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The American Civil Liberties Union announced a settlement Wednesday with the Pierce County Jail that will allow inmates of all faiths to be accommodated while behind bars at the facility.

Muslim inmates granted more religious freedom

BY Brandi Kruse  on October 24, 2012 @ 12:20 pm (Updated: 12:32 pm - 10/24/12 )

A lawsuit has led to more religious freedom for Muslim inmates at the Pierce County Jail.

The American Civil Liberties Union announced a settlement with the county that will allow inmates of all faiths to be accommodated while behind bars at the facility.

The suit was filed in U.S. District Court in Tacoma in Sept. 2010 on behalf of a Muslim inmate who felt Christians were given preferential treatment by jail staff.

"The settlement recognizes that jail officials cannot arbitrarily favor certain religions over others, or restrict an inmate's religious exercise without out a compelling reason," said attorney Hank Balson with the Public Interest Law Group. "It fulfills the intent of the Religious Land Use and Institutionalized Persons Act, which Congress passed in 2000 to ensure that prisoners of all faiths could continue to practice their religion while incarcerated."

Under the settlement, prayer rugs will be available for purchase from commissary. The jail will also allow Muslim inmates to wear kufis and to modify their dress to comply with their religion.

They will also be given food accommodations.

"They'll get halal meals, which are the equivalent to kosher meals that are being provided to Jewish inmates," said Doug Honig with ACLU-WA.

As part of the agreement, the jail has also closed the "Responsible Living Unit," or so-called "God Pod," where Christian inmates participated in Bible study.

Brandi Kruse, KIRO Radio Reporter
Brandi Kruse is a reporter for KIRO Radio who is as spontaneous and adventurous in her free time as she is on the job. Brandi arrived at KIRO Radio in March 2011 and has already collected three regional Edward R. Murrow awards for her reporting.
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Comments (3)


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  • Bucket Dad wrote...
    Anyone find it ironic
    October 24, 2012 2:57 pm
    to read the words "more freedom" and "in Jail" in the same sentence?
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • RoPo wrote...
    and also ironic that the "responsible living Unit"
    October 24, 2012 3:05 pm
    would be closed while offering "more" religious freedom? Seems like only one group is getting more religious freedom.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • hpitantso wrote...
    Equal religious freedom
    October 24, 2012 10:54 pm
    Who believes the title would affect readers interesting?
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }