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Dederich had been a reformed alcoholic and regular attendee at meetings of Alcoholics Anonymous. As a speaker at those meetings he made an impression on many attendees. The AA did not accept drug addicts at that time and he created his own program.

At first the Synanon program was supposed to be a 2-year process, but before long Dederich decided that members could never graduate. The addicts became the work force for a business selling promotional items, a successful enterprise that generated roughly $10 million per year of revenue. The 1926 Club Casa del Mar in Santa Monica was purchased and used as a headquarters and dormitory. The treatment efforts provided legitimacy, and juveniles were often sent to Synanon by the courts. Professionals with drug addictions were eagerly invited and were expected to turn over their assets to the group.

Control over members was imposed through coercive encounter groups and loyalty requirements. Married couples were made to take new partners, males required to undergo vasectomties, and pregnant women were even required to have abortions, all in order to assert dominance over their lives.

Beginning in 1974 the authorities began to question Synanon's promises and practices. The concept of "lifetime rehabilitation" did not agree with therapeutic norms, and the group was alleged to be running an unauthorized medical clinic. On remote properties such as Tomales Bay in Marin County and Badger, Tulare County, California the state the cult built unpermitted buildings, a trash dump and an airstrip. Tax issues came up. To dodge these accusations Dederich declared that Synanon was a tax exempt religious organization, the "Church of Synanon."

The change did not make all of the problems disappear. Children assigned to Synanon began to run away, helped by an "underground railroad" to return to their parents. Beatings of opponents and ex-members, "splittees", occured all over the state. A Grand Jury in Los Angeles issued a scathing report in 1978 attacking the cult for its child abuseChild abuse is physical or psychological mistreatment of a child by its parents, guardians, or other adults. Types and causes The simplest example of child abuse is neglect where the guardians fail to perform those tasks necessary to the well-being of the and for profits that flowed to Dederich, and also attacking authorities for their lack of oversight. Remarkably, the authorities did nothing. Though local newspapers and broadcast media covered the case, they were largely silenced by suits from Synanon lawyers. Those suits ultimately turned out to be Synanon's undoing, giving journalists access to internal documents.

On October 11October 11 is the 284th day of the year (285th in Leap years). There are 81 days remaining. Events 1600-1899 1614 Adriaen Block and 12 Amsterdam merchants petition the States General for exclusive trading rights in the New Netherland colony. 1776 American, 1978 Dederich and two members placed a rattlesnakeRattlesnakes : Animalia : Chordata : Reptilia : Squamata : Viperidae Genera Crotalus Sistrurus Species about 30 Rattlesnakes are a group of venomous New World snakes, genera Crotalus and Sistrurus which have a small noise-making jointed rattle on their ta (rattle removed) in the mailbox of an attorney. The vicitim had successfully sued on behalf of a woman that Synanon had abducted. The lawyer was bitten and barely survived. Six weeks later the Los Angeles Police DepartmentThe Los Angeles Police Department (usually known as the LAPD is the police department of the City of Los Angeles, California. It is one of the largest law enforcement agencies in the world with over 9,000 officers and 3,000 civilian staff, covering an are performed a search of the ranch in Badger that turned up a recorded speech by Dederich threatening death to opponents. A drunken Dederich was arrested on December 2December 2 is the 336th day (337th on leap years) of the year in the Gregorian calendar. There are 29 days remaining. Events 1409 The University of Leipzig opened. 1755 The second Eddystone Lighthouse is destroyed by fire. 1804 At Notre Dame Cathedral in. The three pleaded " no contestIn law, a plea of nolo contendere means that the defendant does not admit the charge, but does not dispute it either. This is also called a plea of no contest or, more informally, a nolo plea. Nolo contendere" is Latin and literally means "I do not wish t" to charges of assault and conspiracy to murder. While his associates went to jail, Dederich avoided imprisonment in exchange for giving up his involvement in Synanon.

The tiny Point Reyes Light , a weekly newspaperBrookgreen Gardens Pawleys Island, South Carolina A newspaper is a lightweight and disposable publication, usually printed on low-cost paper called newsprint, containing a journal of current news in a variety of topics. These topics can include political, received the Pulitzer Prize for Public ServiceThe Pulitzer Prize for Public Service has been awarded since 1918 for a distinguished example of meritorious public service by a newspaper through the use of its journalistic resources which may include editorials, cartoons, and photographs, as well as re in 1979 on account of its fearless coverage of Synanon.

Synanon struggled to survive without its leader and with a severely tarnished reputation. The Internal Revenue Service revoked the cult's tax exemption and the properties were confiscated or sold. By the mid- 1990s the group had essentially folded.

Despite its faults, the Synanon program worked for some individuals. It is often credited with giving Jazz musisian Art Pepper several additional years of life and creativity.