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8th Cir. Says No Public Funding for Faith-Based Prison Program | 31 comments (31 topical)

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I can let the use of the facilities slide.... (none / 0) (#13)
by kdog on Wed Dec 05, 2007 at 09:12:09 AM EST
is that reasonable enough?

I question the wisdom of using taxpayer funds to teach that only an imaginary friend in the clouds can save you....you bet.  I feel a resonable compromise is to allow churches or whoever access to prison facilities to help inmates in their own godly way.  The state, otoh, should only cut checks for secular programs.  Otherwise all the various denominations of snake oil salesman will come running for their slice...and the government will have set the precedent that they will pay for it.  Heck, maybe I'll start the Church of Mother Earth, get a check from Uncle Sam, and head to the pen to hand out the reefer sacrament....sound good?

[ Parent ]

I think it is. (none / 0) (#14)
by Deconstructionist on Wed Dec 05, 2007 at 09:44:29 AM EST
  I have issues with the program described in the opinion or ones similar to it because it seems the program is used to accord  prison benefits to certain inmates that are not available equally to persons of any faith or no faith and it is not clear other groups had equal opportunity to establish programs according the same benefits.

  I also have a problem with the government subsidizing staffing  or material costs for religious programs.

  I would not have a problem with privately funded programs being permitted to use the facilties free of charge and for the prison to award benefits to perticipants in religious programs if (and this would be a difficlut if to achieve in the real world) equal access were available to all faiths or "individual improvement" programs which involved no religious content. (By "access" that means that from the inmates perspective HE has access to a program in his chosen faith or no faith that allows him the same benefits not just that any group that wants to organize a program is permitted to do so if it can fund it and meet all the necessary regulations).

  As I said,  that would be very difficult to achieve in the real world and if it could not then no government (prison) awarded benefits should be made available based on programs run by any particular faith which inmates cannot receive without following the program of that religious group. BUT, and this a huge but, I still think the religious program should be allowed to operate  and inmates allowed to particpate with the understanding the prison could afford them no special privileges as a result of that participation. those inmates who choose to participate in a protestant Christian program because they believe it will help them should not be denied the opportunity because there is not Catholic or  Muslim or Jewish program if that program does not cause the prison to give the inmate benefits.

[ Parent ]

I think in the real world (none / 0) (#18)
by sarcastic unnamed one on Wed Dec 05, 2007 at 02:12:31 PM EST
just the opportunity to get out of your cell or get off the yard, even if only for a 1 hour faith-based program, or a continuing ed math class, or a rehearsal for a prison play or concert or what have you, is in reality a huge benefit not afforded to those who choose not to participate in the various programs.

iow, all prison programs offer benefits to only a select group of inmates - ie., those who choose to participate - and not the population at large.

So, to be consistent, if it's the inequitable assignation of benefits via prison programs that's the crux of the issue, then it would make logical sense to demand all prison programs should be abolished since they all provide inequitable benefits.

[ Parent ]

8th Cir. Says No Public Funding for Faith-Based Prison Program | 31 comments (31 topical)

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