Texas Mass Grave Hoax: Do Police Really Use Psychics?

Police must follow up on all credible tips about crimes, including those from dubious sources. They routinely deal with liars, hoaxers, jailhouse informants with dubious motives, people with drug habits and mental illnesses, and so on.

It reminds me of Stephen King's The Dead Zone, in which a psychic had visions of a man who would become President and start a nuclear war.  So, the psychic tries to assassinate him and gets shot for his trouble.  But before he dies, he has a vision of the would be President politically ruined by hiding behind a child during the attempt.

Interesting movie, but how does it work in the real world?  Not too well.

In fact, psychic detectives have a track record of complete failure in finding missing persons, including Elizabeth Smart, Natalee Holloway, Holly Bobo, and countless others. This incident is only the latest where police have wasted time, money, and resources following up on false psychic information. This case shows the damage that psychics can do, and why police don't use psychics.

I still think they should ask questions before doing too much.  Even if the police have to go check things out, that doesn't give the media a reason to report something as factual which isn't confirmed yet.