DAVID W. ORME-JOHNSON
Maharishi International University

Criminologists view crime as a multidimensional problem that is best prevented by programs that strengthen informal social control, which is the internalized propensity of the individual to find rewarding behavior patterns within the law. This paper introduces the theory and research on crime prevention through the Maharishi Effect, a powerful mechanism of increasing informal social control by increasing coherence and decreasing stress in the most holistic level of society, its collective consciousness. A review of 15 published studies conducted on city, state, national, and international levels finds strong evidence that crime is reduced and quality of life is improved when 1% of a population practices the Transcendental Meditation (TM) program. This is termed the Maharishi Effect. This review also finds that crime is reduced and quality of life improved when groups the size of the square root of 1% of a population practice the more powerful TM-Sidhi program together in one place. This is called the Extended Maharishi Effect. Theoretically, such a transformation is made possible by the ability of the TM and TM-Sidhi programs to provide direct experience of the unified field of natural law in the simplest form of human awareness, transcendental consciousness, which brings life in accord with natural law. This program is easily implemented and highly cost effective as a primary protective factor against crime.

KEYWORDS Crime prevention, Transcendental Meditation, Maharishi Effect, consciousness, informal social control