, ya que se parece mucho a la addiccion al alcohol y drogas, pero la adiccion al crimen violento no causa daño sólo al perpetrador sino a muchas personas. No quiero decir que no merezcan ser encarcelados y castigados, sino que pueda ser diagnosticado, intentar tratarlo, y más importante aún: prevenirlo.
January 6, 2025
After reading a dozen books on Ted Bundy, seeing all the films and documentaries - I feel that no narrative brought a real composure together on his mindset like Dr. Al Carlisle did.
You find the way Ted portrays himself, the web of lies he intertwines himself into, and walk away with a perspective of paranoid personality disorders that flowed thru Ted's veins. Today, there would be no way a courtroom would allow Ted to be his own lawyer. The evidence of this book should have changed the decision of the judge and I feel it truly showcases the mental instability of Ted Bundy.
This is a fantastic read - but I would *not* recommend it for first-time readers into Ted's story. Read this as a final to your curiosities, and you'll understand what I mean.
4.89 / 5 -- One of the best in the Ted series to ever be written!
You find the way Ted portrays himself, the web of lies he intertwines himself into, and walk away with a perspective of paranoid personality disorders that flowed thru Ted's veins. Today, there would be no way a courtroom would allow Ted to be his own lawyer. The evidence of this book should have changed the decision of the judge and I feel it truly showcases the mental instability of Ted Bundy.
This is a fantastic read - but I would *not* recommend it for first-time readers into Ted's story. Read this as a final to your curiosities, and you'll understand what I mean.
4.89 / 5 -- One of the best in the Ted series to ever be written!
March 13, 2025
This is my first book that I have ever had and that I have finished reading. I brought it I think on November or December last year and I have finished it for only about a week. At first I thought it will be like the other books about bundy but it gives me more insight about him. I think Al did a great job writing this book; it is very easy to read and very informative.
Some of the informations in this book were new to me— perhaps this is where the excitement came from, I think it made me more excited to read the next chapters. The chapters were divided to his early years to adulthood and some certain area in his life, that is why I mentioned earlier that this book was easy to read. He did an amazing job doing an interview on bundy and I really felt that I was the one interviewing him. The participants that know bundy is also included in the interviews which gave us information on how bundy was viewed by different people according to their relationship with him. The test he conducted on bundy was excellent and It really fascinates me on how he did the test, he even explained how the test works which as I say very informative and it helps me know what was going on in that chapter. The appendix IV part is what also drive me to read the book until the end, he point out the role of fantasies etc.. and he even use other killers as a reference so we could have an idea. Overall, it was an amazing book that is really informative and easy to read, It really piqued my interest and I wish I could read this again the first time but I really don’t re-read my books.
I really need some recommendations of book like this one.
Some of the informations in this book were new to me— perhaps this is where the excitement came from, I think it made me more excited to read the next chapters. The chapters were divided to his early years to adulthood and some certain area in his life, that is why I mentioned earlier that this book was easy to read. He did an amazing job doing an interview on bundy and I really felt that I was the one interviewing him. The participants that know bundy is also included in the interviews which gave us information on how bundy was viewed by different people according to their relationship with him. The test he conducted on bundy was excellent and It really fascinates me on how he did the test, he even explained how the test works which as I say very informative and it helps me know what was going on in that chapter. The appendix IV part is what also drive me to read the book until the end, he point out the role of fantasies etc.. and he even use other killers as a reference so we could have an idea. Overall, it was an amazing book that is really informative and easy to read, It really piqued my interest and I wish I could read this again the first time but I really don’t re-read my books.
I really need some recommendations of book like this one.
January 1, 2019
This book is slightly better than Mr. Carlisle’s book, I’m Not Guilty, also about Ted Bundy. This book was interesting because he wrote primarily about the assessment he did on Bundy when he was arrested in the DaRonch case. However, what comes shining through is Mr. Carlisle’s ego. He considers himself special to have assessed Bundy, recurved a telephone call and letters from the serial killer...because Bundy was a famous serial killer? Because he respected Bundy? I think Carlisle was pulled in by Bundy’s charisma and he also jumped on the hype to write a few books and get his 5-minutes if fame. I also question a great deal of what Carlisle conjectures about the results of the psychological tests he conducted. I am not impressed at all with this author.
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December 21, 2024I don’t feel right rating this source due to the nature of its contents, however this was a fascinating insight into the mind of Ted Bundy and those with psychopathic tendencies. You get a greater grasp on the extent of brokenness this individual had, beginning in childhood all the way until his execution. The concept of compartmentalization was intriguing to learn about and using the illustration of actors created a greater understanding of the disturbing mind Bundy had. I do recommend this to those interested in abnormal psychology or those interested in Bundy’s life… I do recommend if going with the later to read other sources alongside because this doesn’t go into much detail of what exactly he did, and the context of that can make this information more jarring to read.
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