Criminal profiling is the process of identifying the Criminal profiling is the process of identifying the gross psychological characteristics of offenders based on an analysis of the crimes they have committed. This process produces a profile to aid law enforcement officials investigating the crime from which profile data were derived. A 1981 study of the cost effectiveness of this technique found that 594 agent-days were saved in 192 cases. Concurrent with the efforts in criminal profiling, the FBI Training Division started its criminal personality research project in 1978, focusing on incarcerated offenders. The research project is focusing on perpetrators of serial sexual homicides, using an interdisciplinary approach. In 1984 the FBI established NCAVC, a behavioral science and data processing resource center which consolidates research, training, and investigative support functions to aid law enforcement agencies confronted with unusual or repetitive violent crime. NCAVC conducts research and development; training; criminal personality profiling; and the Violent Criminal Apprehension Program, a computerized system for analyzing reports of violent crimes.