Forensic hypnosis is big in Texas. Here’s how it got its start

Texas Public Radio | By David Martin Davies

Published December 14, 2021 at 6:00 AM CST

When you think of “hypnosis” it’s probably unlikely you’d picture a Texas law enforcement officer. After all, Texas cops are known for their no nonsense approach to fighting crime. But actually, Texas has one of the most active forensic hypnosis training systems in the nation. That’s despite the fact that nearly half of all states consider it a junk science and have banned or restricted its use.

But how did forensic hypnosis come to Texas? It came from California via one of the most astounding crimes in the last half century. In 1974, in Chowchilla California kidnappers abducted a yellow school bus with 26 children and the driver. [Read more on Texas Public Radio]