NOTICE:  "Santeria,  witchcraft, voodoo, and most religious cults  are  not 

satanism." This article is not for the timid (due to explicit  descriptions 

of  certain  crimes).  Written  by Kenneth  Lanning,  a  high  ranking  FBI 

official,  it investigates allegations linking criminal activity  with  the 

occult,  and brings sanity to the subject. Although it is targeted  at  law 

enforcement  people, it does contain much material of interest  to  others. 

Reprinted  with permission by Cassandra-News a news service of  the  United 

Wiccan  Church  a  501(c)(3) California  non-profit,  tax-exempt  religious 

corporation.  Cassandra-News grants License for  Non-Commercial  electronic 

and  print reproduction and distribution as long as no fee is  charged  for 

these  reproductions other than the cost of reproduction and printing.  The 

name  and  address of the United Wiccan Church, Kenneth  Lanning  and  this 

notice must be preserved on all copies.



                           United Wiccan Church 

                              P. O. Box 16025 

            North Hollywood California, 91615-6025, U.S.A., NA. 

                    (818) 899-3687 (3/12/2400 Baud 8N1)

                              FIDO  1:102/922





* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *



                     SATANIC, OCCULT, RITUALISTIC CRIME:

                       A LAW ENFORCEMENT PERSPECTIVE





                NOTE:  This article was completed after the

                killings in Matamoros, Mexico, became know

                in April, 1989.  There is nothing known to

                the author about this case which changes the

                opinions and recommendations set forth

                in this article.





By:  Kenneth V. Lanning

     Supervisory Special Agent

     Behavioral Science Instruction and Research Unit

     FBI Academy

     Quantico, Virginia 22135

     June 1989



                    (SUBMITTED FOR PUBLICATION)



Introduction

     

     The belief that there is a connection between satanism and 

crime is certainly not new.  In fact, one of the oldest theories 

of crime causation is demonology.  Heightened concern about 

satanic or occult activity has appeared periodically throughout 

history.  Concern in the late 1970s focused primarily on 

"unexplained" deaths and mutilations of animals, and in recent 

years has focused on child sexual abuse and the human sacrifice of 

missing children.  In 1999 it will probably focus on the impending 

"end of the world."

     Today, satanism and a wide variety of other terms are used 

interchangeably in reference to certain crimes.  This discussion 

will analyze the nature of "satanic, occult, ritualistic" crime 

and focus on appropriate LAW ENFORCEMENT responses to it.

     Recently a flood of law enforcement seminars and conferences 

have dealt with the occult.  These training conferences have 

various titles, such as "Occult in Crime," "Satanic Cults," 

"Ritualistic Crime Seminar," "Satanic Influences in Homicide," 

"Occult Crimes, Satanism and Teen Suicide," and "Ritualistic Abuse 

of Children."

     The typical conference runs from one to three days and often 

includes many of the same presenters and instructors.  A wide 

variety of topics are usually discussed during this training 

either as individual presentations by different instructors or 

grouped together by one or more instructors.  Typical topics 

covered include the following:



     1.  Historical overview of satanism, witchcraft, and paganism 

         from ancient to modern times.

     2.  Nature and influence of fantasy role-playing games, such 

         as Dungeons and Dragons.

     3.  Lyrics, symbolism, and influence of rock and roll, Heavy 

         Metal, and Black Metal music.

     4.  Teenage "stoner" gangs, their symbols, and their 

         vandalism.

     5.  Teenage suicide by adolescents dabbling in the occult.

     6.  Crimes committed by self-styled satanic practitioners to 

         include grave and church desecrations and robberies, 

         animal mutilations, and even murders.

     7.  Ritualistic abuse of children as part of bizarre 

         ceremonies and human sacrifices.

     8.  Organized, Traditional, or Multigenerational satanic 

         groups involved in organized conspiracies, such as taking 

         over day care centers, infiltrating police departments, 

         and trafficking in human sacrifice victims.

     9.  The "Big Conspiracy" theory, which implies that satanists 

         are responsible for such things as Adolph Hitler, World 

         War II, abortion, pornography, Watergate, Irangate, and 

         inflitration of the Department of Justice, the Pentagon 

         and the White House.



