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Book Hierarchy In Jail?

By John Mesirow

In Kansas (and probably lots of other states), absolutely. By law, the Bible reins supreme, and stands alone. Here's the text of Kansas statute 19-1906:

Bibles for prisoners; ministers to have access to jail. The sheriff of each county shall provide at the expense of the county for each prisoner under his charge, who may be able and desirous to read a copy of the Bible or New Testament, to be used by such prisoner at proper seasons during his confinement; and any minister of the gospel desiring to aid in reforming the prisoners and instructing them in their moral and religious duties, shall have access to them at seasonable and proper times.

Now I've got nothing against the Bible (or the New Testament), but providing it as a basic right? But what about, say, the Old Testament, the Qur'an (Koran), the Talmud, Vedas (Hinduism), the Tripitaka (Buddhism), the Book of Mormon (I'm being open-minded), Dianetics (I'm being very open-minded. I think they're nuts, but our government accepts them as a religion.) And don't forget about the right to access to "any minister of the gospel ... at seasonable and proper times." Here's a link to the Kansas statute.

Full post as published by Legal Juice on March 16, 2008 (boomark / email).