Florida opens third faith-based prison

[Thom Little]

Wakulla Correctional, south of Tallahassee, is Florida's newest "faith and character-based" prison, the third in the state to offer inmates access to evening programs aimed at using their faith - no matter what it is - to strengthen their character.

"It's a very, very important initiative," said Siebert, who was once a reporter and editor at newspapers in Boca Raton and Fort Lauderdale. "It has the potential to change lives."

State prison officials hope that it may help motivated inmates refocus on what their life might be like outside if they change their behavior. They must volunteer to participate.

In addition to offering extra religious study opportunities, the programs offer practical classes, like life skills and anger management. They also use volunteer mentors to give prisoners a positive link to someone who is not a criminal.

http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/F/FL_FAITH_IN_PRISON_FLOL-?SITE=VARIT&SECTION=US&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT&CTIME=2005-11-23-15-58-44

[RagingInMiami]

1. I'm against mixing religion with politics

But I see this as a positive. Because if you strip all the bullshit from religion, you're basically left with a positive message.

[LiberalVoice]

5. Yeah. but...

If you strip all the bullshit from politics their a positive message too. Go figure.

[lostnfound]

2. "anger management" classes. That's a great idea. nt

[expatriot]

3. So do the regular prisons offer the same programs without the faith?

It seems to me that they are implementing some common-sense rehabilitation (life skills, anger management, mentors) and will credit any success to the "faith" part of it. Are inmates in the non-faith based prisons receiving the same practical rehabilitation opportunities?

[kikiek]

15. That is a good question. Are the non faith ones being set up to fail? n/t

[Erika]

4. GOP money changers are counting the tax payer bucks

in their pockets. I hear they've designed a new soap product for the inmates. It will only cost 1/10th of what they have been paying and the inmate has a 10% chance of surviving its use.

A new bang for the buck the GOP can state as as accomplishment and as a reason for privatization. New soap, to be issued by Frist enterprises, will only cost the taxpayers 1/20th of what they have been paying and the inmate has 5% of surviving its use.

You just got to credit the GOP for money saving techniques. Just think what they could do abroad. Oh, they've done so.

[SoCalDem]

6. Here's the thing..

Someone who is locked up, has LOTS of time to think, and usually they are thinking about ways to GET OUT!!!

They will say and do just about anything they think will "impress" the people who control when they GET OUT !

the preachers who frequent the prisons are in contact with the people who control who gets out early because they have "seen the light"..and who stays in because they have a "failure to c'municate"..

The test of the rehabilitation is a year after they have been released. When they got out, did they place a collect call to Jerry Falwell asking him to pray for their wretched soul, or did they hook up with their posse and go partying?

[Erika]

7. Remember the little gal in Texas was reborn and saw the light

and W giggled as he put her to death. So why the push to put faith based institutions? The state pays a church for the cost of lethal injection? This is really sick. It is certainly not Christian. Does Frist and Co. own the lethal drugs?

[SoCalDem]

8. Carla Fay Tucker..n/t

[izzie]

12. I think that the people on the jury that vote in death should do it.

A long with the people that helped them get there. Judge, lawyer, police etc. Why should my tax money pay some ax man 'from away' to come in and due the deed? Not that it has not always been done like this but since we seem to have a lot of people we want to kill we must be doing some thing wrong. What do societies that do not have our problems do? Not that we would wish to look as we never look at others as we are always right.And it is hardly the thing to let some off the wall people screaming at a prisoner to what he did to their family and that we must kill him, that is doing one thing for any one.

[izzie]

10. That seems to be the test. How many times did they return?

I am to old to believe just because you say you are 'born again' that it may mean you are not a crook. I have found to many 'sinner' saying they are good Christians. I think that what they have found is that the older you get the more you think and one of the things you think about is not going back to prison if you were there once. In other words it is like the 2 weeks cold with out drugs will cure itself. It just takes times. If the church groups running prisons for profits do it faster I would like to see the proof. Not church proof but that other type.

[Dont_Bogart_the_Pretzel]

47. what you said...

me thinking same thing!

[flordehinojos]

9. is that where they are going to send carly bruscia's killer to?

}( :P :eyes: :nopity: :thumbsdown: :shrug: :sarcasm: :hide:

[IndianaGreen]

11. This is nothing but Christian proselytizing

Despite the efforts of those wonderful Christians that love social justice, hate the war, and oppose bigotry, the truth is that Christianity will forever have negative connotations because of the Jihadists in your midst.