     During the conference, these nine areas are linked together 

through the liberal use of the word "satanism" and some common 

symbolism (pentagrams, 666, demons, etc.).  The implication often 

is that all are part of one continuum of behavior, one big problem 

or some common conspiracy.  The information presented is a mixture 

of fact, theory, opinion, fantasy, and paranoia, and because some 

of it can be proven or corroborated (desecration of cemeteries, 

vandalism, etc.), the implication is that it is all true and 

documented.  The distinctions between the different areas are 

blurred even if occasionally a presenter tries to make them.  This 

is complicated by the fact that almost any discussion of satanism 

and witchcraft plugs into the religious belief systems of those in 

the audience.  Faith, not logic and reason, controls the 

religious beliefs of most people.  As a result, some normally 

skeptical law enforcement officers accept the information 

disseminated at these conferences without critically evaluating 

it or questioning the sources.  Little said at such conferences 

will change the religious beliefs of the attendees.  Such 

conferences illustrate the ambiguity and wide variety of terms 

involved in this issue.





Definitions



     The words satanic, occult, and ritualistic are often used 

interchangeably.  It is difficult to precisely define Satanism 

(with a capital S), and no attempt will be made to do so here.  

However, it is important to realize how the word satanism (with a 

small s) is used by many people.  Simply put, for some people, 

satanism is any religious belief system other than their own.  The 

Ayatolla Khomeini referred to the United States as the "Great 

Satan."  In the British Parliament, a Protestant leader called the 

Pope the anti-Christ.  In a book titled 'Prepare For War', the 

author, Rebecca Brown, M.D., has a chapter entitled "Is Roman 

Catholicism Witchcraft?"  Dr. Brown also lists among the 

"doorways" to satanic power and/or demon infestation the 

following:  fortune tellers, horoscopes, fraternity oaths, 

vegetarianism, yoga, self-hypnosis, relaxation tapes, acupuncture, 

biofeedback, fantasy role-playing games, adultery, homosexuality, 

pornography, judo, karate, and rock music.  Dr. Brown states that 

the rock music "was a carefully masterminded plan by none other 

than Satan himself."  The ideas expressed in this book may seem 

extreme and even humorous.  This book, however, has been listed as 

serious recommended reading in law enforcement training material 

on this topic.

     In books, lectures, handout material, and conversations, the 

author has heard all of the following referred to as satanism:



Church of Satan       Stoner Gangs       New Age

Ordo Templi Orientis  Heavy Metal Music  Astrology

Temple of Set         Rock Music         Channeling

Demonology            KKK                Trancendental Meditation

Witchcraft            Nazis              Holistic Medicine

Paganism              Scientology        Buddhism

Santeria              Unification Church Hinduism

Voodoo                The Way            Mormonism

Rosicrucians          Hare Krishna       Islam

Freemasonry           Rajneesh           Orthodox Church

Knights Templar       Religious Cults    Roman Catholicism



     At law enforcement training conferences, witchcraft, 

santeria, and paganism are frequently referred to as forms of 

satanism.  It may be a matter of definition, but these three

things are *not* forms of traditional Satanism.  The worship of

lunar goddesses and nature and the practice of fertility rituals

is not satanism.  Santeria is a combination of 17th century Roman 

Catholicism and African paganism.  The occult simply refers to the 

action or influence of supernatural powers or some secret 

knowledge of them, and it is not the same as Satanism nor is it 

necessarily evil.

     Many individuals define satanism from a totally Christian 

perspective, using this word to describe the power of evil in the 

world.  With this definition, any crimes, especially those which 

are particularly bizarre, repulsive, or cruel, can be viewed as 

satanic in nature.  Yet, it is just as difficult to precisely 

define satanism as it is to precisely define Christianity or any 

complex spiritual belief system.





What is Ritualistic Crime?



     The biggest confusion, however, is over the word ritualistic.  

During law enforcement training conferences on this topic, 

ritualistic almost always comes to mean satanic or at least 

spiritual.  Ritual can refer to a prescribed religious ceremony, 

but in its broader meaning refers to any customarily repeated act 

or series of acts.  The need to repeat these acts can be cultural, 

sexual, or psychological as well as spiritual.

     Cultural rituals could include such things as what a family 

eats on Thanksgiving Day or when and how presents are opened at 

Christmas.  The initiation ceremonies of fraternities, sororities, 

gangs, and other social clubs are other examples of cultural 

rituals.

