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Hello and welcome. Central New York Ghost Hunters was founded in 1997 by Stacey Jones. The organization is geared towards people who are quite skeptical and are serious about claims into the paranormal. We are a diverse group who investigates claims of haunted locale. We do not charge for our investigations and think it is unethical to do so. Our purpose is to conduct research into these requests using quasi-scientific and social research methods. We conduct these inquiries with an open mind (but not so open our brains fall out). We invite you to look at our website and make your own conclusions. We are not convinced that all the evidence you will see is paranormal in nature, for there may be other explanations that may clarify the evidence. We do not pretend to have all the answers, because honestly no one has the answers and don't believe anyone who claims they do. Recently many new ghost hunting groups have been established. Be wary of these groups. With the influx of media attention and new television shows aimed towards ghosts and haunted locations, these groups are not who they portray themselves as being, despite their claims. For example, Director Jon Nowinski of the SGRA in Connecticut a long time colleague came across a new group. He sent out an email and shared his thoughts about such groups. We applaud his convictions and found that his words explain our viewpoints to a "T". "After receiving an email today about a new group that has popped up here in Connecticut I felt it very important to make a clear distinction between "ghost groupies" and legitimate research organizations. The SGRA, and organizations like ours, put great pride in the professional operation and scientific-based investigations that we present. Unfortunately, there are many people conducting "investigations" who do not understand the slightest bit about professionalism or investigative methods. These are whom we call "ghost groupies." This new group in Connecticut is a perfect example of the problem with "ghost groupies." Among posted images on their website, the very first one is an image of a tree with a "No Trespassing" sign on it. The caption to the picture reads: "Signs won't stop us!" Another is a photograph of the outside of someone's home and the caption reads, "This house is reportedly haunted, but the owners wouldn't let us inside." The description also includes the address of the house. These are clear indications of a group that has no respect for individuals or understanding of how to act in a professional manner. Legitimate organizations will NEVER trespass on a site, and also abide by strict confidentiality rules so they will NEVER post private information (such as an address or exact location) no matter what the circumstances are. With the Internet becoming such an easily-accessible method of putting anything you want out there for the public to see, it's becoming more important to not take everything at face value. The point of this letter is to remind everyone to be cautious about organizations, groups, and individuals claiming to be involved in paranormal research. Don't hold back asking questions about the background, prior research, and methods of an investigative team. Feel free to ask for references or examples of previous work, just as you would from any other professional. The real organizations will be happy to provide that information, and it can really save you from some problems later on." We take pride in our work and have a strict code of protocols and standards that every member must adhere to. If you would like to see these rules, please feel free to contact us. Other groups in New York (including Central New York) do not follow these standards. Some are formed from previous Central New York Ghost Hunters that did not fit our strict criteria. They formed their own groups and their lack of professionalism and commitment to serious research is obvious. Please take a moment and read, the section "Go On". This will further explain how we feel. Here are some facts abut Central New York Ghost Hunters: - 88% hold at least an Associates Degree - 72% hold at least a Bachelors degree - 2% hold a degree above a Bachelors Degree No one in our organization would waste their time or money to be a "Certified" ghost hunter, investigator, and grief counselor or hold any other bogus accolade. These "certifications" are useless. No one can certify anyone in the paranormal field. That's why the paranormal is considered the "unknown". We hold legitimate degrees in areas such as Environmental Science, Sociology, Electric Engineering, Fine Arts, Computer Technology and many more. So go...take a look through our site. Don't be fooled by "ghost groupies" and as always, Happy H(a)unting ! Stacey Jones Founder |