Prisoner's Establishment Clause Claim Not Ripe

Earlier this week, in Duquette v. New Hampshire, (USDC D NH, Aug. 29, 2005), the New Hampshire federal district court avoided deciding a claim that the state prison system's sexual offender program is a religious program the violates the Establishment Clause. The court found that since plaintiff will not be eligible to enroll in the program until near the end of his 20 year sentence, his claim is not ripe at this time.