International Journal of Cultic Studies ■ Vol. 8, 2017 59
deprivation, and other negative physical-
appearance differences. Therefore, when
gathering evidence is difficult, the family must
focus on the particular group in question and any
sort of physical evidence the family can gather
that is probative of behavioral changes.
Finally, exit interventions will be very expensive
for the families seeking the 4-week program.
Families must pay for the filing costs and fees,
the gathering of evidence and experts for the
initial hearing, dinner and transportation costs
throughout the 4 weeks, and the cost of hiring a
deprogrammer or exit counselor for the final
week.
182F
183 However, families routinely pay up to
$20,000 per month for alcohol or drug
treatment.
183F
184 If the exit intervention is
successful and the group member leaves the
destructive group, the family will be reunited
with their loved one and the process will be
worth every penny.
Conclusion
The exit-intervention model properly balances
the family’s interest of ensuring their loved
one’s safety and well-being with the group
member’s interest of making his own decisions
and freely exercising his system of belief. It also
improves all three of the conventional
intervention methods. First, exit interventions
are much stronger than exit counseling because
they allow the family to intervene instead of
waiting for the group member to walk away
from the destructive group. Second, exit
interventions are much less coercive than
deprogramming because they are held at public
places and are only for 2 hours per week. The
group member is not held against his will in
violation of his civil rights. Third, exit
183 Deprogrammings typically cost around $10,000,
and a 3- to 5-day exit counseling will cost anywhere
from $2,000 to $4,000. Michael D. Langone &Paul
Martin, Deprogramming, Exit Counseling, and
Ethics: Clarifying the Confusion, INT’L CULTIC
STUDIES ASS’N, http://www.icsahome.com/articles/
deprogramming-ethics--langone (last visited Apr. 17,
2016).
184 How Much Does Rehab Cost?, REHABS.COM,
http://www.rehabs.com/about/how-much-does-rehab-
cost (last visited Apr. 17, 2016).
interventions do not require the justice system to
deprive the group member of his right to
exercise his beliefs. Because the court is
ordering only a temporary 4-week access period,
the group member’s constitutional rights are not
violated. Finally—perhaps the best part about
this model, it allows the family to educate and
inform the group member of what to be aware of
with destructive groups, while it allows the
group member to make the ultimate decision at
the end of the 4 weeks. This freedom of choice
gives the group member control over his life
while allowing his parents to express their
concerns and gain closure on the topic.
About the Author
Steven Autenrieth is a law student at the Sandra
Day O’Connor College of Law at Arizona State
University in Phoenix, Arizona. He began his
studies of cults and other destructive groups as a
part of his Cults and Alternative Religions law-
school course taught by Professor Linda
Demaine. In addition, he is a graduate of South
Dakota State University with a degree in
mathematics. Email Steven at
stevenautenrieth@yahoo.com
deprivation, and other negative physical-
appearance differences. Therefore, when
gathering evidence is difficult, the family must
focus on the particular group in question and any
sort of physical evidence the family can gather
that is probative of behavioral changes.
Finally, exit interventions will be very expensive
for the families seeking the 4-week program.
Families must pay for the filing costs and fees,
the gathering of evidence and experts for the
initial hearing, dinner and transportation costs
throughout the 4 weeks, and the cost of hiring a
deprogrammer or exit counselor for the final
week.
182F
183 However, families routinely pay up to
$20,000 per month for alcohol or drug
treatment.
183F
184 If the exit intervention is
successful and the group member leaves the
destructive group, the family will be reunited
with their loved one and the process will be
worth every penny.
Conclusion
The exit-intervention model properly balances
the family’s interest of ensuring their loved
one’s safety and well-being with the group
member’s interest of making his own decisions
and freely exercising his system of belief. It also
improves all three of the conventional
intervention methods. First, exit interventions
are much stronger than exit counseling because
they allow the family to intervene instead of
waiting for the group member to walk away
from the destructive group. Second, exit
interventions are much less coercive than
deprogramming because they are held at public
places and are only for 2 hours per week. The
group member is not held against his will in
violation of his civil rights. Third, exit
183 Deprogrammings typically cost around $10,000,
and a 3- to 5-day exit counseling will cost anywhere
from $2,000 to $4,000. Michael D. Langone &Paul
Martin, Deprogramming, Exit Counseling, and
Ethics: Clarifying the Confusion, INT’L CULTIC
STUDIES ASS’N, http://www.icsahome.com/articles/
deprogramming-ethics--langone (last visited Apr. 17,
2016).
184 How Much Does Rehab Cost?, REHABS.COM,
http://www.rehabs.com/about/how-much-does-rehab-
cost (last visited Apr. 17, 2016).
interventions do not require the justice system to
deprive the group member of his right to
exercise his beliefs. Because the court is
ordering only a temporary 4-week access period,
the group member’s constitutional rights are not
violated. Finally—perhaps the best part about
this model, it allows the family to educate and
inform the group member of what to be aware of
with destructive groups, while it allows the
group member to make the ultimate decision at
the end of the 4 weeks. This freedom of choice
gives the group member control over his life
while allowing his parents to express their
concerns and gain closure on the topic.
About the Author
Steven Autenrieth is a law student at the Sandra
Day O’Connor College of Law at Arizona State
University in Phoenix, Arizona. He began his
studies of cults and other destructive groups as a
part of his Cults and Alternative Religions law-
school course taught by Professor Linda
Demaine. In addition, he is a graduate of South
Dakota State University with a degree in
mathematics. Email Steven at
stevenautenrieth@yahoo.com
