The New York State Violent Crime Analysis Program (NYS VICAP) is administered by the New York State Police, Bureau of Criminal Investigation, Forensic Investigation Support Services Section.

NYS VICAP is a computer-assisted program that operates in conjunction with the Federal Violent Criminal Apprehension Program (VICAP) administered by the Federal Bureau of Investigation.

NYS VICAP and VICAP have been developed as investigative aids for all law enforcement agencies. They link similar patterns of crime from among all reported cases in the government's database. This is accomplished by analyzing all relevant details of crime including: victimology, modus operandi, offender information or suspect description, physical or forensic evidence and suspect behavior exhibited before, during or after the crime.

When apparent similarities or patterns are determined to exist between cases, the submitting agencies can be notified and the case investigators put in contact with each other.

The NYS VICAP system is designed to collect, collate and analyze information regarding the following types of violent crimes that might be serial in nature:

• Homicides: all homicides and attempts, solved or unsolved.

• Missing Persons: where the circumstances indicate a strong possibility of foul play and the victim is still missing.

• Unidentified: where the manner of death is known or suspected to be a homicide.

• Sexual Assaults: all sexually related assaults, attempted abductions and "nuisance" offenses where the offender has any potential for being responsible for past or future crimes.