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Wyoming Prisons Will Accommodate Muslim Prisoner Meal Times

By Howard M. Friedman

The Jackson Hole (WY) Star Tribune reported last month that the Wyoming Department of Corrections has adopted a new policy to accommodate the religious needs of Muslim inmates. The new policy was agreed to in order to settle a lawsuit filed by the ACLU on behalf of two prisoners. It challenged a rule requiring inmates to eat their meals within 20 minutes of delivery. This mandate often interfered with Muslim prayer times. Now prisoners receiving religious meals will be permitted to keep the meals in their cells until the next meal is served. Those eating in dining halls will also get timing adjustments. Special arrangements will be made for Muslim prisoners to obtain meals when religious fast periods end. Finally, the settlement also requires the prison to install a new microwave oven that will be used only for pork-free food.

Full post as published by Religion Clause on December 02, 2008 (boomark / email).