Providing Meals Meeting Religious Standards in Prison
Food — it’s one of the basic necessities in life. People may like one food, but not another; or maybe they have an allergy and cannot eat certain foods. It seems fair that the person with allergies is fed allergen free food, and the person who prefers one food over another should receive the preferred food when possible. Moreover, when someone cannot eat a specific food because of their religion, it makes sense that an alternative is offered. What if these people were prisoners, not just your average Joe? The prisoner with allergies should still be fed allergen free food, but the maybe the food preference of the prisoner is irrelevant. What about the prisoner who required religiously compliant meals? Prison systems should offer meals that meet religious standards in prison to anyone who requests them, regardless of their religious history and the cost of the meals. The government should not force anyone, prisoners included, to compromise on their religion.
The ruling by the Supreme Court in the case of Lemon v. Kurtzman states that to stay within the scope of constitutionality any governmental interference with religion must not inhibit nor advocate for religion …show more content…
Burstein bring to light a possibility Alvarez has ignored, a prisoner’s switch to kosher meals could be part of their path to reform and create a more ethical lifestyle (qtd. In “Letter”). Many prisoners, during the time of their incarceration, discover religion and let it inspire their choices and goals for the future. More often than not, religion has a positive influence on the prisoners, and can help guide them in making better decisions A major part of religions, such as Judaism, Hinduism. Islam, and Rastafarianism, is their dietary restrictions as a way of life. Each has their own rationale and reasoning for the restrictions, but all should be respected, and prisoners should not be forced to eat food that their religion has
Food — it’s one of the basic necessities in life. People may like one food, but not another; or maybe they have an allergy and cannot eat certain foods. It seems fair that the person with allergies is fed allergen free food, and the person who prefers one food over another should receive the preferred food when possible. Moreover, when someone cannot eat a specific food because of their religion, it makes sense that an alternative is offered. What if these people were prisoners, not just your average Joe? The prisoner with allergies should still be fed allergen free food, but the maybe the food preference of the prisoner is irrelevant. What about the prisoner who required religiously compliant meals? Prison systems should offer meals that meet religious standards in prison to anyone who requests them, regardless of their religious history and the cost of the meals. The government should not force anyone, prisoners included, to compromise on their religion.
The ruling by the Supreme Court in the case of Lemon v. Kurtzman states that to stay within the scope of constitutionality any governmental interference with religion must not inhibit nor advocate for religion …show more content…
Burstein bring to light a possibility Alvarez has ignored, a prisoner’s switch to kosher meals could be part of their path to reform and create a more ethical lifestyle (qtd. In “Letter”). Many prisoners, during the time of their incarceration, discover religion and let it inspire their choices and goals for the future. More often than not, religion has a positive influence on the prisoners, and can help guide them in making better decisions A major part of religions, such as Judaism, Hinduism. Islam, and Rastafarianism, is their dietary restrictions as a way of life. Each has their own rationale and reasoning for the restrictions, but all should be respected, and prisoners should not be forced to eat food that their religion has