I now think that Stalin had a point when it came to religion!

[Erika]

13. Christianity and today's Justice system is a joke

Christ, in my opinion, wouldn't go for it and the fundies would love infidels thrown to the lions.

[Divernan]

14. What a hoot! Especially the gullible "volunteer mentors".

All the stay-at-home, evangelical wives will be volunteering to "save a soul for Jeebus", and these volunteers will be PlayDough in the hands of these professional con artists/prisoners! ! ! Anyone who has worked with the justice system/dealt with prison inmates will tell you that the cons are constantly on the lookout for any activity to relieve the boredom, and especially an activity which offers the opportunity to decrease their sentences by impressing the Parole Board or otherwise improve their situations while behind bars.


Of course the people administering this program need it to appear successful, so they'll be recommending all the participants for parole.

Getting back to the "volunteer mentors", they will be gullible enough to (1)actually believe that their "mentee" was wrongly convicted, or took the fall for someone else, or was forced to do whatever they got convicted for; (2) be conned into giving their "mentee" money, cigarettes, or any other thing allowed by prison rules - and will be too bloody stupid to know that all these gifts can be traded for drugs, or sex, or alcohol or whatever else the
NON religious, underpaid prison guards can be bribed to smuggle in to the facility. What about a nice conjugal visit with a "wife" who is really a hooker? Talk about THAT in the pulpit on Sunday! (3) the mentors will be conned into making outside connections for the prisoners, exposing the mentors to the convict's family & friends - likely also involved in crime, where they will be tapped for cash; (4) ah - the lovely sounds of wedding bells! wait until a wife or two decides that the extremely charming con she has been saving really loves her more than her boring GOP husband ever did and that she'll be doing god's holy will to leave hubby and helping her new man to everlasting salvation!

[spanone]

16. 5 words- SEPARATION OF CHURCH AND STATE.

PERIOD.

[Pavulon]

17. Bizarre

I can see allowing inmates to be counseled by preachers, imams, etc. Rehabilitating people should the first goal for most people in prison.

But this is a little close to seperation of church and state issues.

[leesa]

18. KaaaaaaChing!

[seafan]

19. FL Gov. Jeb Bush opens largest faith-based prison

By Mark Hollis
Tallahassee Bureau
Posted November 24 2005

CRAWFORDVILLE · Just beyond the razor-wire front gates of Wakulla Correctional Institution, a dozen inmates stood outside a chapel Wednesday morning, playing electric guitars and singing aloud about how they would "rather have Jesus than silver and gold." //.....Minutes later, Gov. Jeb Bush arrived to dedicate what's being called the nation's largest faith- and character-based prison.

--snip

Bush, a devout Catholic who has defiantly rejected civil libertarians' criticism of the state's faith-based programs, told the inmates how daily prayer has improved his life. He said he shares their belief in the power of faith.

--snip

Bush told reporters he is pleased to see the faith-based program expand in the state, although he acknowledges that there is only anecdotal evidence that it's having an effect on reducing inmates' rate of returning to crime.

"I would urge the governor not to get too comfortable with that stance just yet," said Robert Boston, a spokesman for Americans United for Separation of Church and State. "Of course, they are going to pretend they are abiding by the Constitution," Boston said.

http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/local/florida/sfl-faithpris24nov24,0,7203610.story?coll=sfla-news-florida

[leesa]

20. $$$$$$$$$$$$$$....Ain't faith grand?

[slay]

21. God wants YOU.... in prison

This is such a bad idea on sooooooo many levels. Violates separation of church and state, forces religion on people, favors certain religious groups, etc. Also, what about atheists? Just because you are free to worship as you want in America doesn't mean you have the right to force your views on others - especially when they are locked up in a prison! This is more Republican crap catering to the religious extremists in their party. Some would call this forced brainwashing. :(

[VegasWolf]

22. Religion has been good for suckering in $$$$$ ever since man

first worshiped thunder.

[Cha]

35. Ain't that the friggin' truth..just ask

patwa robertson or jerry foulwell.

[seafan]

23. And more from the Palm Beach Post:

(emphasis added)

But Rob Boston, a spokesman for Americans United for Separation of Church and State, said his group is skeptical that state money is not used...// ... Noting that there is little evidence the programs are effective, he said they serve only the politically beneficial roles of using a cheap and unproven rehabilitation technique after years of cuts in inmate rehab programs and appeasing and building the ranks of Christian evangelicals.