     Since 1972, the author has lectured about sexual ritualism, 

which is nothing more than repeatedly engaging in an act or series 

of acts in a certain manner because of *sexual* need.  In order to 

become aroused and/or gratified, a person must engage in the act 

in a certain way.  This sexual ritualism can include such things 

as the physical characteristics, age, or gender of the victim, the 

sequence of acts, the bringing or taking of specific objects, and 

the use of certain words or phrases.  This is more than the 

concept of M.O. (Method of Operation) known to most police 

officers.  M.O. is something done by an offender because of a 

need.  Deviant acts, such as urinating on, defecating on, or even 

eviscerating a victim, are far more likely to be the result of 

sexual ritualism than religious or "satanic" ritualism.

     From a criminal investigative perspective, two other forms of 

ritualism must be recognized.  The Diagnostic and Statistical 

Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-III-R) defines Obsessive- 

Compulsive Disorder (OCD) as "repetitive, purposeful, and 

intentional behaviors that are performed in response to an 

obsession, or according to certain rules or in a stereotyped 

fashion."  Such compulsive behavior frequently involves rituals.  

Although such behavior usually involves noncriminal activity such 

as excessive hand washing or checking that doors are locked, in 

some cases this compulsive ritualism can be part of criminal 

activity.  Ritual can also stem from psychotic hallucinations and 

delusions.  A crime can be committed in a precise manner because a 

voice told the offender to do it that way or because a divine 

mission required it.

     To make this more confusing, cultural, religious, sexual, and 

psychological ritualism can overlap.  Some psychotic people engage 

in excessive religiosity and hear the voice of God or Satan 

telling them to do things of a religious nature.  Psychopathic 

offenders who feel little, if any, guilt over their crimes may 

need little justification for their antisocial behavior.  As human 

beings, however, they may have fears, concerns and anxiety over 

getting away with their criminal acts.  It is difficult to pray to 

God for success in doing things that are against His Commandments.  

A negative spiritual belief system may fulfill their human need 

for assistance from and belief in a greater power.  Compulsive 

ritualism (e.g. excessive cleanliness or fear of disease) can be 

introduced into sexual behavior.  Even many "normal" people have a 

need for order and predictability and therefore may engage in 

family or work rituals.  Under stress or in times of change, this 

need for order and ritual may increase.

     Ritualistic crime may fulfill the cultural, spiritual, sexual 

and psychological needs of an offender.  The ritual behavior may 

also fulfill basic criminal needs to manipulate victims, get rid 

of rivals, send a message to enemies, and intimidate co- 

conspirators.

     The important point for the criminal investigator is to 

realize that most criminal ritualistic behavior is not motivated 

simply by satanic or religious ceremonies.  At some conferences, 

presenters have attempted to make a big issue of distinguishing 

between "ritual," "ritualized," and "ritualistic" abuse of 

children.  These subtle distinctions, however, seem to be of no 

significant value to the criminal investigator.





What is Ritualistic Abuse of Children?



     It is not an easy question to answer.  Most people today use 

the term to refer to abuse of children that is part of some evil 

spiritual belief system, which almost by definition must be 

satanic.

     Dr. Lawrence Pazder, author of 'Michelle Remembers', defines 

ritualized abuse of children as "repeated physical, emotional, 

mental, and spiritual assaults combined with a systematic use of 

symbols and secret ceremonies designed to turn a child against 

itself, family, society, and God."  He also states that "the 

sexual assault has ritualistic meaning and is not for sexual 

gratification."

     This definition may have value for academics, sociologists, 

and therapists, but it creates potential problems for law 

enforcement.  Certain acts engaged in with children (kissing, 

touching, appearing naked, etc.) may be criminal if performed for 

sexual gratification.  If the ritualistic acts were in fact 

performed for spiritual indoctrination, potential prosecution can 

be jeopardized.  The mutilation of a baby's genitals for sadistic 

sexual pleasure is a crime.  The circumcision of a baby's genitals 

for religious reasons is most likely NOT a crime.  The intent of 

the acts is important for criminal prosecution.

     The author has been unable to precisely define ritualistic 

abuse and prefers not to use the term.  It is confusing, 

misleading, and counterproductive.  Certain observations, however, 

are important for investigative understanding.

     Not all spiritually motivated ritualistic activity is 

satanic.  Santeria, witchcraft, voodoo, and most religious cults 

are not satanism.  In fact, most spiritually or religiously-based 

abuse of children has nothing to do with satanism.  Most child 

abuse that could be termed ritualistic by various definitions is 

probably physical and psychological rather than sexual in nature.

     Not all such ritualistic activity with a child is a crime.  

