HUBBARD COMMUNICATIONS OFFICE
Saint Hill Manor, East Grinstead, Sussex
HCO POLICY LETTER OF 7 MARCH 1965
Issue III
Gen. Non Remimeo
Post Org Public
Boards HCO (DIVISION 1)
JUSTICE
OFFENSES & PENALTIES
These are the penalties we have always more or less used, and these are the
offenses which have been usually considered offenses in Scientology.
Formerly they were never written down or routinely enforced, there was no
recourse, and these lacks made staff members uncertain of their fate. They knew
something happened but not why. They knew certain things were frowned on but not
how much or little. The penalties were suddenly administered without warning as to
what they would be or for what offense.
This then is a Code of Discipline which we have almost always more or less used,
made plain for everyone to see, with limits against over—punishment and recourse for
those who are wronged.
Accordingly this Code of Offenses and their penalties becomes firm and expressed
policy.
Lack of specified offenses, penalties and recourse bring everyone to uncertainty
and risk at the whim of those in command.
There are four general classes of crimes and offenses in Scientology. These are
ERRORS, MISDEMEANORS, CRIMES AND HIGH CRIMES.
l. ERRORS. Errors are minor unintentional omissions or mistakes. These are
auditing "goofs”; minor alter—is of tech or policy; small instructional mistakes; minor
errors or omissions in performing duties and admin errors not resulting in financial loss
or loss of status or repute for a senior.
_ Errors are dealt with by corrections of the person, reprimand or warnings by
seniors.
Certificates, Classifications and Awards may not bc cancelled or suspended or
reduced for an Error. The offender may not be transferred or demoted or fined or
suspended for Committing an Error. No Committee of Evidence may be convened
because of an Error.
Repeated corrections, warnings or reprimands by a senior can, however, bring the
repeated error offenses into the category of Misdemeanor.
2. MISDEMEANORS. These are non-compliance; discourtesy and insubord-
ination; mistakes resulting in financial or traffic loss; commissions or omissions
resulting in loss of status or the punishment of a senior; in neglect or gross errors
resulting in the need to apply the Emergency Formula to their person, section, unit,
department, organization, zone or Division; knowing and repeated departures from
standard technology instructional procedures or policy; continued association with
squirrels; abuse or loss or damage of org materiel; waste of org materiel; waste of funds;
alteration of senior policy or continued ignorance of it; consistent and repeated failures
to wear their hat regarding Dev-T; refusing an E—Meter check; refusing auditing when
ordered by a higher authority; disturbing a course or class; disrupting a meeting; the
discovery of their having an undisclosed criminal background in this lifetime; the
discovery of an undisclosed tenure in a mental hospital; processing a known Trouble
Source or the family or adherents of a Suppressive Person or Group; omissions
resulting in disrepute or financial loss; inadequate or declining income or traffic in a
section, unit, department, org, zone or Division; assisting the inadequacy or decline of
income or traffic in a section, unit, department, org, zone or Division;rfailure to
acknowledge, relay or comply with a direct and legal order from an executive staff
member; Auditor’s Code breaks resulting in a disturbance of the preclear; failure to
follow the Instructor’s Code resulting in disturbed students; contributing to a crime;
failure to appear before a Committee of Evidence as a witness or interested party when
personally given summons or receiving summons by registered post; refusing to testify
before a Committee of Evidence; showing contempt or disrespect to a Committee of
Evidence when before it; destroying documents required by a Committee of Evidence
or refusing to produce them; withholding evidence; false swearing on a signed
statement or form; impeding Justice; refusing to serve on a Committee of Evidence;
refusing to vote while a member of a Committee of Evidence; misconduct; issuing data
or information to wrong grades or unauthorized persons or groups or issuing data or
information broadly withoift authority.
Such offenses are subject to direct punishment by order and for a staff member
the punishment is the assignment of a personal condition of emergency for up to three
weeks and for an executive staff member the assignment of up to a three months
personal condition of emergency.
Personal conditions of emergency reduce pay or units one third for the period
assigned.
Recourse may be had by requesting a Committee of Evidence for return of pay
but not damages.
The same offenses may be used for a Committee of Evidence but not both a
Committee and punishment by direct order—one or the other.
However if any of these offenses become the subject of a Committee of Evidence
the penalty for a misdemeanor may be increased to include suspension of a single
certificate and/or classification (but no more) or a minor demotion or transfer, but not
dismissal. None of these offenses may be made the subject of dismissal by direct order
or Committee of Evidence.
Persons may not be dismissed for misdemeanors. Nor may any certificates,
classifications or awards be cancelled.
Non staff or field or franchise Scientologists committing those of the above
(except org) offenses applicable may have a Committee of Evidence convened on them.
Where serious, repeated or of magnitude harmful to many, the same offenses can
be re-classed as Crimes by a Convening Authority.
