Archive

Archive for the ‘American Indians’ Category

Montana DOC Reaches Out To Native Americans

April 5th, 2009
Comments Off

nativeamericaninmatesThe Great Falls Tribune has a long and fascinating article about how the Montana DOC is reaching out to Native American inmates.  These are merely excerpts.

Indians make up about 7 percent of the state’s population, but represent a much larger chunk of the prison population. Among men, 19.5 percent of inmates are Native American. At the women’s prison, Indians made up just more than 27 percent of the inmate population in 2008.  Felony crimes on Indian reservations are prosecuted by the federal government, so those offenders would have nothing to do with the Montana Department of Corrections.   Even so, many Native American inmates in Montana’s corrections system are steeped in traditional culture, said Myrna Kuka, American Indian liaison for the DOC …

A good example of that effort is the DOC’s policy regarding inmates attending funerals. Previously, the policy allowed inmates to attend funerals only for a few relatives — brothers, sisters, parents, grandparents.In Native American culture, however, family structure tends to be less clear. It’s more common for a neighbor to take on the role of a grandparent or a cousin to be as close as a brother, Kuka said. Yet policy prohibited inmates from attending those funerals … The policy is more flexible now, including a provision that allows inmates to designate at the beginning of their sentence whose funeral would be important for them to attend …

The state’s three largest prison facilities have sweat lodges where inmates can hold religious services. At the Montana State Prison in Deer Lodge and some other facilities, inmates also are able to participate in pipe ceremonies, drum ceremonies, smudging and talking circles.

vericatrajkova American Indians, Inmate Programs, Montana

American Indians, Hair and Prison

January 27th, 2009
Comments Off

alabama-docMale American Indians incarcerated in Alabama’s prisons want the right to grow their hair long according to their tribal religious customs.

It will be up to U.S. Magistrate Judge Charles S. Coody to decide whether they have it.   The decision will be the most recent ruling in a legal battle that American Indians have been waging with the state Department of Corrections for the past 15 years.  The Indian inmates contend they should be able to practice their religious beliefs in the same manner as inmates of other religious persuasions. They believe the practice of their beliefs has been stifled by the department’s policy of requiring all male inmates to keep their hair short. Testimony on the grooming policy ended Friday, and the case has been turned over to Coody for consideration. A ruling is expected soon.

Alabama is one of 12 mostly Southern states that prohibit inmates from wearing long hair while incarcerated. The rest of the United States and the District of Columbia either permit inmates to grow their hair long for religious reasons or have no rule against it, according to a survey that has been admitted as evidence in the case. Of the 25,303 inmates in state prisons, 195 are Native American …

According to a pretrial order, the state’s main argument against the practice is that long hair poses a threat to “prison security, safety, health and hygiene … and public safety.”  Keeping male inmates hair short also aids in identifying inmates, particularly in escape situations. It also helps prevent hiding contraband, stops inmates from grabbing hair during fights, and keeps it from getting caught in machinery or doors, according to the order. The plaintiffs dispute these justifications in their lawsuit.

vericatrajkova Alabama, Alabama DOC, American Indians