Almost all parents with religious beliefs indoctrinate their 

children into that belief system.  Is circumcision for religious 

reasons child abuse?  Does having a child kneel on a hard floor 

reciting the rosary constitute child abuse?  Does having a child 

chant a satanic prayer or attend a black mass constitute child 

abuse?  Does a religious belief in corporal punishment constitute 

child abuse?  Does group care of children in a commune or cult 

constitute child abuse?   Does the fact that any acts in question

were performed with parental permission affect the nature of the 

crime?  Many ritualistic acts, whether satanic or not, are simply 

not crimes.

     When a victim describes and investigation corroborates what 

sounds like ritualistic activity, several possibilities must be 

considered.  The ritualistic activity may be part of the excessive 

religiosity of a mentally ill, psychotic offender.  It may be a 

misunderstood part of sexual ritualism.  The ritualistic activity 

may be incidental to any real abuse.  The offender may be involved 

in ritualistic activity with a child and also may be abusing a 

child, but one may have little or nothing to do with the other.

     The offender may be deliberately engaging in ritualistic 

activity with a child as part of child abuse.  The motivation, 

however, may be not to indoctrinate the child into a belief 

system, but to lower the inhibitions of, to control and 

manipulate, and/or to confuse the child.  In all the turmoil over 

this issue, it would be a very effective strategy for any child 

molester to deliberately introduce ritualistic elements into his 

crime to confuse the child and therefore the criminal justice 

system.

     The ritualistic activity and the child abuse may be integral 

parts of some spiritual belief system.  In that case, the greatest 

risk is to the children of the practitioners.  But this is true of 

all cults, not just satanic cults.  A high potential of abuse 

exists for any children raised in a group isolated from the 

mainstream of society, especially if the group has a charismatic 

leader whose orders are unquestioned and blindly obeyed by the 

members.  Sex, money, and power are most often the main 

motivations of the leaders of such cults.





What Makes a Crime Satanic, Occult, or Ritualistic?



     Some would answer that it is the spiritual beliefs of, or 

the membership in, a cult or "church" by the perpetrator.  If that 

is the criteria, why not label the crimes committed by 

Protestants, Catholics, and Jews in the same way?  Are the 

atrocities of Jim Jones, in Guyana, Christian crimes?

     Some would answer that it is the presence of certain symbols 

in the possession or home of the perpetrator.  What does it mean 

then to find a crucifix, Bible, rosary, etc., in the home or 

possession of a bank robber, embezzler, child molester, or 

murderer?  If different criminals possess the same symbols, are 

they necessarily part of one big conspiracy?

     Others would answer that it is the presence of certain 

symbols such as pentagrams, inverted crosses, and 666 at the crime 

scene.  What does it mean then to find a cross spray painted on a 

wall or carved into the body of a victim?   What does it mean for 

a perpetrator to leave a Bible tied to his murder victim?  What 

about the possibility that an offender deliberately left such 

symbols to make it look like a "satanic" crime?

     Some would argue that it is the bizarrenenss or cruelness of 

the crime: body mutilation, amputation, drinking of blood, eating 

of flesh, use of urine or feces.  Does this mean that all 

individuals involved in lust murder, sadism, anthropophagy, 

urophilia, and coprophilia are satanists or occult practitioners?  

What does this say about the bizarre crimes of psychotic killers 

such as Ed Gein or Richard Trenton Case, both of whom mutilated 

their victims as part of their psychotic delusions?

     A few might even answer that it is the fact that the crime 

was committed on a date with satanic or occult significance 

(Halloween, May Eve, etc.) or the fact that the perpetrator claims 

that Satan told him to commit the crime.  What does this mean for 

crimes committed on Thanksgiving or Christmas?  What does this say 

about crimes committed by perpetrators who claim that God or Jesus 

told them to do it?  One note of interest is the fact that in 

handout and reference material collected by the author, the number 

of dates with satanic or occult significance ranges from 8 to 110.  

This is compounded by the fact that it is sometimes stated that 

satanists can celebrate these holidays on several days on either 

side of the official date or that the birthday of a practitioner 

can be a holiday.  The exact names and exact dates of the 

holidays and the meaning of symbols listed may also vary depending 

on who prepared the material.  The handout material is often 

distributed without indentifying the author or documenting the 

original source of the information.  It is then frequently 

photocopied by attendees and passed on to other police officers 

with no one really knowing who says it is valid or from where it 

came.