Gov. Bush and corrections officials declined to provide data from the state's first two faith-based prisons — one in Lawtey for men and one in Tampa for women — on whether the participants are less likely to reoffend after being released, saying that they need at least three years' worth of data to be valid.

Bush said, "My expectation is we'll have a lower recidivism rate."

Boston said, "If there isn't (any data), you have to ask why the program is expanding."

The emphasized text is why Jeb is pushing these unconstitutional measures, in a nutshell.


http://www.palmbeachpost.com/state/content/state/epaper/2005/11/24/a27a_flafaith_1124.html

[VegasWolf]

25. "My expectation is we'll have a lower recidivism rate." That's the

religious, always believing things with no facts to back them up!

[Hyernel]

24. So when the convicts get out...

...and realize that the fantasy doesn't match Reality....It all falls apart and they go back to crime.

What criminals need is to learn how to live in the REAL WORLD, not to delude them with this medieval mind control bullshit.

Hyernel

Discovering that a turkees dark meat is much more tender and flavorful.

[driver8]

26. So Shrubby will feel right at home there...

Maybe they could find space for Cheney, too.

[mzmolly]

27. Perhaps he's preparing for his children's future housing arrangements?

:eyes:

[Sven77]

28. slave labor

im sure they will give the drug users long sentences of factory work. prisoners are paid very little for manufacturing. further eroding jobs for americans.

[madfloridian]

29. One county has baptisms in jail. Faith-based jails in Polk County.

This has been going on a long time here. The inmates have been known to manipulate the system by taking part to get favors and special treatment.

http://www.theledger.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20051004/NEWS/510040315/1075/YOURTOWN08

Grateful for Jail Baptism

It was such a pleasure to see so many people from throughout Polk County show up for the Bartow Jail's first water baptism on Friday. The men and women being baptized were from the Faith Based Dorm and were such an encouragement to all of us.

We are grateful to Sheriff Grady Judd and his staff, as well as Dr. Lee Spell at the jail for allowing this program in our community. The inmates in this dorm are being exposed daily to character-changing teaching that is geared to make a difference in their lives when they are released, thus decreasing recidivism. Only time will be the true measurement of the changes being made.

We are also grateful to the many volunteers who meet with the inmates daily to mentor them and offer support on their release. We do hope The Ledger will do a special report on this feature of the Bartow Jail in the near future. Thank you for your good work in keeping us abreast of news in our county."

And from Mother Jones in 2003:
Jails for Jesus
(This article goes to motivation for the inmates to take part)

http://www.motherjones.com/news/feature/2003/11/ma_561_01.html

Many inmates, however, don't join for the ideology. They do it to transfer from other parts of the prison system, and because completing InnerChange amounts to a get-out-of-jail-free card with the Parole Board: "We have a very positive relationship with the board. Sometimes they just give our inmates a green light and say, 'See you at work release,'" said Larry Furnish, InnerChange program manager at Ellsworth. Kansas has only 298 coveted work-release positions for about 9,000 total inmates; InnerChange graduates are all but guaranteed a space as well as help finding a job and housing after they get out.

Meanwhile, joining InnerChange brings about a radical change in lifestyle. The move- ments of the general population are highly restricted. Those who share a snack or a book will likely be written up for "dealing and trading"; during visiting hours, hugs with family members are timed. But InnerChange "members" have good prison jobs and electric guitars. They are called by their first names, hugged and told they're loved, and, because the program emphasizes reconciliation with family members, are provided much greater visitation rights -- their wives can join them for Bible study and picnics.

And then there is the pizza. When a new class of inmates joins InnerChange, the staff orders 100 large pies, a fact that all 800-plus inmates at Ellsworth appear to be intimately, obsessively, aware of. "We are stretching the local Pizza Hut to its absolute capacity," InnerChange office administrator Gale Soukup told me with a worried look, "and they're the only game in town."

[MisterP]

43. now THAT is f'ing creepy: thousands of convicts trained in conservative

doctrine and being prepped for politics.
Reminds me of the b-grade teleseries "Revelations"

[ismnotwasm]

30. Ok

I'm going to assume this is a minimim security prison, with the lesser violent criminals. Try that singing and guitar playing shit in a maximim security lock up.
Put me in prison, and I'm going to find Jesus, buddha, AA, Tao, whatever it takes to deal with the legal system.

