Introduction Hypnosis can be a very controversial subject to talk about depending on how it is being used. According to the North Carolina Society of Clinical Hypnosis (2014), “Hypnosis is a natural state of selective, focused attention, and, even though it is 100% natural and normal, it remains one of the most fascinating phenomena of the human mind. Hypnosis, called by different cultures and times, has been recognized for thousands of years and used for many purposes.” (North Carolina Society of Clinical Hypnosis [NCSCH], 2014)
Hypnosis can be used in a lot of ways, but recently it is being used in criminal investigations and in court cases. Quite a few years ago, investigative hypnosis was authorized to be used in Texas for criminal …show more content…
There are many stereotypes that are associated with hypnosis in criminal investigations and in criminal justice in general. According to Wagstaff (2008), one of the stereotypes is that people are in a “trance state.” Some people think that the person under hypnosis is under the control of the hypnotist and has little to no awareness to what is going on in real life. This is why hypnosis and the law have a complicated background history. According to Wagstaff (2008) there is a main reason for this, “for example, if hypnotized individuals are under the control of the hypnotist and are unaware of what is happening to them, then presumably they can be made to offend against their wills or become unwitting victims of crime and abuse” (Wagstaff,2008, pg. 1277). People, who think this, generally see hypnosis as a coercion tool for investigators to use.
According to Wagstaff (2008) people are often rather confused about the idea of hypnosis and the major two contact points between hypnosis and the …show more content…
Hypnosis is even seen as being unreliable and unpredictable in criminal investigations (American Bar Association Journal, 1978, p. 187). Another problem that the American Bar Association Journal (1978) pointed out is that “people can flat-out lie under hypnosis, and the examiner is no better equipped to detect the hypnotic lie than any other kind” (American Bar Association Journal, 1978, p. 187). The American Bar Association Journal (1978) talks about how after the hypnosis, the person that was hypnotized may recall the hypnosis induced memory as the memory that really occurred in reality. The hypnotic memory may be real, but no one including the person that underwent the hypnosis will know for sure because we cannot distinguish the difference between the “reproduction” and the “production” (American Bar Association Journal, 1987, p. 187). If we can find the good concepts for using hypnosis in criminal investigations, we can find good solutions to these problems. It will take time, but it will be worth it in the
Hypnosis can be used in a lot of ways, but recently it is being used in criminal investigations and in court cases. Quite a few years ago, investigative hypnosis was authorized to be used in Texas for criminal …show more content…
There are many stereotypes that are associated with hypnosis in criminal investigations and in criminal justice in general. According to Wagstaff (2008), one of the stereotypes is that people are in a “trance state.” Some people think that the person under hypnosis is under the control of the hypnotist and has little to no awareness to what is going on in real life. This is why hypnosis and the law have a complicated background history. According to Wagstaff (2008) there is a main reason for this, “for example, if hypnotized individuals are under the control of the hypnotist and are unaware of what is happening to them, then presumably they can be made to offend against their wills or become unwitting victims of crime and abuse” (Wagstaff,2008, pg. 1277). People, who think this, generally see hypnosis as a coercion tool for investigators to use.
According to Wagstaff (2008) people are often rather confused about the idea of hypnosis and the major two contact points between hypnosis and the …show more content…
Hypnosis is even seen as being unreliable and unpredictable in criminal investigations (American Bar Association Journal, 1978, p. 187). Another problem that the American Bar Association Journal (1978) pointed out is that “people can flat-out lie under hypnosis, and the examiner is no better equipped to detect the hypnotic lie than any other kind” (American Bar Association Journal, 1978, p. 187). The American Bar Association Journal (1978) talks about how after the hypnosis, the person that was hypnotized may recall the hypnosis induced memory as the memory that really occurred in reality. The hypnotic memory may be real, but no one including the person that underwent the hypnosis will know for sure because we cannot distinguish the difference between the “reproduction” and the “production” (American Bar Association Journal, 1987, p. 187). If we can find the good concepts for using hypnosis in criminal investigations, we can find good solutions to these problems. It will take time, but it will be worth it in the