     Most, however, would probably answer that what makes a crime 

satanic, occult, or ritualistic is the motivation for the crime.  

It is a crime that is spiritually motivated by a religious belief 

system.  How then do we label the following true crimes?



     a.  Parents defy a court order and send their children to an 

         unlicensed Christian school.

     b.  Parents refuse to send their children to any school 

         because they are waiting for the second coming of Christ.

     c.  Parents beat their child to death because he or she won't 

         follow their Christian beliefs.

     d.  Parents violate child labor laws because they believe the 

         Bible requires such work.

     e.  Individuals bomb an abortion clinic or kidnap the doctor 

         because their religious belief system says abortion is 

         murder.

     f.  A child molester reads the Bible to his victims in order 

         to justify his sex acts with them.

     g.  Parents refuse life-saving medical treatment for a child 

         because of their religious beliefs.

     h.  Parents starve and beat their child to death because 

         their minister said the child was possessed by demonic 

         spirits.



     Some people would argue that the Christians who committed the 

above crimes misunderstood and distorted their religion while 

satanists who commit crimes are following theirs.  But who decides 

who is misinterpreting a religious belief system?  The individuals 

who committed the above-described crimes believed that they were 

following their religion as they understood it.  Religion was and 

is used to justify such things as the Crusades, the Inquisition, 

Apartheid, segregation, violence in Northern Ireland, India, and 

Lebanon.

     Who decides exactly what "satanists" believe?  In this 

country, we can't agree on what Christians believe.  At many law

enforcement conferences 'The Satanic Bible' is used for this, and 

it is often contrasted or compared with the Christian Bible.  'The 

Satanic Bible' is, in essence, a 150-page paperback book written 

by one man in 1969.  To compare it to a book written by over 30 

authors over a period of thousands of years is ridiculous, even 

ignoring the possibility of Divine revelation in the Christian 

Bible.  What satanists believe certainly isn't limited to other 

peoples' interpretation of a few books.  More importantly, it is 

subject to some degree of interpretation by individual believers 

just as Christianity is.

     The fact is that far more crime and child abuse has been 

committed in the name of God, Jesus, and Mohammed than has ever 

been committed in the name of Satan.  Most people don't like that 

statement, but few can argue with it.

     Although defining a crime as satanic, occult, or ritualistic 

would probably involve a combination of the criteria set forth 

above, the author has been unable to clearly define such a crime.  

Each potential definition presents a different set of problems 

when measured against an objective, rational, and constitutional 

perspective.  Each offender in a group may have a different 

motivation for the crime.  The author has discovered that the 

*facts* of so called "satanic crimes" are often significantly 

different from what is described at law enforcement training 

conferences or in the media.  The actual involvement of satanism 

or the occult in these cases usually turns out to be secondary, 

insignificant, or nonexistent.





The Law Enforcement Perspective



     The perspective with which one looks at satanic, occult,

or ritualistic crime is extremely important.  Sociologists, 

therapists, religious leaders, parents, and just plain citizens 

each have their own valid concerns and views about this issue.  

This discussion, however, will deal ONLY with the law enforcement 

perspective.

     The law enforcement perspective must focus on crime and 

clearly recognize that just because an activity is "satanic" does 

not necessarily mean it is a crime or that it is not a legitimate 

religious practice protected by the First Amendment.  Within the 

personal religious belief system of a law enforcement officer, 

Christianity may be good and satanism evil.  Under the 

Constitution, however, both are neutral.

     This is an important, but difficult, concept for many law 

enforcement officers to accept.  They are paid to uphold the 

Constitution and enforce the penal code, not the Ten Commandments.  

The apparent increasing numbers of teenagers and some adults 

dabbling in satanism and the occult may be cause for concern for 

parents, school officials, and society.  What, however, law 

enforcement can or should do about it is another matter.  Police 

interference with free exercise of constitutional rights 

potentially creates major problems and conflicts.

     What is the justification for law enforcement officers giving 

presentations on satanism and the occult to citizen groups, PTA's 

or school assemblies?  Is it public relations, a safety program, 

crime prevention?  If it is crime prevention, how much crime can 

be linked to satanic or occult activity?  The author is not 

suggesting that such presentations should never be done but only 

that law enforcement agencies should carefully consider the legal 

implications and the justification.  Is the fact that satanism or 

the occult is or can be a negative influence on some people enough 

justification for such law enforcement intervention?

