# Justice Manual § 9-60.113: Prosecution Policy—"Deprogramming" of Religious Sect Members

> Federal · Agency guidance · In force

URL: https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/JM_S9-60.113

## Section

- **Citation:** Justice Manual § 9-60.113
- **Heading:** Prosecution Policy—"Deprogramming" of Religious Sect Members
- **Jurisdiction:** Federal
- **Kind:** Agency guidance
- **Status:** In force
- **Text as of:** August 14, 2026
- **Source:** Compiled text
- **Location:** DOJ Justice Manual / Title 9: Criminal / 9-60.000 - Protection Of The Individual / Justice Manual § 9-60.113

## Text

The Criminal Division has received a substantial number of complaints from members of various religious sects alleging that they have been abducted by their parents or persons acting on behalf of their parents for the purpose of "deprogramming."

It is a general policy of the Department not to become involved in situations which are essentially domestic relations controversies. If a parent abducts his/her adult child from a religious sect, accompanies that child throughout the "deprogramming," and there is no violence or other aggravating circumstances, these facts would weigh against Federal involvement. However, if violence or other aggravating circumstances exist, particularly where professional "deprogrammers" are involved, criminal prosecutions should be pursued if the evidence warrants.

## Nearby sections

- [Justice Manual § 9-60.010 Introduction](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/JM_S9-60.010.md)
- [Justice Manual § 9-60.020 Sentencing Enhancement—"Three Strikes" Law](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/JM_S9-60.020.md)
- [Justice Manual § 9-60.111 Kidnapping/Missing Persons—Prosecution Policy](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/JM_S9-60.111.md)
- [Justice Manual § 9-60.113 Prosecution Policy—"Deprogramming" of Religious Sect Members](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/JM_S9-60.113.md)
- [Justice Manual § 9-60.200 Criminal Sanctions Against Illegal Electronic Surveillance](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/JM_S9-60.200.md)
- [Justice Manual § 9-60.202 Illegal Electronic Eavesdropping—Prosecution Policy](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/JM_S9-60.202.md)
- [Justice Manual § 9-60.203 State Laws](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/JM_S9-60.203.md)
- [Justice Manual § 9-60.262 Prosecutive Policy—18 U.S.C. § 2512](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/JM_S9-60.262.md)
- [Justice Manual § 9-60.400 Criminal Sanctions Against Illegal Electronic Surveillance—The Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA), 50 U.S.C. §  1809](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/JM_S9-60.400.md)
- [Justice Manual § 9-60.700 Hostage Taking (18 U.S.C. §  1203)—Prosecution Policy](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/JM_S9-60.700.md)
- [Justice Manual § 9-60.711 Prosecution Policy in Hostage Taking Cases When the Death Penalty is Authorized by Statute](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/JM_S9-60.711.md)
- [Justice Manual § 9-60.800 Special Forfeiture of Collateral Profits of Crime ("Son of Sam")](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/JM_S9-60.800.md)
- [Justice Manual § 9-60.900 Murder-for-Hire—18 U.S.C. §  1958](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/JM_S9-60.900.md)
- [Justice Manual § 9-60.910 Prosecution Policy and the Death Penalty](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/JM_S9-60.910.md)

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Source: Frix Law Library, https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/JM_S9-60.113. Check the current official text before relying on it. Not legal advice.