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Jackie Barrett, Psychic Detective

Dr Adequate

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Contributor SG1985 has added an article on [swiki]Jackie Barrett[/swiki] (runner-up in America's Psychic Challenge) to the SkepticWiki.

That's Jackie Barrett, self-styled psychic detective, FBI trainee, lecturer at Harvard, and ... ambassador to China???

She's not quite in the same league as "Kaz", but she's a trier. And other things rhyming with -ier.
 
Everytime I hear these claims, it makes me want to gag.

You have to remember the "selective" wording in their claims. Granted, its been decades since I was an investigator but I seriously doubt policies have changed.

No department ( State,Federal or Military) I have ever heard of has the authority to hire on a psychic in any "official" capacity. ( they would have to be academy trained and hold cert before they could be considered "official")

It would be "possible" to bring one on as a consultant for a specific thing. ( it has been done in other fields) But for a department to make such a request, the case would have to be super critical and the "contracted psychic" would have to have a verifiable CV where they actually SOLVED something before such funding would be approved.

I cant say its never happened but I personally have never heard of an actual verifiable case where a department "officially" contracted the services of a psychic. I've never heard of a psychic whose claims were specific enough to be verified in order to be approved.

How they normally make these claims ( and stretching the truth and seriously playing on words) is that some of them become "private investigators" thru whatever state requirements apply. ( thus they can carry the title of investigator or detective- they just cant claim they are state sanctioned LE)

Now, in some cases, a PI "can" be brought in to assist in an investigation by an agency. ( the psychic kinda plays with words) They are being brought because they may have a relevant skill or simply because that department can use licensed PI's for some "consulting" or special duties. These instances are rare but have happened.

The most common way they "get involved' is to be hired by the family and most LE agencies will tolerate that but wont let them near sensitive case information.
 
Mojo said:
So is she physically posted in China, or just astrally projecting or something?
Click to expand...

Another one of those plays on words. "Who" appointed her an Ambassador?

I could start a paper organization and have myself declared/appointed as an Ambassador. I could start another Church of Shatner, pay the states fee and call myself Reverend.

Its how they play the game.
 
LONGTABBER PE said:
Everytime I hear these claims, it makes me want to gag.

You have to remember the "selective" wording in their claims. Granted, its been decades since I was an investigator but I seriously doubt policies have changed.

No department ( State,Federal or Military) I have ever heard of has the authority to hire on a psychic in any "official" capacity. ( they would have to be academy trained and hold cert before they could be considered "official")

It would be "possible" to bring one on as a consultant for a specific thing. ( it has been done in other fields) But for a department to make such a request, the case would have to be super critical and the "contracted psychic" would have to have a verifiable CV where they actually SOLVED something before such funding would be approved.

I cant say its never happened but I personally have never heard of an actual verifiable case where a department "officially" contracted the services of a psychic. I've never heard of a psychic whose claims were specific enough to be verified in order to be approved.

How they normally make these claims ( and stretching the truth and seriously playing on words) is that some of them become "private investigators" thru whatever state requirements apply. ( thus they can carry the title of investigator or detective- they just cant claim they are state sanctioned LE)

Now, in some cases, a PI "can" be brought in to assist in an investigation by an agency. ( the psychic kinda plays with words) They are being brought because they may have a relevant skill or simply because that department can use licensed PI's for some "consulting" or special duties. These instances are rare but have happened.

The most common way they "get involved' is to be hired by the family and most LE agencies will tolerate that but wont let them near sensitive case information.
Click to expand...

What is a CV?
What is an LE?
 
Thanks for posting a link to my page. I slaved over it for many, many days. And will still neurotically copy-edit and add more info as it comes in.

I also used some of the information to write an article for the true crime blog In Cold Blog. Check out the post; Jackie Barrett: Psychic Detective?

Also, because Corey told me to whore myself out, I've been nominated as best blogger of the year. If you could hop down to the Detective Awards page and vote for me I would be forever grateful. :D I vote for me is a vote for keeping bulls**t psychic detectives in check.

Mojo: I never thought about Jackie astral projecting her ambassadorship. She says in the podcasts that she was physically in China and goes on and on about a lucky red sweatshirt that she always wears. But that would be a great cover. Ah, the many flavors of woo.

One final project that I need to work on is her book. I bought it and it's so confusing and painful that I've only suffered through about 20 of the 88 pages. Seriously, I think I need to take notes while I'm reading because I can't figure out what's going on.

The things I do in the name of skepticism. :D And because I have too much time on my hands. But mainly skepticism.
 
What I wonder about these people and their superfluous crazy claims, like the ambassador thing. Is it:

* She's nuts.

* She's too dumb to realize that going about claiming to be an ambassador to China will only weaken her credibility.

* She's smart enough to realize that anyone dumb enough to believe that she talks to dead people will believe anything else she says.
 
Dr Adequate said:
What I wonder about these people and their superfluous crazy claims, like the ambassador thing. Is it:

* She's nuts.

* She's too dumb to realize that going about claiming to be an ambassador to China will only weaken her credibility.

* She's smart enough to realize that anyone dumb enough to believe that she talks to dead people will believe anything else she says.
Click to expand...

I'm guessing one and three. The really sad thing is the Creepycast podcasts. The host sounds like such a nice person and she has a really good radio voice. But Jackie can tell her anything and she doesn't question her at all.

As much as I might like someone or believe in something when they come out with a claim about being the ambassador to China I would stop and think for a second.

I didn't find a place to work it into the page but in the Jackie & Hector podcast she said:

Jackie: -we talked about an experience there where one of the newspapers, uh, one of the editors, who was a skeptic, and I like skeptics, you know, cause, uh, it's fun to see someone have their mind opened. You know, show a little sign of intelligence, instead of you know.
Cat: Well, yeah. Yeah, that's not achieved properly.

I need to do a section of random quotes.
 
Oh look, I got a blog comment on In Cold Blog:

Anonymous said...

For something or someone to be true it does not require the belief of speculative onlookers.

Due to the confidential nature of most of Jackie's cases and clients, it is in no one's best interest to list explicit details on any website. Jackie Barrett is more than just a incredibly gifted psychic she is a person with impeccable intergrity who once she actively starts work on a case, puts all her energy, and talent into it's resolution.

I don't even need to say anything.
 
Jackie Barrett in "Amityville: The Last Testament"

What a shameful farce this show was. I didn't believe one word spoken by any person in it. It's hard to even gauge whether this Jackie Barrett is a charlatan or genuinely delusional--she certainly comes off like a narcissistic loon in any case. I'd love to hear the Police Department's opinion about the three-hundred cases she claims to have solved or helped. I almost hate to recommend viewing the show, but for the fact that it's a textbook example of a stilted, deceptively-produced pile of chicanery.
 
I wish somebody would pay me to wander around looking insane and excuse my behavior if I bitch-slapped someone :( I'm jealous.
 
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