     When you combine an emotional issue such as the sexual abuse 

of children with an even more emotional issue such as people's 

religious beliefs, it is difficult to maintain objectivity and 

remember the law enforcement perspective.  Some police officers 

may even feel that all crime is caused by evil, all evil is caused 

by Satan, and therefore, all crime is satanic crime.  This may be 

a valid religious perspective, but it is of no value in the 

investigation of crime.

     Many of the police officers who lecture on satanic or occult 

crime do not even investigate such cases.  Their presentations are 

more a reflection of their personal religious beliefs than 

documented investigative information.  In the United States, they  

are entitled to this personal perspective, but introducing 

themselves as police officers and then speaking as religious 

advocates causes confusion.  As difficult as it might be, police 

officers must separate the religious and law enforcement 

perspectives when they are lecturing or investigating in their 

official capacities as law enforcement officers.  Many law 

enforcement officers begin their presentations by stating that 

they are not addressing or judging anyone's religious beliefs, and 

then proceed to do exactly that.

     Some police officers have resigned rather than curtail or 

limit their involvement in this issue as ordered by their 

departments.  Maybe such officers deserve credit for recognizing 

that they could no longer keep the perspectives separate.

     Law enforcement officers who believe that the investigation 

of satanic/occult crime puts them in conflict with supernatural 

forces of evil should probably not be assigned to these cases.  

If, however, such officers must be or are assigned, they will need 

the power of their own spiritual belief system in order to deal 

with the superstition and religious implications of these cases.  

The religious beliefs of officers should provide spiritual 

strength and support for them, but not affect the objectivity and 

professionalism of the investigation.

     The law enforcement perspective requires avoiding the 

paranoia that has crept into this issue and into some of the law 

enforcement training conferences.  Paranoia is characterized by 

the gradual development of an intricate, complex, and elaborate 

system of thinking based on and often proceeding logically from 

misinterpretation of an actual event.  It typically involves 

hypervigilance over the perceived threat, the belief that danger 

is around every corner, and the willingness to take up the 

challenge and do something about it.  Another very important 

aspect of this paranoia is the belief that those who do not

recognize the threat are evil and corrupt.  In this extreme view, 

you are either with them or against them.  You are either part of 

the solution or part of the problem.

     Concern over satanic crime and ritualistic abuse of children 

is a very polarizing issue.  After one presentation on this topic, 

a student wrote in a critique that the author was obviously an 

"agnostic cultist."  The term "clean" is sometimes used to refer 

to law enforcement officers who have not been infiltrated by the 

satanists.  Does the fact that some police officers or military 

personnel practice satanism or paganism mean that law enforcement 

and the military have been infiltrated?  The word "infiltrated" 

is only used when talking about an unpopular spiritual belief 

system.  Protestants, Catholics, and Jews don't "infiltrate" the 

police and military.

     Overzealousness and exaggeration motivated by the religious 

fervor of those involved in law enforcement training is more 

acceptable than that motivated by ego and profit.  Some people are 

deliberately distorting and hyping this issue for personal 

notoriety and profit.  Satanic and occult crime has become a 

growth industry.  Speaking fees, books, video and audio tapes, 

prevention material, television and radio appearances all bring 

ego and financial rewards.

     Law enforcement officers must be objective fact finders.  It 

is not their job to *believe* the children.  It is their job to 

*listen* to the children.  The law enforcement perspective can't 

ignore the lack of physical evidence (no bodies or even hairs, 

fibers, or fluids left by violent murders); the difficulty in 

successfully committing a large-scale conspiracy crime (the more 

people involved in any crime conspiracy, the harder it is to get 

away with it); and human nature (intragroup conflicts resulting in 

individual self-serving disclosures are bound to occur in any 

group involved in organized kidnapping, baby breeding and human 

sacrifice).  When and if members of a destructive cult commit 

murders, they are bound to make mistakes, leave evidence, and 

eventually make admissions in order to brag about their crimes or 

to reduce their legal liability.

     Bizarre crime and evil can occur without organized satanic 

activity.  The law enforcement perspective requires that we 

distinguish between what we know and what we're not sure of.



     The facts are:

     a.  Some individuals believe in and are involved in satanism 

         and the occult.

     b.  Some of these individuals commit crime.

     c.  Some groups of individuals share this belief and

         involvement in satanism and the occult.

     d.  Some of these groups commit crime together.



