Faith-Based Treatment for Sex Offenders

The Meadow Creek Correctional Facility in Alaska is considering instituting a faith-based treatment program for the sex offenders incarcerated there. The reason? Aside from the growing desire of government officials to bring more religion into prisons, the secular treatment program is being ended due to budget cuts. For the time being, the prisoners will receive no treatment. If a faith-based program is created, the clergy brought in will not necessarily have any training, experience, or license for dealing with sex offenders.

This story is an example of what is going on in many places: budget cuts made at all levels of government, but especially by the federal government, are forcing many government programs to restrict or even end operations altogether. The same government officials who voted to restrict or end those programs then turn around and cite the lack of government services as a reason why we must turn to religious organizations and ask them to take over.

Read More:

• Separation of Church and State 101
• Religious Right