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DarkDruid · 01-11-2002, 08:58 PM

I heard somewhere that the statistics taken during May, 1997 were taken before the prisoners acctually entered prison. Hense, no time for the missionaries.

Prometevsberg · 01-12-2002, 06:13 AM

Page 1
Looked around a little, and also found statistics for New Mexico
Page 25

UNM Institute for Social Research

RELIGION
Roman Catholic was the religious affiliation most frequently indicated by the DOC inmates (46.7%). There are 68 different religion categories listed in the DOC codebook, most of these represent less than 1% of the inmate population. The table below lists the more frequently chosen religious affiliations.

Religious Preferences of Inmates
N %
Agnostic/Atheist 24 0.58%
Baptist 526 12.71%
Black Muslim 39 0.94%
Roman Catholic 1934 46.72%
Jehovah's Witness 23 0.56%
Jewish 6 0.15%
Lutheran 12 0.29%
Methodist 35 0.85%
Mormon 22 0.53%
Protestant 123 2.97%
No Pref/DK 386 9.32%
Other 1010 24.40%
Total 4140 100.0%
www.cjjcc.org/download/wp15.pdf

Prometevsberg · 01-12-2002, 09:59 AM

..and a christian site, more or less, which adresses the question
<a href="http://www.adherents.com/misc/adh_prison.html" target="_blank">Adherents.com</a>
which should be loked up, as it proposes some arguments that one might meet.

01-14-2002, 04:03 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by cheetah:
[Also, I anticipate that he will say this is because Christians convert so many people in jail, not because they enter jail being Christian. Anyone herad or seen refutations to that?

Thanks! I appreciate any assistance.[/QB]

EX Convict here with just a personal observation of one state "of grace" prison system. I was an atheist (former Unitarian) when I went "on the state" for crime against nature and noted that convicts seemed to fall into several groups: substance abusers, other psychiatric cases and retarded, severe lack of education, EVIL types, lazy thieves etc.
Most cons (over half ??) were under the influence when the alleged crime happened, and most of those were pathological liers "in denial" about their addiction. The appeal of religion in prison comes from the free food, sex, drugs, booze and the ability to con the man: "I've changed". The bible was often used to carry grass or pills into the unit by the 'missionaries'. Yes I went to all free food events. Any prison conversions of cons were most likely "con" jobs by inmates and inflated selfserving number padding by the do gooders. Send your dollars to support our PAID do gooders, just like all the parasites sucking $$$$$$ from the gulible religious fools.

[ January 14, 2002: Message edited by: OutFag ]</p>

hezekiah jones · 01-14-2002, 05:44 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by OutFag:
The appeal of religion in prison comes from the free food, sex, drugs, booze and the ability to con the man: "I've changed".

I have heard from several attorneys here that since the truth in sentencing laws kicked in in Wisconsin a year ago, jailhouse "conversions" have tailed off considerably. Since then, when you're sentenced to 15 years, you serve it no matter what; hence there's no motivation to become a christian to try and get an early release, so inmates don't bother with this particular scam anymore.

brighid · 01-14-2002, 12:04 PM

None/Atheist/Unknown 18,537 19.908%

I think this is a VERY misleading statistic. There is an ENORMOUS difference between NO religious preference, UNKNOWN religious preference and ATHEISM. If anything, this should be broken down into THREE separate categories. What percentage of that statistic are unknown – none and atheist? Out of 19% is that 1% atheist or 18%? That certainly would given one a truer picture of the actual population and not something as misleading as this one!

Brighid

Triple Six · 01-14-2002, 10:55 PM

Hey I love anything that puts religion in a bad light

but we must remember one thing and that is being religious in prison can be a huge plus

Think about it, how many times has "finding god" being used as an excuse that some low life is now a reformed character and should be sentenced more lightly, paroled, saved from execution, moved to a less harsh regime, etc. Which would be funny except for it being a very successful ploy

What should happen of course is that "finding religion" is correctly diagnosed as either a) a cynical attempt to pervert the judicial system for personal gain or b) an indication of mental retardation. The solution for both options would be keep them away from society for longer

More seriously religion needs taking out of prisons completely. I'd be a lot happier with more prisoners being called atheists if it meant (often public funded) religious frauds not being able to spread their poison amongst a (literally) captive audience.

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01-11-2002, 08:58 PM	#11
DarkDruid Regular Member Join Date: Aug 2001 Location: Seattle, WA Posts: 131	I heard somewhere that the statistics taken during May, 1997 were taken before the prisoners acctually entered prison. Hense, no time for the missionaries.

01-12-2002, 06:13 AM	#12
Prometevsberg Junior Member Join Date: Dec 2001 Location: Oslo, Norway Posts: 86	Page 1 Looked around a little, and also found statistics for New Mexico Page 25 UNM Institute for Social Research RELIGION Roman Catholic was the religious affiliation most frequently indicated by the DOC inmates (46.7%). There are 68 different religion categories listed in the DOC codebook, most of these represent less than 1% of the inmate population. The table below lists the more frequently chosen religious affiliations. Religious Preferences of Inmates N % Agnostic/Atheist 24 0.58% Baptist 526 12.71% Black Muslim 39 0.94% Roman Catholic 1934 46.72% Jehovah's Witness 23 0.56% Jewish 6 0.15% Lutheran 12 0.29% Methodist 35 0.85% Mormon 22 0.53% Protestant 123 2.97% No Pref/DK 386 9.32% Other 1010 24.40% Total 4140 100.0% www.cjjcc.org/download/wp15.pdf

01-12-2002, 09:59 AM	#13
Prometevsberg Junior Member Join Date: Dec 2001 Location: Oslo, Norway Posts: 86	..and a christian site, more or less, which adresses the question <a href="http://www.adherents.com/misc/adh_prison.html" target="_blank">Adherents.com</a> which should be loked up, as it proposes some arguments that one might meet.

01-14-2002, 12:04 PM	#16
brighid Veteran Member Join Date: Apr 2001 Location: somewhere in the known Universe Posts: 6,993	None/Atheist/Unknown 18,537 19.908% I think this is a VERY misleading statistic. There is an ENORMOUS difference between NO religious preference, UNKNOWN religious preference and ATHEISM. If anything, this should be broken down into THREE separate categories. What percentage of that statistic are unknown – none and atheist? Out of 19% is that 1% atheist or 18%? That certainly would given one a truer picture of the actual population and not something as misleading as this one! Brighid

01-14-2002, 10:55 PM	#17
Triple Six Veteran Member Join Date: Dec 2000 Location: formerly Lae, Papua New Guinea Posts: 1,867	Hey I love anything that puts religion in a bad light but we must remember one thing and that is being religious in prison can be a huge plus Think about it, how many times has "finding god" being used as an excuse that some low life is now a reformed character and should be sentenced more lightly, paroled, saved from execution, moved to a less harsh regime, etc. Which would be funny except for it being a very successful ploy What should happen of course is that "finding religion" is correctly diagnosed as either a) a cynical attempt to pervert the judicial system for personal gain or b) an indication of mental retardation. The solution for both options would be keep them away from society for longer More seriously religion needs taking out of prisons completely. I'd be a lot happier with more prisoners being called atheists if it meant (often public funded) religious frauds not being able to spread their poison amongst a (literally) captive audience.

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