     The unanswered questions are:

     a.  What is the connection between the belief system and the 

         crimes committed?

     b.  Is there some organized conspiracy of satanic and occult

         believers responsible for inter-related serious crime

         (e.g., molestation, murder)?



     After all the hype and hysteria is put aside, the realization 

sets in that most satanic/occult activity involves the commission 

of NO crimes, and that which does, usually involves the commission 

of relatively minor crimes such as trespassing, vandalism, cruelty 

to animals, or petty thievery.  The law enforcement problems most 

often linked to satanic or occult activity are:



     1.  Vandalism

     2.  Desecration of churches and cemeteries

     3.  Thefts from churches and cemeteries

     4.  Teenage gangs

     5.  Animal mutilations

     6.  Teenage suicide

     7.  Child abuse

     8.  Kidnapping

     9.  Murder and human sacrifice



     Valid evidence shows some "connection" between satanism and 

the occult and the first six problems set forth above.  The 

"connection" to the last three problems is far more uncertain.

     Even in those areas where there seems to be a "connection," 

the nature of the connection needs to be explored.  The author's 

experience indicates that involvement in satanism and the occult 

is a justification for crime, not a motivation for crime.  A 

teenager's excessive involvement in satanism and the occult is 

usually a symptom of a problem and not the cause of a problem.  

Blaming satanism for a teenager's vandalism, theft, suicide, or 

even act of murder is oversimplifying a complex problem.

     The law enforcement investigator must objectively evaluate 

the legal significance of any criminal's spiritual belief system.  

In most cases, including those involving satanists, it will have 

little or no legal significance.  If a crime is committed as part 

of a spiritual belief system, it should make no difference which 

belief system it is.  The crime is the same whether a child is 

abused or murdered as part of a Christian, Hare Krishna, Moslem, 

or any other belief system.  We generally don't label crimes with 

the name of the perpetrator's religion.  Why then are the crimes 

of child molesters, rapists, sadists, and murderers who happen to 

be involved in satanism and the occult labeled as satanic or 

occult crimes?  If criminals use a spiritual belief system to 

rationalize and justify or to facilitate and enhance their 

criminal activity, should the focus of law enforcement be on the 

belief system or on the criminal activity?

     Several documented murders have been committed by individuals 

involved in one way or another in satanism or in the occult.  In 

some of these murders, the perpetrator has even introduced 

elements of the occult (e.g., satanic symbols at crime scene).  

Does that automatically make these satanic murders?  It is the 

author's opinion that the answer is no.  Ritualistic murders 

committed by serial killers or sexual sadists are not necessarily 

satanic or occult murders.  Ritualistic murders committed by 

psychotic killers who hear the voice of satan are no more satanic 

murders than murders committed by psychotic killers who hear the 

voice of Jesus are Christian murders.

     Rather, a satanic murder can be defined as one committed by 

two or more individuals who rationally plan the crime and whose 

PRIMARY motivation is to fulfill a prescribed satanic ritual 

calling for the murder.  By this definition, the author has been 

unable to identify even one documented satanic murder in the 

United States.  Although such murders may have and can occur, they 

appear to be few in number.  In addition, the commission of such 

killings would probably be the beginning of the end for such a 

group.  It is highly unlikely that they could continue to kill 

several people, every year, year after year, and not be 

discovered.

     A brief typology of satanic and occult practitioners is 

helpful in evaluating criminal activity.  The following typology 

is adapted from the investigative experience of Officer Sandi 

Gallant of the San Francisco Police Department, who began to study 

the criminal aspects of occult activity long before it became 

popular.  No typology is perfect, but the author uses this 

typology because it is simple and offers investigative insights.  

The typology divides satanic practitioners into three categories.  

Practitioners in any of these three categories can participate in 

satanic/occult activity alone or in groups.



     1.  Youth Subculture -- Most teenagers involved in fantasy 

         role-playing games, heavy metal music, or satanism and 

         the occult are going through a stage of adolescent 

         development and commit no significant crimes.  The 

         teenagers who have more serious problems are usually 

         those from dysfunctional families or those who have poor

         communication within their families.  These troubled 

         teenagers turn to satanism and the occult to overcome a 

         sense of alienation, to obtain power and/or to justify 

         their antisocial behavior.  For these teenagers, it is 

         the symbolism, not the spirituality, that is important.

