Criminon's Substantiation Rundown

Almost as infamous as Narconon, the Scientology front group preying on vulnerable drug addicts, are Criminon, a Scientology front group preying on vulnerable prisoners.

(Image credit)

In the UK, Criminon offers correspondence courses for those poor souls who've fallen foul of the eleventh commandment. The courses teach moral precepts which are mostly sensible, though hardly groundbreaking:

"Do Not Murder... Do Not Steal... Be Worthy Of Trust... Flourish and Prosper..."

The costs of the operation appear to be borne by ordinary members of the public, from whom the website solicits donations.

Rehabilitating an offender costs a bargain £75, but I wonder if any potential philanthropists have been swayed by the following, as yet unsubstantiated, claims?

"THE WAY TO HAPPINESS® Course is a proven effective tool in reforming offenders and in preventing criminal activity from beginning in the first place."

"It explains how and why one becomes addicted to drugs in the first place and then details an exact regimen – which involves the use of vitamins and exercise – for freeing a person from the grip of addiction, and all without medical substitutes."

ASA complaint follows!

"The website makes two claims for the effectiveness of its Criminon programme, a correspondence course which aims to rehabilitate offenders.

I'm challenging the claims because the website solicits donations of £75 from ordinary members of the public to fund the courses, yet I suspect the claims are misleading.

1. ( http://criminon.co.uk/changing-attitudes-to-crime.php )

"THE WAY TO HAPPINESS® Course is a proven effective tool in reforming offenders and in preventing criminal activity from beginning in the first place."

I challenge whether the claim that "THE WAY TO HAPPINESS Course is a proven effective tool in reforming offenders and in preventing criminal activity from beginning in the first place" can be substantiated.

2. ( http://criminon.co.uk/drugs.php )

"It explains how and why one becomes addicted to drugs in the first place and then details an exact regimen – which involves the use of vitamins and exercise – for freeing a person from the grip of addiction, and all without medical substitutes."

I challenge whether the claim that the Criminon programme of "vitamins and exercise" can "[free] a person from the grip of addiction" can be substantiated.

I've made some screenshots of the relevant pages, which are available at:
http://leicester.skepticsinthepub.org/FishBarrel/ci.aspx?id=wsI0euzFj2
http://leicester.skepticsinthepub.org/FishBarrel/ci.aspx?id=IyKyMasJHJ

I can confirm that I have no connections with the advertiser."