Warren Jeffs and the FLDS
Reiney Sanders
The purpose of this study is to investigate polygamy in the United States through a case study of the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints also known as the FLDS. They are a spin-off of the CLDS, which is The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. The head of the FLDS was Warren Jeffs and their compound is originally based in Salt Lake City, Utah. In 2006, Jeffs was the FBI’s most wanted man in America. Jeffs is currently serving a life sentence for the marriage of underage girls and sexual assault. This paper will explore how Jeffs came to lead the church and how he became such a threat to the American society. Research indicates that underage marriage and sexual assault was rampant within the FDLS. This paper looks at the history of polygamy within the Mormon church and this specific splinter group, the role of women within this faith, and the culture which perpetuated the abuse and exploitation of girls and young women. I hope to explain the social processes through which Jeffs became such a powerful figure.
Reiney Sanders graduated from Southside High School in Greenville,SC. She is a senior sociology major with a minor in religion. She is a Presidential Ambassador for Lander University, has experience of being a president of an organization, and has interned at a Free Clinic in Greenwood, SC.