         It is either the psychopathic or the oddball, loner

         teenager who is the most likely to get into serious

         trouble.  Extreme involvement in the occult is a

         symptom of a problem, not the cause.  This is not to

         say, however, that satanism and the occult isn't a

         strong negative catalyst for a troubled teenager.

         Probably the worst thing, however, that society

         could do about this problem is to hysterically warn

         teenagers to avoid this "mysterious, powerful and

         dangerous" thing called satanism.  This approach

         will drive many teenagers right to it.  Some

         rebellious teenagers will do whatever will most

         shock and outrage society in order to flaunt their

         rejection of society.



     2.  Dabblers (Self-styled) - For these practitioners,

         there is little or no spiritual motivation.  They

         mix satanism, witchcraft and paganism.  Symbols mean

         whatever they want them to mean.  Molesters,

         rapists, drug dealers and murders may dabble in

         the occult and may commit their crimes in a

         ceremonial or ritualistic way.  This category has

         the potential to be the most dangerous, and most of

         the "satanic" killers fall into this category.

         Again, this extreme involvement in satanism and the

         occult is a symptom of a problem and a rationalization 

         and justification of antisocial behavior.  Satanic/occult 

         practices (as well as those of other spiritual belief 

         systems) can be used as a mechanism to facilitate

         criminal objectives.



     3. Traditional (Orthodox, Multigenerational) - These are

        the true believers.  They are usually very careful of

        outsiders.  Because of constitutional issues, such

        groups are difficult for law enforcement to penetrate.

        Although there is much we don't know about these groups,

        as of now there is little or no hard evidence that they

        are involved in serious, organized criminal activity.

        In addition, instead of being self-perpetuating master

        crime conspirators, true believers probably have a

        similar problem with their teenagers rebelling against

        their belief system.



     Many police officers ask what to look for during the search 

of the scene of suspected satanic activity.  The answer is simple: 

look for evidence of a crime.  A pentagram is no more criminally 

significant than a crucifix unless it corroborates a crime or a 

criminal conspiracy.  If a victim's description of the location or 

the instruments of the crime includes a pentagram, then the 

pentagram would be evidence.  But the same would be true if the 

description included a crucifix.  In spite of what is sometimes 

said or suggested at law enforcement training conferences, police 

have no authority to seize any satanic or occult paraphernalia

they might see during a search.  A legally valid reason must exist 

for doing so.  It is not the job of law enforcement to prevent 

satanists from engaging in noncriminal beliefs or rituals.





Conclusions



     There must be a middle ground in this issue.  Concern about 

satanic or occult activity should not be a big joke limited to 

religious fanatics.  On the other hand, law enforcement is not now 

locked in a life-and-death struggle against the supernatural 

forces of ancient evil.  Law enforcement officers need to know 

something about satanism and the occult in order to properly 

evaluate their possible connections to the motivations for 

criminal activity.  They must know when and how beliefs, symbols, 

and paraphernalia can be used to corroborate criminal activity.  

From a community relations perspective, they must also learn to 

respect spiritual beliefs that may be different or unpopular but 

that are not illegal.  The focus must be on the objective 

investigation of violations of criminal statutes.

     Until hard evidence is obtained and corroborated, the 

American people should not be frightened into believing that 

babies are being bred and eaten, that 50,000 missing children are 

being murdered in human sacrifices, or that satanists are taking 

over America's day care centers.  No one can prove with absolute 

certainty that such activity has NOT occurred.  The burden of 

proof, however, as it would be in a criminal prosecution, is on 

those who claim that it has occurred.  As law enforcement agencies 

evaluate and decide what they can or should do about satanic and 

occult activity in their communities, they might want to also 

consider how to deal with the hype and hysteria of the "anti- 

satanists."  The overreaction to the problem can clearly be worse 

than the problem.

     In general, the law enforcement perspective can best be 

maintained by investigators repeatedly asking themselves what they 

would do if the acts in question were part of Protestant, Catholic 

or Jewish activity.  If a law enforcement agency wants to evaluate 

the group spiritual framework within which a crime is committed, 

it is more appropriate, accurate, and objective to refer to such 

crimes as cult crimes rather than as satanic, occult, or 

ritualistic crimes.  The "Sects, Cults and Deviant Movements" 

seminar put on by The Institute of Police Technology and 

Management at the University of North Florida in Jacksonville, 

Florida, is a good example of this more objective, broad-based 

approach.  Satanic cults have no more law enforcement significance 

than many other potentially destructive cults that exist in this 

country.