Recent headlines have lamented Islamic sharia control of entire prison housing blocks in Great Britain. At home, American political leaders are beginning to recognize and assess the threat of religious radicalization in prisons. It is a growing threat, in need of vigorous oversight and management. But efforts to combat this serious homeland security threat will flounder so long as well-intentioned but constitutionally unnecessary religious liberty legislation continues to be extended beyond the general public to inmates. It’s one thing to address the encroachment on religious free exercise that was rampant in the Obama years, as witnessed during its death throes. And legislation passed in the early 1990s was necessary to protect free exercise by law-abiding religious believers, as evidenced by Obamacare’s preventative care mandate that requires coverage for potentially abortion-inducing drugs. Designed as a shield against government intrusions on religious liberty, hostile inmates and their allies will use it as a sword to harass and intimidate prison chaplains, administrators and policy makers. Extending extra-constitutional protection to inmates is a recipe for trouble that will undermine correctional officials and embolden radical elements. The danger is easily remedied if Congress has the will and the courage to retract an unwarranted extension of religious liberty legislation known as RLUIPA as it applies to prison populations, and leave inmate free exercise issues to be governed by the First Amendment. Unless this modest remedy is advanced, prison radicalization will deepen and correctional authorities will soon face a crisis. – READ MORE
Why Prisons Are Breeding Grounds for Jihad Terrorists
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