1. “brainwashing,” mind control, cult conversion, and deprogramming
Cult Persuasion
“brainwashing,” mind control, cult conversion, and deprogramming

2. Roots of cultic research
POW camps in the Korean war: emergence of the term “brainwashing”
“When Prophecy Fails: Festinger, Riecken, & Schacter’s 1956 analysis of an end-of-the earth cult
1960’s: popularity of Hare Krishnas and transcendental meditation

3. Modern day cults: a sad, brief chronology
1978: Reverend Jim Jones and 900 followers, including children, commit suicide in Jonestown Guyana by drinking cyanide-laced punch.
1993: At least 80 Branch Davidians, followers of David Coresh, perish in a fire and shoot-out with the BATF at their compound in Waco, Texas.
1994: 67 members of the “Order of the Solar Temple,” cult are found burned to death in the French alps in Switzerland and in Quebec, Canada.
“Rael” and Brigitte Boisselier, Raelian bishop and CEO of Clonaid

4. Modern day cults: a sad, brief chronology
1997: 39 members of the “Heaven’s Gate” cult, led by Marshall Applewhite, commit suicide in California. They die so they can join the Mother Ship following the Hale- Bopp comet.
2000: More than 900 members of a reclusive Christian doomsday cult in Africa were murdered by their leaders. Many burned to death, others were buried in mass graves.

5. Omnipresence of cults and cult activities
Some estimates suggest there are over cults in the U.S. alone (including militia groups, extremist religions, and new age sects)
The new millennium rekindled interest and membership in cults.
Some estimates suggest upwards of 185,000 converts per year
Not all cults are religious or spiritual in nature. Modern cults include large group-awareness trainings, psychotherapy, business, political, and "New Age" groups

6. Problems with defining cults
What is the difference between a “cult” and a “social movement,” or an “extremist group” or a “club.”
Which, if any, of the following are cults?
Unification Church (“moonies”)
Church of Scientology
Amish
the Manson family
Masons or Shriners
Militia groups
Hell’s angels
Suicide bombers
Fraternities
Amway
Trekkers and Trekkies
Boy Scouts of America

7. “brainwashing,” a misnomer
People can’t be “brainwashed.” There is no science of brainwashing that allows people to be programmed, deprogrammed, or reprogrammed like a computer.
A cult convert has to be a willing participant in his/her conversion.
Cults use the same basic techniques of persuasion as other persuaders, but in addition, they rely on many unethical strategies
Strategies; physical isolation, ego-reinforcement, sleep deprivation, deception, etc.
Cults control the physical environment of members as well (that is why cults often live away from the rest of society in a compound, commune, etc.

8. Recruitment techniques: the cult conversion process
How it starts:
Windows of vulnerability: targets are most susceptible during an emotional crisis (divorce, death of loved one, serious illness, etc.)
target’s judgment may be confused, impaired
target is looking for an answer to life’s problems
Befriending the target
Ingratiation strategies (compliments, flattery, especially about sources of insecurity)
Lure of forming a serious or close relationship
Invitation to attend a meeting or retreat
isolation from friends, family
control over environment, Difficult to leave
Deception: withholding the true identify of the group, withholding the purpose of befriending another, etc.

9. Psychological techniques of persuasion
Unconditional positive regard
“love bombing,” group hugs, etc.
Meditation, chanting, and other mind-numbing techniques
Peer group pressure
Pressure to conform, be part of the group
Verbal abuse
Techniques
Confession
Fear, guilt appeals
Sacrifice; personal, financial
Loyalty tests
Demonizing (doubts are the Devil at work)

10. Physical techniques of persuasion
Physical isolation
Sleep deprivation
Fasting
Control of the person’s time (rigorous schedule, no free time)
Loss of privacy
Constant praying or witnessing of beliefs to the group
Repetitive motion (chanting, dancing)
Hallucinations (via hyperventilation, hallucinogens, chanting, etc.)
Body manipulation
Extreme dress codes
Loyalty tests

11. Examples of Destructive Cults
Aum Shinri Kyo
Branch Davidians
The Family (Charles Manson)
Heaven's Gate
The People's Temple (Jim Jones)
Order of the Solar Temple

12. Should the Nazi’s be considered a cult? Why or Why not?

13. Criminal Profiling & Serial Killers

14. What is criminal profiling?
Construction of a psychological, behavioral and demographic profile of the type of person likely to have committed the crime
Usually applied to serial crimes (serial murders, serial rapes…)

15. First documented case New York City 1950’s “Mad Bomber”
Psychiatrist James Brussell constructs a profile:
White male, 40’s - 50’s
Lives with aunt or sister
Hates father, loves mother
Will wear double-breasted suit when apprehended

