Petition for prison prayer

An Indianapolis jail inmate is attempting to petition for daily Muslim group worship and prayer opportunities as opposed to the already accepted weekly service
options.

John Walker Lindh, a man incarcerated for assisting terrorist organizations, claims his right to practice religion is being challenged by his inability to communally pray every day, an important part of his Muslim faith.

The argument being used against this idea is that it poses a security risk to the jail to allow such a large group of inmates to meet at such a regular time.

Upon entering jail, one does not, and should not, immediately forfeit his or her right to religious practice.

The concept of finding religion while doing time is a popular one, and born-again Christianity is incredibly popular.

At the same time, this demonstration of religion is most often done in a very personal and introspective manner.

That means the need for community is less striking and poses little or no security threat.

When a large group becomes necessary, it is the job of the justice system to do all it can reasonably do to accommodate the religious needs of inmates.

But when those needs require an effort that causes a serious risk to the health, safety and security of the prison as a whole, a prisoner should forfeit his or her right to certain practices.

And although the right to practice religion should not be restricted, the right of the community to safety most definitely usurps the rights of those incarcerated.
So although group prayer is a significant mainstay in Islamic practice, it is not a guarantee in the context of a prison.

It is a request that must be evaluated for the realism of security risks that it potentially poses.