It is unclear how Criminon's program, which is voluntary and conducted by correspondence, began at Corcoran or other prisons. But a Criminon document obtained from Corcoran states that the program has been operating there for at least 15 years. It appears to have spread by word of mouth among inmates, with help from some prison employees.

Criminon executives say that while the Church of Scientology and some of its organizations preach against psychiatry, Criminon focuses on rehabilitating criminals by restoring their self- respect. Its teachings are based on the philosophy of [L. Ron Hubbard], a science fiction writer who founded Scientology in the 1950s.

Last month, [Scribner] met with a delegation of Criminon executives and Indonesian law enforcement officials as they toured [Corcoran], [Sabrina Johnson] said. Criminon provides services in Indonesian prisons. Scribner did not respond to repeated requests for comment.