Oklahoma town plans to open a "Born Again" prison

[charlie]

It'll be a rehabilitative waystation for near-end-of-term volunteers who agree to participate in their "Christ centered" curriculum, staffed entirely by born-again believers.

An underwriting company says if a government jurisdiction will commit to sending 310 inmates at a cost of $43 a day, it'll back the $42 million bond sale.

Of course, if nothing else, their hiring practices will be challenged. Once, I would've thought it'd be deemed constitutionally illegal, but with the corrections system becoming largely privatized and gov't money flowing to "faith based" activities, who knows anymore?

WAKITA — This tiny town near the Oklahoma-Kansas state line north of Enid may soon own the country's only all-Christian prison, with Christian administrators, employees, counselors and programs.

The idea is backed by Wakita's leaders, has some support from state officials, and, its founders believe, is able to pass constitutional muster.

"If Chicken Little doesn't come to town, we'll be open in 16 months," said Bill Robinson, the founder of Corrections Concepts Inc., a Dallas nonprofit prison ministry that is spearheading the project.

Mayor Kelly George said officials of this town of 380 were fully behind the project and have done everything they need to make it happen...

http://www.tulsaworld.com/news/article.aspx?subjectid=11&articleid=20091102_18_A1_WAKITA319539

[noiretextatique]

1. i am beginning to think secession is a good idea

let the birthers, deathers, teabaggers, racists, and homopobes all go to a couple of red states and create their very own theocracy.

[FLyellowdog]

2. Great idea!

Then when their "Born Again" prisoners are released and reoffend, we'll have some really good numbers on just how unsuccessful this type of program is. Let them have at it. Idiots!

[sandnsea]

4. I'm with you

There are a couple of these programs in Florida. Somebody needs to be gathering the statistics.

[sandnsea]

3. While it is unconstitutional

I still like the idea of forcing these religious nutballs to actually prove that their methods work.

Anybody in social services knows they don't. Let them open these facilities and then be forced to admit that education, job skills, housing, food, and living skills are the exact things needed; which are the exact same things social workers have known for 100 years.

[MNDemNY]

5. Great start, locking up all that claim to be "born again" is a good start.

But that is not what this prison is for, is it? Oh, shit. A boy can dream, though.

[Warpy]

6. I'm actually in favor of this

because I've seen some decent behavior changes in thugs who have been regimented into Christian programs for one reason or another.

You can bet at least half the inmates will be trying to con their way through a softer prison and I'm afraid they'll be in for a big surprise.

However, a few years of having a regimented pattern can often set it, if not into stone, into hardened putty and that is what they might need to make it on the outside.

The other half will be trying to change for the better.

I expect this prison to have a recidivism rate just a hair better than the general prison.

Now if they'd open a Buddhist facility, they'd really see progress... :hippie: