Deprogramming is currently out of style, but it or something much like it is badly needed. I have a suggestion which I would appreciate people commenting on or criticizing on how the laws might be changed so that it could be done legally.

There is recognition in the law for the kind of mind manipulation you see in high pressure sales, typically the "three day cooling off period" during which a person can cancel a contract they signed under high pressure sales tactics (regging in Scientology). So the law does recognize and tries to compensate for people's vulnerability to this kind of social pressure or mind manipulation.

(I once took advantage of this myself. It was the only way short of violence or threat of violence to get rid of the pushiest salesman I have ever experienced.)

We don't want a law which causes abuse either direction. My suggestion is that people who are concerned about a friend or family member in a cult situation be permitted to post a cash bond and, using the police, take the person into temporary custody. Perhaps they should be limited to using a licensed deprogramming agency. If it is later determined that the action was unjustified, the person taken into custody gets the bond money, if not, the bond is returned. I might suggest $5k for the bond unless the person was earning more in which case it might be a month's wages or if $5k was too much of a burden on the people asking for the temporary custody. I think the person(s) who get such an order should be limited to people who are family or friends of the person being taken into custody.

I need some feedback from those who know about deprogramming. How long does it typically take? Is a week enough? What percentage of those taken to deprogrammers snap out? And, I presume the success rate depends on how long the person has been in the cult. Any numbers here?

Back in the deprogramming days did anyone try going to a judge first?

Presumably a judge would make the determination afterwards if it was justified, based on a report from a panel of psychs. Of course, if the person snapped out, there would be no question.

BTW, it might work to go before a judge offering a cash bond in exchange for an order to take someone into temporary custody even before a law like this was passed. In most states there are provisions to do similar things with friends or family members who are temporarily mentally incapacitated.

Because drugs/alcohol and cults exploit a common brain pathway, the same law might apply to friends and family who are concerned about someone's alcohol intake or crack habit and want them treated. If this part was added, the law should disallow any criminal sanctions to encourage treatment. I think this is already the case if you turn yourself in for treatment.

Comments would be appreciated.

Keith Henson

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