3. CRIMES. These cover offenses normally considered criminal. Offenses
which are treated in Scientology as crimes are theft; mayhem; harmful flagrant and
continued Code Breaks resulting in important upsets; non—compliance with urgent and
vital orders resulting in public disrepute; placing Scientology or Scientologists at risk;
omissions or non-compliance requiring heavy intervention by seniors consuming time
and money, with Dev-T; failure or refusal to acknowledge, relay or execute a direct
legal order from an International Board Member, or an assistant board member; being
or becoming a Potential Trouble Source without reporting it or taking action; receiving
auditing while a Potential Trouble Source; withholding from local Scientology
executives that he or she is a Potential Trouble Source; failing to report a Potential
Trouble Source to local HCO; organizing or allowing a gathering or meeting of staff
members or field auditors or the public to protest the orders of a senior; being a
knowing accessory to a Suppressive Act; using a local Scientology title to set aside the
orders or policies from the International Board; following illegal orders or illegal local
policies or alter—is, knowing them to be different or contradictory to those issued by
the International Board; not directly reporting flagrant departures from International
Board policy in a section, tmit, department, org, zone or Division; being long absent
from post while a senior executive without advising the board member of his or her
division; permitting a section, unit, department, org, zone or Division to collapse; not
taking over as a deputy in a crisis not otherwise being handled; passing org students or
pcs to outside auditors for private commission; using an org position to build up a
private practice; taking private f`ees while on staff to audit outside pcs, run private
courses, coach or audit students or org pcs; embezzlement; taking commissions from
merchants; reselling org materiel for private gain; using an org position to procure
personal or non-Scientology funds or unusual favours from the public, a firm, student
or pc; impersonating a Scientologist or staff member when not authorized; inciting to
insubordination; instigating a local power push against a senior; spreading destructive
rumours about senior Scientologists; pretending to express a multiple opinion (use of
"evcrybody") in vital reports, which could influence assistant board or board decisions;
not reporting the discovery of a Crime or High Crime to Saint Hill while in authority or
as a member of a Committee of Evidence or as a witness before a Committee of
Evidence; refusal to accept penalties assigned in a recourse action; refusal to uphold
discipline; getting another staff member disciplined by giving false reports about him or
her; overworking an executive by ignoring one’s duties; falsifying a communication
from higher authority; falsifying a telex message or cable; causing a staff member to
lose prestige or be disciplined by giving false reports; seeking to shift the blame to an
innocent staff member for the consequences of one’s own offenses; protecting a staff
member guilty of a Crime or High Crime listed in this code; stealing or seducing
another’s wife or husband; committing offenses or omissions that bring one’s senior
staff member, unit, department, org or zone official to personal risk and/or a
Committee of Evidence, civil, criminal or court; wilful loss or destruction of
Scientology property; making out or submitting or accepting false purchase orders;
juggling accounts; illegally taking or possessing org property; causing severe and
disreputable disturbances resulting in disrcputc; obtaining loans or money under false
pretenses; condoning circumstances or offenses capable of bringing a course, section,
unit, department, org, zone or Division to a state of collapse; holding Scientology
materials or policies up to ridicule, contempt or scorn; heckling a Scientology
Instructor or lecturer; falsely degrading an auditor’s technical reputation; impersonat-
ing an executive staff member; pretending Scientology certificates, classifications or
awards not actually held to obtain money or credit; selling auditing hours or training
courses for advance which are not then delivered as to hours and time in training (but
not results or subject matter); using Scientology harmfully; not bringing a preclear up
through the grades but overwhelming the preclear with high levels; processing or giving
aid or comfort to a Suppressive Person or Group; knowingly using Scientology to
obtain sexual relations or restimulation; seducing a minor; neglect or omission in
safeguarding the mpyrights, registered marks, trade marks, registered names of
Scientology; issuing the data or information or instructional or admin procedures
without credit or falsely assigning credit for them to another; issuing any Scientology
data under another name; condoning the suppression of the word "Scientology” in its
use or practice; allying Scientology to a disrelated practice; neglect of responsibilities
resulting in 21 catastrophe even when another manages to avert the final consequences.
Crimes are punished by convening Committees of Evidence and may not be
handled by direct discipline. Crimes may result in suspension of certificates,
classifications or awards, reduction of post, or even dismissal or arrest when the crime
clearly warrants it. But such penalties may not be assigned by direct discipline.
Certificates, Classifications or Awards may not be cancelled for a crime.
4. HIGH CRIMES. These are covered in HCO Policy Letters March 7, 1965,
Issues I and II and consist of publicly departing Scientology or committing Suppressive
Acts.
Cancellation of Certificates, Classifications and Awards and becoming fair game
are amongst the penalties which can be leveled for this type of offense as well as those
recommended by Committees of Evidence.
A reward system for merit and good performance also exists.
L. RON HUBBARD
LRH:jw.rd
Copyright (c) 1965
by L. Ron Hubbard
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
CANCELLATION OF FAIR GAME: The practice of declaring people FAIR GAME will ccase.
FAIR GAME may not appear on any Ethics Order. It causes bad public relations. This P/L does not
cancel any policy on the treatment or handling of an SP.
(From HCO P/L 21 October 1968. See HCO Div volume.)
Cf)MMI'I'l`EE OF EVIDENCE (COMM EV): A {act finding body composed of impartial persons
properly convened by a Convenin Authorit which hears evidence from persons it calls before it,
arrives at a finding and makes a fulfreport andlrecommendation to its Convening Authority for his or
her action.
(From HCO P/L 7 September 1963 COMMITTEES OF EVIDENCE. See HCO Div volume.}
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