16. “Father of profiling” John Douglas
25 years with the FBI, Investigative Support Unit
Developed profiling techniques now taught in the FBI’s Behavioral Science Unit
Consulted on Atlanta child murders, Green River killer, Unabomber

17. What to look for Signature
Signature - something done to fulfill or satisfy the offenders emotional state
Not the same as Modus Operandi
Modus Operandi - what is needed to complete the crime

18. What to look for State of the crime scene Age Race Motive
Gives clues about the type of offender
Age
Race
Motive

19. Organized vs. Disorganized
Organized crime scene:
Body is hidden
Weapon is removed from scene
Appears to be well-planned
The victim is specifically targeted
Restraints often used
Aggression takes place before death

20. Organized vs. Disorganized
Body not hidden
Weapon is present
Appears to be spontaneous
Victim may be an acquaintance
Aggression or sex post-mortem

21. What does it all mean? Organized crime scene suggests an offender:
Average or above average IQ
Employed, usually quite skilled
Socially competent
Uses alcohol in commission of crime
Uses car to drive to crime scene/hunt for victim
Obsessed with media coverage of his crimes

22. What does it all mean? Disorganized crime scene suggests an offender:
Below average IQ
Unstable employment record, unskilled
Socially isolated
Lives close to crime scene
Strict discipline as a child
Extremely anxious

23. Criminal Profiling Statistics from FBI (1981) Canada & Profiling
88 cases solved using profiling out of 192
17% of these cases were solved by profiling ALONE
Canada & Profiling
VICLAS (violent crime linkage analysis)
Computer matches crimes with similar characteristics

24. Serial Killers

25. Definition of a Serial Killer
Murder of three or more persons
Involves a distinctive “cooling off” period
Can be days to months to years
Differs from Mass Murder (3+ persons killed together) & Spree Killing (3+ persons killed in short period of time at different locations)

26. Typical serial killer White male Late 20’s to early 30’s
Kills within his own race
Method of murder is “hands on” (strangulation or stabbing)
Victims selected because they share specific characteristics (for example, Ted Bundy chose young women with long hair, parted in the middle)

27. The Lust Murderer: subtype of a serial killer
Sadistic and brutal crime
Committed almost exclusively against women
Two types of offenders:
Organized Nonsocial
Disorganized Asocial

28. Example of lust killers
James Russell Odom & James Clayton Lawson
Met in a mental institution
Talked about their fantasies regarding women: Odom raping and Lawson mutilating
Their crime:
Kidnapped, raped and brutally mutilated a woman

29. Lust Killers Lawson quoted as saying:
I wanted to cut her body so she would not look like a person and destroy her so she would not exist.

30. Profiling a Serial Killer: “The Trailside Killer”
San Francisco Mount Tamalpais August 1979
Edda Kane (44 years) found dead
Facedown, kneeling position
Single gunshot wound to back of head
No evidence of sexual assault
No robbery

31. Trailside Killer March 1980 October 1980 Barbara Schwartz (23 years)
Stabbed in chest
Naked, kneeling position
October 1980
Anne Alderson (26 years)
Shot in head
BUT: not naked, not kneeling

32. Trailside Killer November 1980 Shauna May (25 years)
Found in a shallow grave NEXT TO Diana O’ Connell (22 years) who had been missing for one month
Both shot in head

33. Trailside Killer Same day: two more bodies
Richard Stowers (19 years) and fiancee Cynthia Moreland (18 years)
Determined to have been killed the same weekend as Anne Alderson in mid- October

34. Trailside Killer March 1981 Henry Cowell Redwoods State Park
Ellen Marie Hansen (20) & Steven Haertle
Threatened to rape Ellen, shot & killed her when she protested
Steven was shot but survived
Able to give a description of the man

35. Trailside Killer: Constructing a profile (John Douglas)
Crime scenes in secluded areas only accessible by foot: Killer was comfortable in area, a local
Victims attacked from rear in blitz-style attack: Killer was asocial, not able to charm victims with conversation. Blitz-style attack was the only way he could control victims

36. Trailside Killer: Constructing a profile
Victims ranged in ages and appearance: Killer didn’t know victims. He is acting out a fantasy
Victims were white: Killer is white
Able to evade police: Low to mid 30’s
Probably spent time in jail, possibly attempted rape
Blue-collar work

37. Trailside Killer: Constructing a profile
Very intelligent
Not random act - precipitating stressor
History of bed-wetting, fire-starting and/or cruelty to animals (as a child)
SPEECH IMPEDIMENT
Secluded, didn’t want to be seen
Relied on over-powering victim
Indicates a disability, but unlikely physical because was able to control victim

38. Trailside Killer Caught
David Carpenter
White male, 50 (*profile of age incorrect)
Industrial arts teacher
History of attacking women and served jail time
Domineering and abusive mother
Bed-wetting & cruelty to animals as a child
SEVERE STUTTER