Adolescent satanist: A sensible law enforcement approach

A considerable amount of attention has been given by the media to the perceived increase in the amount of juvenile Satanic involvement. However, there is very little evidence of a national epidemic of this type of criminal activity. This article discusses the types of actual adolescent involvement seen in the United States as well as the various points of view on this topic. It is hoped that this information will assist law enforcement in their understanding of this phenomenon and better prepare them to handle it. Dr. Gordon A. Crews is a member of the Criminal Justice faculty in the Social & Behavioral Sciences Department of Midlands Technical College in Colombia, South Carolina, where he teaches courses in police administration, corrections, criminology and ethics. He earned a Ph.D. in Elementary Education, a Graduate Certificate in Alcohol & Drug Studies and a Bachelor of Science and Masters degrees in Criminal Justice from the University of South Carolina. His dissertation examined historical perspectives of school disturbance in the United States. Prior to teaching, Dr. Crews worked in law enforcement as a bloodhound officer & trainer, field training officer and criminal investigatior; in corrections as a training and accreditation manager; and in insurance fraud as an investigator. His current research and academic interests include issues surrounding juvenile delinquency, school violence and juvenile arbitration. He has most recently co-authored a textbook entitledFaces of Violence in America, published by Simon & Schuster. Dr. Reid H. Montgomery, Jr., is an Associate Professor in the College of Criminal Justice at the University of South Carolina and co-author of five books. He joined the USC faculty after service as a federal Probation officer with the U.S. District Court in Washington, D.C., under Chief Judge John J. Sirica. Prior to graduate study, he served on active duty with the 3rd Infantry (Old Guard) at Ft. Meyer, Virginia. He has a B.S., M.Ed., and Ph.D. from the University of South Carolina where his dissertation analyzed attitudes leading to prison riots. Named in 1984 as Educator of the Year by the Southern Association of Criminal Justice Educators, Dr. Montgomery has pursued post-doctoral study at George Washington University in Washington, D.C.