| "Psychic detectives" are people who claim to have | | | | since psychic crime investigations have been |
| special psychic powers, in order to assist, and have | | | | performed for more than a century, credits should be |
| claimed to assist certain police and law enforcement | | | | given to them for their effort and achievements. |
| agencies in theinvestigation and solving of crimes. The | | | | However, majority of the people think otherwise. They |
| credibility of such claims cannot be ascertained since | | | | consider psychic detectives and investigation only to |
| there is not much evidence to support them. However, | | | | be a form of trivial entertainment which should be |
| the numerous stories regarding psychic detectives and | | | | never taken seriously. Vague evidences, |
| psychic crime investigations circulating in newspapers, | | | | self-promotion, and media hype have also furthered |
| books, magazines and on the internet, have not failed | | | | this skeptic opinion. |
| to intrigue, and evoke the interests of both skeptics | | | | Famous "Psychic Detectives" and Cases: |
| and enthusiasts of the paranormal. | | | | The first documented case of a crime allegedly solved |
| Methods used: | | | | by a psychic detective was in 1845, when one |
| Most of these people are self-proclaimed psychic | | | | clairvoyant brought to trail a suspect who |
| detectives whose "contribution" to crime investigation is | | | | consequently confessed to the crime. There is no |
| almost always voluntary. Their alleged abilities include | | | | proof that the clairvoyant had really solved the crime |
| postcognition - the supernatural perception of the past, | | | | with her psychic abilities but this is the first official |
| psychometry - the paranormal divination of information | | | | record to be documented. |
| based on reading the 'aura' of a place or object, and | | | | One of the most well-known "psychic detectives" in |
| telepathy. They may also employ tarot reading, | | | | the United States is Sylvia Browne of Kansas City, |
| voodoo, numerology, séance and dowsing in | | | | who's been guest to popular interview shows such as |
| their "psychic" investigations. | | | | Larry King Live and the Montel Williams Show. Her |
| Responses from Law Enforcement Agencies: | | | | many works include predictions such as the claim that |
| Though there have been incidents where some police | | | | Bill Bradley would win the 2000 U.S. presidential election |
| departments sought the help of psychics when all else | | | | with the Reform Party coming in second, the "hiding in |
| fails, many law enforcement agencies, such as the | | | | caves" of Osama bin Laden and Saddam Hussein, |
| LAPD, discard them and insist that they would never | | | | September 11, 2001 attacks etc. She has written a |
| rely on frivolous activities like psychic readings when | | | | number of books including "Life on the Other Side", and |
| conducting routine crime investigations. This skepticism | | | | is the founder of the Society of Novus Spiritus. |
| also extends to Scotland Yard's official statements | | | | Outside of the United States, Chico Xavier (Brazil) is a |
| regarding psychics. An unfortunate "psychic detective", | | | | famous "psychic detective" whose supposedly |
| who possesses information crucial to a crime | | | | transcription of a statement from a murder victim, in |
| investigation, may even be considered a suspect. | | | | 1979, leading to the release of an innocent man and |
| Other Responses: | | | | arrest of the real murderer, sparked renewed interests |
| Many supporters of psychic abilities believe that | | | | in psychic investigations. |
| psychics do help solve crimes in many ways, and | | | | |