It's my understanding (no links) that the prison industry is one of the largest industries in America. Think of things like who provides the food, who trucks the food in, the security, the maintenence, water, electricity, etc. Big, big, government money and contracts. So they want to turn prison into church?
Jeb is a hypocrite and an asshole.

[shugh514]

31. Jailhouse conversions

are as reliable as torture-induced confessions.

[Maraya1969]

32. Are they going to teach Islam also? I'm sure there are Muslims

in the jails.

I wonder what they would say if someone wanted to teach "The Course in Miracles". Personally that is my faith and it helps keep me sane.

I heard some former inmate say once that the pedophiles gravitated to Christianity. Probably because they believe that all you have to do is get "Saved" and you will go to Heaven no matter what kind of shit you did here on earth.

[mzteris]

33. Right idea, wrong faith......

"National Institutes of Health in the US to fund a recent University of Washington study at a jail near Seattle. Inmates were repeat offenders who had significant drug and alcohol problems, and in many cases mental disorders, too. Researchers conducted a controlled study to determine if Vipassana could reduce recidivism as well as drug and alcohol use.

Three months after their release from prison, the meditation inmates showed significant reductions in alcohol-related problems as well as the use of marijuana, heroin and crack cocaine. Inmates reported feeling less depressed and said they felt greater control over their destructive impulses. Two years after their release, their recidivism rate was 56 per cent, compared with 75 per cent for the control group."

http://www.pmasystem.com/medit3.html

[Maraya1969]

36. If they are going to teach any religion it should be Buddhism. How

many Buddhist monks have you seen getting in trouble like Catholic Priests and Christian Ministers?

Buddhism is, in my opinion, one of the most peaceful religions - or practices - in the world.

I agree with the meditation. Jumping up and down for Jesus is not addressing the frenzies of the mind.

This is all just my opinion.

[Cha]

34. "Faith" in What? Getting Purged

from voting in Florida whether you're a felon or not?

What a pandering hypocrite!

[flordehinojos]

37. such a damn hypocrite. just like his brother, his poppy and his mommy.

[Voltaire99]

38. Actually, Jeb has his finger on something here...

...and it's the awful pulse of Puritan vengeance.

There's one thing this nation craves more than the idea of Jesus returning on a golden Lexus to judge the living and the dead and then start His own cable shopping network and Riches-Through-Prayer podcasts.

It's punishing the fuck out of its poor and miserable in the name of God.

Feeling cynical about Thanksgiving? Be thankful you're not sitting in the Jebster's Holiest of Holies.

[NVMojo]

39. how can find out what private contractors are in place inside the prison?

mental health, substance abuse, Halliburton type contractors?

[Overseas]

40. Kick and pass it around . After the public learn what fake Christians

like GW Bush have done -- torture, fraud, mass murder-- they'll run from yet another showy Christian Bush Boy, I'd expect.

[electricray]

41. I wonder if this "program" (read scam) qualifies for ...

Office of Faith-based Initiatives grants. If it does, that sure seems like a convenient fix for the Bush family election problems. Arrest as many people as possible, send them to Federal taxpayer funded "faith-based" prisons for "rehabilitation" then let them out without voting rights.

[fshrink]

42. The Constitution

says nowhere that church and state should be separated. That was Jefferson's and a few others' conviction but the text itself is 1/2 ass (" Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion".) There's just a single clear USC opinion (1996, I think) on the matter. That's it.
In effect, the US is a religious state, with more churches than there are mosks in Iran, with the word "God" everywhere, with being openly a-religious guaranteeing to never be elected to any public office, etc...

[HockeyMom]

44. Of course, CHRISTIAN Prisons

Well, what about the people who don't WANT to be CHRISTIAN? Plus, of course, it must also be their "favored brand" of Christianity too.

I have never committed a crime, but I have to tell you that everything that is going on in this country has caused me to finally LOSE MY CHRISTIAN FAITH. I want no part of it anymore. It is all about hatred, bigotry, and oppression. It was not supposed to be like that at all, but it is has been hijacked by those with an agenda, take your pick what that agenda is.

You cannot SEE what they are doing?????? If you are turning off Christians, do you really expect to get MORE CONVERTS???

[TroubleMan]

45. Cue up Mel Brooks: "The Inquisition...what a show!"

"The Inquisition...here we go!"

[Dont_Bogart_the_Pretzel]

48. That movie was i hoot!!

[upi402]

46. Re-Education camps next

praise jeebus or it's into the hole for you :evilgrin: