Religious Rights Violated: North Carolina Prison Denies Inmate Access to Bible

Derrick Walker explains how restrictions on religious materials in North Carolina prisons have resulted in a direct violation of religious rights and constitutional freedoms.

The State of North Carolina doesn’t allow any type of religious material to be received by inmates in prison unless it’s first approved by the facility, even if the religious material is sent by a preapproved book distributor such as Amazon or Barnes and Noble—creating an ongoing issue surrounding religious rights.

I know this firsthand because, back in the May, my family had ordered an expensive study Bible from Amazon. But when it arrived, the staff told me that I couldn’t take possession of it because it hadn’t been preapproved by the religious coordinator. They told me that I would need to either send it home or have it destroyed. But since I didn’t have the money to send it home and I wouldn’t sign to have it destroyed, I was told that I could donate it to the chapel library, which I decided to do.

What Happened to the Bible?

When I later checked with the religious coordinator about receipt of the material, I was told that the material was never received, but I never learned what happened to it. According to the policy and procedure of the State of North Carolina, inmates are allowed to receive any law and/or religious material as long as it’s sent by a preapproved distribution company, yet I was denied the material. What I don’t understand is how other books that are sent by these same companies are allowed in, but for some reason only religious material is banned from reception unless it’s first preapproved by the receiving facility—a clear example of unequal treatment that limits religious rights for inmates.

Violation of Religious Rights

To me that sounds like a violation of my right to practice my religious rights, as well as a violation of my constitutional rights. When I asked why receiving any religious material was restricted, I was told that it was because someone could place narcotics or any other types of contraband into the material for the inmates to receive.

My rebuttal was that since other books were allowed into the facilities by these same companies without any type of preapproval, then all religious material should be treated in the same fashion. But none of my arguments were accepted. I took my case all the way to the Department of Adult Corrections, but they agreed with the facility where I’m currently being housed.

Practicing Faith Behind Bars

In essence, I was told that I didn’t have any viable argument. So, in short, if you’re trying to practice your faith and wishing to purchase the material that’s needed for both reading and studying, you’ll have to jump through many hoops in order to have the required material to practice your faith and maintain your religious rights. I wonder what God thinks of this. I’m certain that He wouldn’t approve of this.

Want to read more? Check out Faith, Forgiveness, and a Life Sentence: How One Prison Family Found Strength Through God

The post Religious Rights Violated: North Carolina Prison Denies Inmate Access to Bible first appeared on Prison Writers.