NCJ Number
206562
Journal
Law Enforcement Technology Volume: 31 Issue: 7 Dated: July 2004 Pages: 52,54,56,59
Date Published
July 2004
Length
5 pages
Annotation
This article discusses the use of psychics in police investigations.
Abstract
The article begins by describing a missing persons case in which the relatives asked the police investigator to meet with a psychic after the case had gone cold for police. After the meeting with the psychic, which was approved in advance by the chief, detectives eventually found their missing person where the psychic said he would be. The author describes how the psychic, Annette Martin, works. Martin, along with her partner, a retired homicide detective, recently opened a psychic consult business after years of providing free psychic assistance quietly to police investigators. Martin claims that about 85 percent of cases come from the family members, although Martin will only work with police and will only provide psychic input to police since the perpetrator could be a member of the victims’ family. Reliable psychics are not always easy to find, however. Police investigators are cautioned to check references and be aware that some psychics may be fraudulent or may be in business for the wrong reasons, such as fame. Many police agencies refuse to work with psychics at all and reprimand any officer who follows leads provided by psychics. Agencies that do work with psychics are cautioned to turn to psychics only after the investigative lead has gone cold. Investigators should also never replace their own theories of the crime with those of psychic unless they are verified by the evidence of the case. Thus, while psychics may be helpful in solving cold cases, investigators should still rely on their investigative training in deciding which leads to follow.