James T. Richardson

Dr. James T. Richardson is a Foundation Professor Emeritus of Sociology and Judicial Studies at the University of Nevada, Reno. He received his Ph.D. from Washington State University in 1968 and his J.D. from the Old College, Nevada School of Law in 1986. The co-author and editor of 12 books, Dr. Richardson has served as president of the Society for the Scientific Study of Religion, the Association for the Sociology of Religion, and he served as national president of the American Association of University Professors.

Politics/LawJune 21, 2019

Nxivm Scam Is Dead, but ‘Brainwashing’ Pseudoscience Lives On

By James T. Richardson

This history clearly shows why most courts in the United States are reticent to accept brainwashing theories today. The science underlying such claims is faulty, and courts have realized that accepting such claims undercuts the very basis of the legal system, which is that individuals are responsible for their own actions.