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THE CHURCH OF SCIENTOLOGY – ACTIVE IN THE COMMUNITY
REDUCING CRIME
Inexorably linked with both drug abuse and urban decay is crime. To the degree that a man perceives his environment as a threat, Mr. Hubbard wrote, he will not thrive. With that in mind, Scientologists have dedicated themselves to the reduction of criminality in an effort to further safeguard their environment. Of course, they believe the ultimate solution to crime is the genuine reform of individuals with criminal impulses – that reform made possible with L. Ron Hubbard’s technology. Witness the case of a Melbourne, Australia, resident who, after receiving Scientology auditing, turned himself in to local authorities and confessed to having stolen eight hundred dollars, years earlier. His reason: He realized that he could not advance spiritually until he had taken full responsibility for past transgressions and repaid the money – which he did. The judge remarked that such action was unheard of and reduced the penalty to a suspended sentence, describing the man’s behavior as exceptional and clearly displaying his rehabilitation.
At a community level, Scientologists have assisted the efforts of law enforcement in various cities. In San Francisco, for example, Scientologists spearheaded the creation of a Neighborhood Crime Watch program designed to protect those who live in the community near the church. Crime Watch programs have also been organized or actively contributed to by Scientologists in Los Angeles; Boston; Washington, DC; Florida and many other locations.
In Montreal, Canada, the Church of Scientology sponsors a contest inviting the public to write essays regarding crime reduction, as a means of raising public awareness of the problem, and appreciation for the daily task of law enforcement. In Mexico City, Scientologists conducted seminars to teach police officers better human relations techniques. And when riots shook Los Angeles in 1992, The Times of London reported, “Further east, at the fabled intersection of Hollywood and Vine, 300 members of the Church of Scientology ignored the citywide curfew and surrounded an entire block. . . . By midnight it was one of the very few blocks on Hollywood Boulevard where no business had been torched or looted.”
 
More Community Activities
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