NCJ Number
164396
Date Published
1996
Length
21 pages
Annotation
Occult-related violence in the United States and the law enforcement response are explored, along with various belief systems that often motivate occult involvement.
Abstract
Most if not all occult and paganistic religious practices are protected by the first amendment. In many cases, Satanism is used to cover a variety of illicit teenage activities. Even juveniles who claim to be Satanists often lack a committed belief system that is required to be a true believer. These juveniles call themselves Satanists in order to fabricate a deviant perspective, justify their decision to rebel against society, and receive recognition. It is apparent that the more Satanism is defined as a significant youth problem, the more curious troubled teenagers will investigate. Satanic activities frequently give teenagers who feel powerless a temporary sense of efficacy, and a major theme behind Satanism is the quest for power. Feelings of empowerment, derived from Satanic involvement, can compensate for much of the power lacking in young people's lives. Some juveniles become involved in Satanic activities for excitement and entertainment, while others become involved through criminal activities. Future efforts should concentrate on strategies to fight juvenile delinquency and not pseudo-Satanic involvement. The focus should be on root causes of juvenile delinquency, poor social conditions, and dysfunctional families. Several perspectives on occult, ritualistic, and Satanic violence are offered, including Christian, community, media, parental, and adolescent views. Techniques used by cults and types of Satanic literature are described, the criminal investigation of cult violence and the criminal psychopath are examined, and examples of cult and ritualistic violence are cited. 30 references