NCJ Number
124984
Journal
Roundtable Magazine Volume: 2 Issue: 2 Dated: (Spring 1990) Pages: 9-10
Date Published
1990
Length
2 pages
Annotation
One of the oldest theories of crime causation is demonology. Satanism is a particular belief system, one as complex and difficult to define as many other spiritual belief systems.
Abstract
In the context of religious practices, occult refers to the action or influence of supernatural powers, some secret knowledge of them, or an interest in paranormal phenomena. The broader meaning of ritual is any customarily related act or series of acts. The need to repeat these acts can be cultural, sexual, psychological, or spiritual. Sexual rituals are performed to satisfy a need. The law enforcement perspective must recognize that a satanic activity is not necessarily a crime. After putting the hype and hysteria aside, it becomes apparent that most satanic/occult activity does not involve the commission of a crime. If a crime does occur, they are generally minor ones such as trespassing, vandalism, cruelty to animals, or petty thievery. It is necessary for law enforcement officers to know something about satanism and the occult so they can properly evaluate the possible connections and motivations for criminal activity. The focus needs to be on the objective investigation of violations of criminal statutes. Overreaction to the problem can be worse than the problem itself.