State Funding For Prison Ministry Ruled Unconstitutional

Source: AP

Des Moines, Iowa -- A federal appeals court said state funding for a Christian prison program in Iowa was unconstitutional, because it advanced or endorsed religion.

The court upheld a federal judge's ban on state funding for Prison Fellowship's InnerChange Freedom Initiative in Iowa, although the program continues with private funding.

The 24-hour-a-day, seven-day-a-week program immerses inmates in evangelical Christianity. Inmates who complete the 18-month program also get help after they are released from prison.

Prison Fellowship operates similar programs in Arkansas, Kansas, Minnesota, Missouri and Texas. All are privately funded through donations from individuals and foundations.



Read more: http://www.kxan.com/Global/story.asp?S=7446302

My friends at A.U. (Americans United for Separation of Church and State) are no doubt VERY HAPPY over this!

On edit (quote):

Federal Appeals Court Strikes Down Public Funding Of Evangelical Prison Program In Iowa
Monday, December 3, 2007

Americans United Praises Court Ruling That Upholds Separation Of Church And State

A federal appeals court today ruled that tax funding of an evangelical Christian rehabilitation program at an Iowa state prison violates the separation of church and state and must end.

The 8th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals found that government support for the InnerChange Freedom Initiative at Newton Correctional Facility -- a program operated by Chuck Colson’s Prison Fellowship Ministries -- advances religious indoctrination at state expense. Americans United brought the litigation against InnerChange on behalf of inmates, their families and taxpayers.

The Rev. Barry W. Lynn, Americans United executive director, hailed the ruling.

http://www.au.org/site/News2?JServSessionIdr012=64tz4r74b2.app13a&abbr=pr&page=NewsArticle&id=9523&security=1002&news_iv_ctrl=1241

Barry Lynn is my hero - a reverend in the very liberal, open-minded United Church of Christ, and a crackerjack constitutional lawyer!

not the government and the taxpayers.

it is their responsibility to address encroachments upon First Amendment rights; and, they do that most beautifully.

There is no reason that effective secular programs cannot be designed and put in place. That is the only just way; participants should not have to suffer proselytization (direct, indirect, obvious or more discreet). When I was a social worker, I had clients that were victims of a rather well-known charity (that rings bells). Heavy pressure was put on them (illegally) to become conservative, fundamentalist Christians - if they wanted the benefits of a government-funded program. That should never happen.

Peace.

Finally some good news. :bounce:

Prison ministries, supported by churches, coming into prisons using their own funds, are good for inmates. They get visitors, they get books and Bible study, and those who are doing the ministering get the satisfaction of helping someone in need.

But the state shouldn't pay-it could lead to too many questions. Like are the people in the christian prison program getting any kind of preferential treatment? Or the opposite? Better to have the state run the prisons.