Religious Exercise in Prison - A Guide for Prison Officials

Abstract:     
The Religious Land Use and Institutionalized Persons Act (RLUIPA) prohibits any prison receiving federal funds from substantially burdening the religious exercise of its prisoners unless the burden survives strict scrutiny. This paper will discuss specific accommodations that a prisoner might request and propose solutions that will preserve the inmate’s right to free exercise of religion while still maintaining prison security. Specific accommodations discussed will be: dress and grooming accommodations, dietary accommodations, and ceremonial accommodations. This paper can serve as a guide to prison officials when they are faced with an accommodation request.

Number of Pages in PDF File: 16

Keywords: Religion, Prison, RLUIPA, Religious Exercise, Religious Freedom, Religious Accommodation

working papers series