Faith-based prisons sound like a good idea, until you ask for reality-based data.

Last week the state of Florida, under the leadership of Governor Jeb Bush (R), opened it's third faith-based prison in Wakulla.  (The other two are in Lawtey and Hillsborough.)

While the incarcerated are already granted full religious freedom in regular prisons; faith-based prisons are teamed up with churches who volunteer to provide counseling and classes that have been drastically reduced in the state-run system.  The religious organizations also have greater flexibility to administer their education and training the way they see fit.

Proponents of the faith-based approach to prison management are quick to point out that the program is open to all faiths, including atheists. However, the majority of the attendees and staff are fundamentalist Christians.

While the idea of a faith-based prison sounds bad on the surface, when you actually look into it... it's a terrible idea rife with opportunity for abuse.

For example, if a prisoner "converts" in order to improve his quality of life while he serves his time; isn't that a breach of the separation of church and state?  Or, if a religiously devout prisoner has a theological disagreement with the cleric running the program; wouldn't a faith-based prison make the said prisoner open to reprisals from the clergy?

The answer to these both of these questions by proponents for these religious programs is:  No.

Don't look for evidence to back up the above denial, because even the most die-hard advocates admit that they don't have anything except anecdotal evidence so far.  Also, don't ask for secular oversight for the faith-based programs, because if there were - it would cease to be  faith-based.

Jeb Bush put it best during the opening of the Wakulla prison:

"My expectation is we'll have a lower recidivism rate. <snip> My expectation is that you'll be better behaved here, but also better prepared when you get out of here to live a productive life."

The religious-right is basing its faith-based prison initiative on expectations about the nature of crime and punishment, rather than reality.  There is no evidence that faith-based prisons reduce crime or recidivism any more than "abstinence only" sex education reduces teen-pregnancy rates.

While experimentating with different different methods to rehabilitate criminals has always been a hallmark of American criminal justice; there is no reason why an untested and unscientific program should now be in three Florida prisons.

If the religious-right truly cared about helping prisoners improve themselves, there is nothing stopping them from volunteering in the secular prisons already.  The faith-based prison initiatives are a thinly veiled move by fundamentalists to set up a system of Christian madrassas within the penal system.

Before another faith-based prison is built, taxpayers should demand that these programs provide hard data which show they are more effective at reducing recidivism than secular, science-based methods.

Read counterpoint here.

Summary:  Faith-based prisons weaken the separation of church and state and have no basis in science.

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