Ohio Prisons Agree To Settle Suit By Changing Prison Practices

The Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Corrections has tentatively agreed to settle a lawsuit brought against its former director by a deputy warden who claimed that the director was using his position to promote Christianity in the prison system. (See prior posting.) Yesterday's Akron Beacon-Journal says that in the settlement in Rose v. Wilkinson the state has agreed that it will eliminate prayers, religious music and proselytization from all secular events held inside Ohio's prisons. The prison system will not order inmates to attend religious programs and will not sponsor or endorse the message of any religious program allowed to enter the prison. In addition, the Department will stop holding employee training sessions and other programs in churches.