At what point does law enforcement step in?

Question

I just saw a documentary about the Jonestown suicide; couldn't believe this was my first time ever hearing about it. Anyway, I know that with the David Koresh and Branch Davidian incident, the police and other law enforcement officials came in and stopped it. I didn't get to see the entire Jonestown documentary, because I just happened to flip to it while channel surfing, so i'm not sure if law enforcement became involved in that incident or not. However, I was wondering do they do this with all cults, or whatever you'd like to call groups like this...or does law enforcement only step in when the groups present themselves as a threat?

Answer 1

The two examples you cite are at the opposite ends of the spectrum.
Jonestown group, started in the U.S. but moved to South America. Cults enjoy freedom of religion here. So unless there is overt criminal activity, police do not interfere. The mass suicide occurred because the group leader had a visiting congressman killed and ordered his fanatical followers to follow him to heaven by suicide.
The Branch Davidian cult had closed themselves up on a Texas ranch. There were allegations of illegal weapons and child abuse. In this case, I believe the Federal Government over reacted. There were opportunities to arrest Koresh outside the compound. But the authorities decided to raid the compound instead. This resulted in a bloodbath.

Police tend to step very carefully when dealing with religious groups. Our right to practice religion is still zealously guarded by politicians and courts. So, the cops can do nothing and wind up with Jonestown or react and get Branch Davidian. Trying to find the balance is very, very tricky.

Answer 2

I remember when this happened and came out on the news... I was a teenager at the time. Also, I saw the movie that was made about it years after the event.

The group lived in another country. So there was one problem. A congressman had gone to Guyana believing that some cult members were being kept against their wills...

THis congressman interviewed some of the people, and as he was boarding the plane to leave Guyana, some of Jones' men ambushed this congressman (and the people with him) and shot them all to death.

The mass suicide came a day or so later... the only way that news of this even got to the outside world was that a couple of people managed somehow to escape the cult compound (Jonestown) as well as Jones' armed guards.

It came across the newswaves as a major shock, as no one knew anything of this man or the Guyana cult's doings until AFTER the suicide had taken place. I remember still the news pics of the aerial view of the compound, thousands of people just lying down dead on the ground.

Though Jones got his start in America, there was nothing American law enforcement could do, since the man was not condsidered a danger while he was here..

Answer 3

In our land of freedom of religion, usually the nutcase cults are permitted to exist and are left alone. Until, that is, they become a hazard to others.

In both the Branch Davidian mess and in Jonestown, people were not allowed to leave. That is against the law. You cannot force someone to stay against their will.

When the word got out that there was something drastically wrong in Jonestown, Congressman Ryan and his people went down to see what was going on. At first, all looked well - but then several people passed notes to the reporters begging to leave with them - that they were being held against their will and wanted to go home.

The rest, they say, is history.

With the Davidians, there were reports of child sexual and physical abuse. Koresh was given an opportunity to come in and talk about it but he refused and shot at anyone who came near his fortress.

What I don't understand is how people can be so gullible as to fall for these charlatans in the first place. Their brains must be wired differently than most people....

Answer 4

First off Jonestown was a socialist community in Uganda I believe. Very remote area so there wasnt really as much law to get into them. The FBI and ATF were able to "stop" the branch davidians in that they were burned alive in their church. The reason law enforcement doesn't really have that much teeth against cult activity is partly because of the constitution and partly because these groups usually have their own private land to do what they please. The social dynamic within a cult is one where there is a code of silence that is not broken so there really isnt much a law enforcement agency could do.

Answer 5

The People's Temple at Jonestown in Guyana...A US Governor went down to personally check things out in 1978 but it went south when some members decided they wanted to go back home to the US with him. There was a big shoot out where he and some press people were killed. Afterward, Jim Jones got all paranoid and freaked out and convinced the people that the only way to end it was by drinking the cyanide Kool-aid and other drugs, but many of the people had needle marks too. Over 900 people died that day. Including my cousin Mark.

The authorities DO become involved when there are reports of injury, assault, danger of such, deaths, neglect, abuse, etc. They just need to watch their step due to the First Amendment.

Answer 6

They don't step in until they present themselves as a threat because it is not against the law to be a member of a religious group. I do believe that they do keep a close eye on religious sects that have violent leanings, especially since 9/11.

Answer 7

you are talking about 2 situations that had absolutley no relationship.

As long as people are not committing documented or suspected crimes, and are peaceful, the law has to leave them alone.

Jonestown may have been a cult group, but they weren't up to criminal activity. They just decided to all commit suicide.

Koresh et al were suspected of having illegal arms or the components to make them. Actually it is not illegal to have the components for bomb-making, but the FBI was able to get search warrants anyway. That's what brought the heat down on them. Not their philosophy.

Answer 8

in case you need to use a level in criminal Justice for a central authority enterprise job, be counseled that a central authority enterprise in contact with the regulation, such as a results of fact the FBI, IS regulation enforcement. Police employment isn't a practise floor for FBI brokers. each enterprise is an end to itself, no longer a stepping stone to pass someplace else.

Answer 9

The latter.