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The Introspection Rundown came to controversial public attention after the death of Lisa McPherson on the rundown in 1995.
In Scientology, a rundown is a procedure set out as a series of steps to produce a particular end result. The steps involve auditing: looking back through the subject's past to find a memory causing problems in the present. See Scientology beliefs and practices.
Hubbard outlined the Introspection Rundown in three papers:
The first step of the rundown is "isolate the person wholly with all attendants completely muzzled (no speech)." Auditing sessions are given infrequently to search for the cause of the psychotic break during this rundown, otherwise the person is isolated in complete silence.
"When it is obvious the person is out of his psychosis and up to the responsibility of living with others his isolation is ended." The supervisor in charge of the person being isolated tests the person's condition by writing a note, such as "'Dear Joe. What can you guarantee me if you are let out of isolation?'" If Joe does not answer in writing satisfactorily, the supervisor must write back "'Dear Joe. I'm sorry but no go on coming out of isolation yet.'" Of course, "this will elicit a protest from the person" but the rundown is not over until the supervisor concludes that Joe has recognized what caused his psychotic break. Once the rundown is over, if the person is a Sea Org member (the elite corps that signs a billion year contract with the church), he/she is put on the RPF (a manual labor detail) and is "told to make good."
"This Rundown is very simple but cannot be flubbed, as that will compound the errors and cause further introspection in the pc." — that if done incorrectly, it could actually make someone having a psychotic break get worse. It "is very precise and even touchy business. There must be no mistakes and you cannot be heavy-handed on them."
Hubbard was quite excited about the Introspection Rundown and declared "THIS MEANS THE LAST REASON TO HAVE PSYCHIATRY AROUND IS GONE." "I have made a technical breakthrough which possibly ranks with the major discoveries of the Twentieth Century." "Its results are nothing short of miraculous."
Lisa McPherson had a car accident in Clearwater, Florida on November 18, 1995. She was taken to hospital for a psychiatric evaluation, but some Scientologists arrived and stated that McPherson did not believe in psychiatry, and she checked out after a short evaluation and left with the Scientologists.
McPherson was put on the Introspection Rundown after her accident on November 18. Her appearance at her death was of a person who had been held in isolation for some time.
The Church of Scientology now makes members sign a waiver specifically against suing the Church over the Introspection Rundown.