100 Themes – Introduction

The bullpen was sure busy that day, people running everywhere. Today was just a paperwork day, it was surprising that everyone seemed so tense. Hotch looked out of the window in his office, that was when he spotted the small figure standing at the glass door looking… well very lost in the midst of the chaos inside the bullpen. He couldn't blame him, even his superiors could feel very lost when the phones were constantly ringing, people yelling across the room about things which seemed very… complicated. Hotch picked up his phone and pressed for Morgan's desk phone.

"Morgan?"

"Yes Hotch?"

"Mind to look after the newbie standing at the glass door, bring him up."

"Oh, the pretty boy standing at the door?"

"Yes Morgan, the pretty boy."

Hotch put the phone back into the receiver and wondered what the newbie would be like. Their team was really short on hands – Himself, Gideon, Morgan and JJ was barely enough to call a team. Good thing they had two new people coming one today the other in two months. There was a knock on the door.

"Come in." Hotch sighed as he put his pen down.

"Hey, Hotch I got you the newbie. He's skinner than JJ." Morgan pulled the brown haired kid in. "He looks like he's seventeen for God's sake."

"That, was not necessary Morgan. You know the rule about no team profiling. Out." Hotch turned his attention to the small figure standing in front of him, if he didn't know better he'd think the kid was still in college. "So… You're Spencer Reid?"

"Yessir." The younger man shifted his weight and tucked the loose strands of hair behind his ears.

"You know the objective of the BAU?"

"Yessir, The mission of the BAU is to provide behavioral based investigative and operational support by applying case experience, research, and training to complex and time-sensitive crimes, typically involving acts or threats of violence. The program areas addressed include Crimes Against Children, Crimes Against Adults, Communicated Threats, Corruption, and Bombing and Arson Investigations. The BAU receives requests for services from Federal, state, local, and international law enforcement agencies. Response to these requests for BAU assistance are facilitated through the network of field NCAVC coordinators. BAU services are provided during on-site case consultations, telephone conference calls, and/or consultations held at the BAU with case investigators.

BAU assistance to law enforcement agencies is provided through the process of "criminal investigative analysis." Criminal investigative analysis is a process of reviewing crimes from both a behavioral and investigative perspective. It involves reviewing and assessing the facts of a criminal act, interpreting offender behavior, and interaction with the victim, as exhibited during the commission of the crime, or as displayed in the crime scene. BAU staff conduct detailed analyses of crimes for the purpose of providing one or more of the following services: crime analysis, investigative suggestions, profiles of unknown offenders, threat analysis, critical incident analysis, interview strategies, major case management, search warrant assistance, prosecutive and trial strategies, and expert testimony."

Hotch looked at the paper in his hand and paused. "That was from the textbook word for word."

"Ah, Yessir." Reid pushed his shorter bangs back behind his ears. "I know the whole textbook sir."

"Hotch will do." He looked up at Reid. "Why do you know the whole textbook?"

"Um… I memorized it."

"Why?" Hotch gave the younger man a pointed look.

"Because I have eidetic memory?" Reid explained carefully.

"Well then, welcome to the team. You can choose your desk, there are two to choose from." Hotch lifted a thick book and handed them to the new member. "You're gonna have to read the protocol first."

-

It was ten minutes later when Reid returned looking for more work to do.