JJ Jareau

Biographical Information

Full Name

Jennifer "JJ" Jareau

Species

Pronghorn

Gender

Female

Status

Alive

Professional Information

Occupation

BAU Member, ZSI-BAU

Affiliation

ZSI

Series Information

First Appearance

S01E17 "Quietus"

Last Appearance

S05E21 "Final Position"

Episode Count

5 (S01E17-18, S02E11, S05E14, S05E21)

Contents

JJ Jareau is a pronghorn and a member of the ZSI-BAU (Behavioral Analysis Unit). She works with Judy in the records room pulling therapist files, identifies the Quiet Harbor Foundation, and provides a counter-script for Pawbert about death being framed as brave.

"Your job is to stay present and keep the connection open." -- JJ Jareau

Background

JJ Jareau is a field agent and communications specialist within the ZSI-BAU. Her role combines investigative work with interpersonal skill—she is the team member most often tasked with managing victims, witnesses, and sensitive communications during crisis situations. Her ability to remain calm, present, and emotionally accessible under pressure makes her an invaluable asset during the Mawl crisis.

Personality

JJ is steady, compassionate, and operationally focused. She brings warmth to high-pressure situations without losing professional discipline. Her empathy is strategic—she understands that emotional connection is not a weakness in crisis work but a tool that saves lives. She communicates clearly and directly, offering guidance that is both emotionally supportive and tactically precise.

History

Season 1: Quietus (S01E17)

JJ works alongside Judy in the records room, pulling therapist files as part of the investigation into Mawl's network. Their combined work identifies the Quiet Harbor Foundation, a critical piece of the puzzle that connects Mawl's operation to a larger financial infrastructure.

JJ also provides a counter-script for Pawbert to use during the phone call with Mawl. Her expertise in crisis communication shapes the approach: she identifies Mawl's method of framing death as brave and constructs a counter-narrative that reframes survival as the courageous choice. Her instruction—"Your job is to stay present and keep the connection open"—gives Pawbert a clear, actionable objective during one of the most psychologically intense moments of the series.

Season 2: The Cartographer (S02E11)

JJ returns with the BAU to investigate the Cartographer serial killer (Orin Draftwell), a former Lynxley contractor targeting mammals who escaped accountability. JJ provides support during the investigation and is present when Garcia discovers the Soren Natz file confirming Pawbert's first love is alive.

Key Relationships

Judy Hopps

JJ and Judy work together in the records room, their complementary investigative skills uncovering the Quiet Harbor Foundation. Their dynamic is professional and efficient—two mammals who recognize each other's competence and waste no time on posturing.

Pawbert Pawthorne

JJ's counter-script preparation for Pawbert is one of the BAU's most direct contributions to the crisis. She provides Pawbert with the psychological tools to resist Mawl's manipulation—not through strength or defiance, but through presence and connection.

Tara Lewis

JJ and Tara coordinate on the counter-script strategy, with JJ handling the communication framework and Tara providing the clinical psychological insight.

Key Quotes

"Your job is to stay present and keep the connection open."

Trivia

JJ is a pronghorn, making her one of the prey-species members of the BAU.
Her counter-script work demonstrates how the BAU applies behavioral analysis to protect victims, not just profile criminals.