Increase in Pagans Leads to Jail Changes
Saturday May 17, 2008
On the Isle of Wight, the number of Pagans in the local jail has tripled over the past eight months, and that has led prison officials to consider some changes in response to the shifting demographic. Administrators at the HMP Albany facility are trying to figure out how to provide a "world faith centre", which would be a space for worship available to non-Christian inmates. A prison spokesman said prisoners were encouraged to continue practicing their faith -- whatever it may be -- because for many convicts, religion is an important coping mechanism.
While the 34 incarcerated Pagans are only about five percent of the prison's residents, it's interesting that the folks in charge are responding so readily to the change in population. I'd be curious to see how this progresses, and see what changes have been made at Albany a year from now.
While the 34 incarcerated Pagans are only about five percent of the prison's residents, it's interesting that the folks in charge are responding so readily to the change in population. I'd be curious to see how this progresses, and see what changes have been made at Albany a year from now.
Comments
Interesting that “some Pagans sacrifce animals and divine the future using their entrails” - I’ve never know that, unless they’re talking about ancient Rome!
Also implied is that the increase in Pagans is due to the increase in sex offenders. A breakdown of the figures here might be instructive, especially since they gave about 7 categories of “Christian”, but lumped all of us Pagans together (don’t know if that’s a good thing or not - at least we’re getting regognition this way.
By the way, I’m not saying that the sex offenders must be Christian or any other specific faith - it’s just interesting that the rise in sex offenders is linked to the rise in Pagans.
I wonder, also, how many “Christians” and “Jews” etc are actually still practicing, or have just given the religions in which they were brought up. There is probably a large proportion of “not really anythings”.
Just a thought.
Blessings, Arianne.
My understanding is that Voudu practitioners do sacrifice animals and read their entrails. I’m pretty sure they cook and eat them afterward, though.
Hi! I think that it is kind of bad, the fact that Pagans are getting attention is good, but the fact that the pagans are in jail, and the number of pagans imprisoned is rising, doesn’t look good to the media. Yes, I know, there is an increasing amount of pagans, therefore you are bound to have more pagans in jail. But, the publicity is rather unwatned. {I as chuckle to myself} The irony of it is funny! Also, the sacrificing part; not really what we do, {Of Course!}, rather bad publicity too! Voodoo practitioners don’t really fall into the Paganism division, assuming that you consider the meaning of the term’s more modern use; not the otherwise {older} use, which is broader. Anyhow, and I do hope that my comment is still posted, I would love for everyone to visit me at www.EssenceOfWitch.Com! You will find the Essence Of Witch Podcast, along with a Majickal Grimoire among other things!
Blessed Be,
Colt Barnett
Here’s my take.I see an awful lot of folks claiming to be “Pagan” or “Wiccan” and have NO IDEA what that actually means.They have jumped on a popular “new” trend (!)and they are acting and dressing the “part” and call themselves “witches” etc (or lol… “Warlocks”)….I have a theory that the rise in incarcerated “pagans” is that these folks are claiming Pagan as their religion.In reality, I don’t think that a lot of them really know what they are talking about.Most of my friends who follow a Pagan path, are for the most part moral, upstanding ,honest people who harm none.
“There is no clear reason for the increase in the number of pagans here, except that we have a lot of prisoners transferring here from other areas because of the core sexual offenders’ treatment programme we run, which is one of the best in the country,” said Mr Cousins.
Mr Cousins should be extremely ashamed of himself and keep an eye out for the libel cases that should be flocking his way from Pagan inmates (and inmates of non-Christian background) for the way he has seriously implied that there is a link between Paganism and sexual offenses.
I also agree with Wendy that perhaps these Pagan inmates are not Pagan at all, or have only started to follow the path. I know a great many Pagans and none of them have had a brush with the law…and as for sexual offenses, anyone can commit one, it has no relation to religious background, race or culture, if a person is going to commit a sex crime that is because of that individual, not caused by their upbringing or religion.
The UK Pagan Federation has established a network of Pagan prison “chaplains” to visit prisoners, and one of their jobs is to help the authorities sort out the real Pagans from the ones who are playing the fool or trying it on - like the ones who claim they have a religious right to have a sharp knife!
The UK Pagan Federation has established a network of Pagan prison “chaplains” to visit prisoners, and one of their jobs is to help the authorities sort out the real Pagans from the ones who are playing the fool or trying it on - like the ones who claim they have a religious right to have a sharp knife!
I think that’s a good idea (’specially since most Wiccans believe an athame should be dull to begin with…) I would like to think that a “real” pagan, many of whom follow the “Harm none” guideline, would stay out of jail in the first place, which does make me question how so many ended up behind bars, save maybe for the occasional civil disobedience case…
My first question is why is the number of wiccan or pagan arrests going up? Instead of wondering how to provide a “world faith center” my gut is why are we being rounded up and thrown in jail again? I just had a go around at work with somebody attempting to cause trouble. I wear a pentacle, but a client tried to say that I said that I was a certified witch. So now I can’t wear a symbol of my faith. I ended up by getting a Celtic Cross. Nobody should have to do this, but prejudice is still very much alive and well in this so-called enlightened age.
“I wear a pentacle, but a client tried to say that I said that I was a certified witch.”
Laurie, what a horrible client. I hope you can start wearing your pentacle again or find a less judgemental place of work! Nothing on this Earth would force me to wear a cross, Celtic or otherwise.
I don’t think Pagans are being rounded up and imprisoned, particularly in the UK. Our prisons are far too full for burglars, so I doubt ‘heretics’ would make the grade either. I think it is the ease of access to information that has caused this increase in Pagans in jails. If people can access more information, and religions are supposed to be good for your parole prospects, I imagine more and more prisoners are finding new faiths for themselves. I’m not totally cynical, I do think that a criminal could genuinely find Paganism in jail, but I don’t think it would be compatible with their life of crime on the outside…so a more interesting statistic would be to see how many Pagans in jails are re-offenders.
As for the 5% pagan prison population- well that is a significant amount, if you consider that the Jewish Pop. in America is approx. 2%. Therefore it is appropriate to accommodate this demographic group in an official sense.
Many prison inmates who are pagan or newly pagan have expressed how difficult it is to find reading material on the subject in the prisons; can we do something to address this issue?
“I wear a pentacle, but a client tried to say that I said that I was a certified witch. So now I can’t wear a symbol of my faith.” I don’t know what it is like in other countries, but in the USA, if the employer allows crosses and other religious symbols, but not the pentacles, then that is discrimination and is against the law. On another view, atleast she recognized the pentacle and accociated it with being a witch. There is nothing wrong with being a witch. I am a witch and proud of it and I wear a pentacle. The only error the customer made is assuming that all that wear the penacle are witches. That is not true, and I would have educated the customer that not all pagans who wear the pentacle are witches. but that’s just me. (I know, she probably didn’t say it to your face and went behind your back to your boss, but I would have said it to the boss too. lol)
As for the other coments in regards to the increase of “pagans” in jail; I agree that there are many people calling themselves pagans and that it is also bad publibicity just like these hollywood movies (wicker man, blair witch project, the craft, etc)that make us pagans look bad. However, it is a mistake to think that all pagans are Wiccans, and thus follow the Wiccan rede of harming none. This in not so. Unfornatly, the media, nor hollywood, is going to focus on good actions of Pagans or those that follow the Wiccan Path, because “the bad” is more interesting to the “uneducated”.