Juvenile Occult Involvement
Many have concluded that teenage Satanists are those disconnected from loving and caring parents and/or are ostracized from conventional middle-class peers at school They are likely to exerpeince themselves inhabiting a hostile uncaring world in which people’s maliciousness is more real than their love. For them evil is more real than goodness. (Clarkson (1997) p 208)
Writing this section has been difficult for several reasons. The first, finding research materials on the nature of the occult and juvenile involvement in the occult is difficult. What information that does exist on this topic, for the most part has fundamental religious overtones. Membership in occult groups isn’t in and of itself dangerous or bad. The second reason, it isn’t the intention of this research group to type cast (so to speak) kids involved in the occult as loners, or Goths. Many of the juveniles that we’ve met involved in the occult are seriously questioning the nature of religion. There are those few bad apples that use the term occult as an excuse to engage in criminal behavior. Those people (not just juveniles) aren’t true followers of a tradition, and are more criminals than individuals that are spiritually questioning.
The difficulty encountered when attempting to research occult crime, not just juvenile occult crime is the fact that everything is called “Satanic” crime. Satanism isn’t the only occult religion in the world; it’s not the most dangerous occult religion, or the most popular. So much attention is paid to “Satanism” because of its dark and mysterious beliefs. Someone not initiated into a satanic tradition will not have access to the actual beliefs and a practice of the tradition, because of this Satanism has a tendency to be viewed as “evil”, this view may not always be justified. Because the majority of research available on the nature of juvenile occult involvement referrers to Satanism, much of this article will discuss Satanism (a full overview of the nature of Satanism will be covered in another article). Please note, Satanism isn’t an evil, bad or dangerous religion, interested parties are urged to continue research beyond this article to fully understand the nature of the religion. The beginning quote was used as in introduction to this article is being used to spotlight the view held by this research group as well as supported by research, that occult involvement much like Gang involvement is on the rise because juveniles don’t have a stable loving home environment, as such, they turn to gangs or the occult for family love and caring---find that quote from your sociology book.
Author Tony Kail states in his book A Cops Guide to Occult Investigations juveniles involved in the occult “tend to be on the outside of the social circles in their age group. Those young people who are considered nerds or stoners find identity in belief systems that accept anyone. Sometimes knowing that a juvenile has developed an interest in the more negative aspects of the occult can be a sign of trouble” (Kail (2003) p 90)
A 1991 Study Conducted by the Brownwood Texas Youth Commission Reception Center revealed the following results regarding the nature of juvenile Satanism:
1. They were virtually all white
2. They were all from middle class backgrounds
3. They had high intelligence scores on IQ tests
4. They nearly all had used hallucinogenic drugs rather than substances such as cocaine and heroin
5. They all felt they had little power or control over their lives
6. Virtually all of them had participated in satanic ceremonies as part of a group activity. None of them could be classified as social loners(Clarkson (1997) p 203)
Point number six of the study refutes the claims made by Mr. Kail; juvenile “pseudo-Satanists” form groups to worship with. These groups will be loosely defined without and real statement of faith or theology, most of the worshiping done by these groups are rituals individually created by the group from information they had been able to gather from book, movies, and the internet. The group leader may not now much more about the real nature of the occult and other members, he or she will be charismatic and have a bigger “occult” library, making it seem, to other group members at least that he or she knows what they are talking about. But they aren’t as Mr. Kail claims, loners.
My research has revealed the following, everyone wants to feel like they are a part of something bigger than themselves, they want to feel loved, a part of a family and appreciated. Juveniles are no different. Part of the reason that juveniles become involved in the occult is because they don’t feel a spiritual connection with traditional religion, or they may be questioning the truth of those religions. The fact that occult traditions are not as organized and allow for self interpretation of the religion and allows for individual practice makes the traditions appealing to juveniles. Also, juveniles that don’t feel a connection to school or family may look to join a group of likeminded people to feel a part of something. For the most part, juveniles involved in the occult aren’t dangerous or more prone to violence than any other group of people.
Four Steps of Juvenile Satanism:
Again, not all juveniles that are part of an occult religion are Satanists. This section is being included in this article because it’s an overview of the nature of juvenile occult involvement, not because this organization seeks to imply that every Juvenile is a Satanist.
Dr. Ronald Holmes professor of criminal justice at the University of Louisville has devised a four step outline that he believes helps identify the essential steps of teenage Satanism:
1. The youth in the occult is immediately drawn into the world of black magic and the worship of the devil because he is told that great worldly power and temporary glory will be his for the asking
2. The initiate is now exposed to satanic philosophies and becomes one with the demonic belief system
3. Now that the youth has progressed into the world of the satanic he is now accepted into the secret and religious ceremonies of the coven
4. In the final stage of total involvement in Satanism the young person becomes firmly committed to the occult lifestyle(Clarkson (1997) p 200)
According to Dr. Holmes four stages, juvenile occult involvement is progressive, the longer the youth is involved in the lifestyle, the more violent their behavior may become. This is because after prolonged involvement the juvenile is able to learn what they feel are fundamental truths about the nature of occult involvement and what is required of followers. This belief is supported by:
Author Pat Pulling in her book The Devils Web. Law Enforcement now recognizes the fact that adolescent occult involvement is progressive. The child who is obsessed with occult entertainment may be stop there but he often moves onto satanic graffiti and cemetery vandalism. From that point he easily moves into grave robbing for items needed for occult rituals and he is just a step away from bloodletting. Bloodletting begins with animal killing and mutilation and progresses to murder if intervention does not take place (italics mine) (Clarkson(1997) p 199)
Again, it is not the intention of this research group to imply that all or really any occult involvement is dangerous. Many of the juveniles involved in the occult are seriously questioning the faith they have been raised with or are rebelling against adult authority. Those involved in the occult don’t become dangerous or begin to commit crime because of their occult involvement but because they are looking for a way to justify their antisocial and aggressive feelings.
Deviant Identity
The beliefs and values that a person uses to justify their aggressive and criminal behavior is usually learned and strengthened in deviant group subculture criminologists refer to these beliefs and values as a deviant ideology. A deviant ideology functions to neutralize possible feelings of guilt. No particular beliefs are intrinsically deviant Satanic beliefs can be used as a deviant ideology to justify aggressive. Even beliefs about god Christ or the bible can be used as a deviant ideology by some people to justify their aggressive acts (Clarkson (1997) p 202 ) (italics mine)
It isn’t the occult that makes juveniles violent, violent juveniles use the cloak of the occult to justify their already violent feelings, those juveniles that already have violent, antisocial tendencies are drawn toward Satanism and the occult because they feel that they can use the common misconception that the occult is something violent or evil as justification for their actions. Once intervention takes place, juveniles involved in the occult that have become violent can use the excuse of “the devil made me do it” therefore not have to take any responsibility for their actions.
As author Jeffery S. Victor points out in his book Satanic Panic when people justify murder in terms of their personal Christian beliefs we don’t attribute the cause to be the Christian religion. Instead we seek the cause of their aggressive in their particular personality dispositions and group influences, The same should e done about any vicious act of aggression by a teenager who justifies what he or she has don by referring to some self-taught Satanists beliefs. It is misleading to focus too much attention on the excuse of Satanists beliefs (Clarkson(1997) p 202)
It has been well documented that almost all teenagers who profess to be Satanists lack any elaborate belief system focused upon devil worship. Instead they have fabricated a deviant ideology in order to justify their underlying personality dispositions to express aggressive hostility or justify rebellion from adult social restrictions or obtain public notoriety (Clarkson (1997) p 203 ) (italics mine)
This process has been called the development of a deviant identity. This process can begin at a very young age. This process begins when a child begins to see himself as a bad kid. This concept emerges as a result of experiencing constant humiliations insults and rejection at the hands of other. There is abundant research showing that aggressive teenagers experienced more frequent humiliations to their self-esteem during childhood than nondeliquents (Clarkson 205)
Being Evil
Some of these bad kids may begin to believe they are actually “evil”:
In a few children the self-concept of being a bad kid can lead to the child regarding themselves as being evil. This often happens when children have authoritarian punitive parents who use religious threats to humiliate and control them (Clarkson (1997)p 206)
Adolescents who see themselves as being evil create a psychological environment consistent with their self-concept. They see the world as they see themselves a place where malicious evil is more senvine than compassion (Clarkson (1997) p 206 ) (Italics Mine)
Conclusion
Juveniles that perpetrate violence as part of an occult belief system aren’t committing that violence because the religion calls for it. They are committing acts of violence because they have violent tendencies to begin with. The sort of rituals that they will engage in are all self-styles and lack any real understanding of the nature of occult traditions.
References
Kail, T. M. (2003). A Cop’s Guide to Occult Investigations: Understanding Satanism, Santeria, Wicca and Other Alternative Religions. Boulder, CO: Paladin Press
Clarkson, W. (1997). In the Name of Satan. New York, NY: St. Martin
