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Pagan inmates are given a day off from work for Halloween
Last updated at 09:37am on 29.10.06
Prison Service bosses have instructed staff to grant the convicts, who include Devil worshippers and Satanists, special privileges on Tuesday
Hundreds of Pagans serving prison sentences are to be given the day off work for Halloween out of respect for their religious beliefs.
Prison Service bosses have instructed staff to grant the convicts, who include Devil worshippers and Satanists, special privileges on Tuesday.
While fellow prisoners sew mail bags and undertake other jail work, the Pagans will be allowed to celebrate their 'holiday'.
They can use certain artefacts, including rune stones, flexible twigs and hoodless robes, provided they are kept in their cells or worn during communal worship. Robes with hoods are banned for 'security reasons', however.
The move is revealed in Home Office documents handed to The Mail on Sunday, which disclose that prisons have been instructed to allow inmates to pursue their religions so the Government can avoid being sued by prisoners.
The orders, issued by the Prison Service's Director of Personnel, Gareth Hadley, apply to every religion from Christianity, Judaism and Buddhism to Hinduism and Islam and, in the interests of equality, Paganism, too.
There are currently 282 Pagans in jails in England and Wales. Critics attacked the policy, saying it was pandering to a 'mad' politically correct agenda.
Brian Caton, general secretary of the Prison Officers' Association, said last night: "People are sent to jail by the courts as a punishment. Taking this punitive element away by pandering to what some might see as political correctness gone mad is all wrong."
The Home Office papers reveal that Pagans can choose a day off work on two dates from eight of their festivals each year.
These include the Spring Equinox on March 20, the Midsummer Solstice on June 21 and Hallowe'en - the Samhain, or Summer's End, as it was known in Celtic times - on October 31. Christian prisoners are allowed three days off - on Good Friday, Easter Day and Christmas Day.
Muslims are entitled to the most time off - 26 days to pray, including the fast of Ramadan. Buddhists get three days, Hindus ten and Jews seven.
The individualised approach has led some prisoners to complain of discrimination. Many inmates are unhappy that they must eat Halal meat even though Muslims make up less than eight per cent of the 77,000-strong prison population.
One Christian, serving a sentence at Ford open prison in West Sussex, has lodged a legal challenge against the Prison Service for allegedly refusing to allow Christian inmates to attend midnight mass at Christmas.
Prison sources say the service is 'hell bent' on pandering to the demands of minorities. But Home Office guidelines say the measures are crucial for reducing 'exposure to litigation'.
A spokesman said: "The Prison Service is committed to treating all prisoners with decency and humanity, which includes respecting those of all religions."
Reader views (11)
Christianity is based on older Pagan myth and tradition. Our society has pambered to the Church dictators and their falsehoods for for too long. Christianity was an imported faith and had nothing to do with UK customs and spirituality.
- Harrace, dublin
It's about time, we Pagans have rights too, even in jail.
- Esta, Riverside, USA
Steve, Satanism has nothing to do with Satan, devil worship, or Christianity. It is a rather hedonistic branch of secular humanism. Not only do they not believe in the devil, they don't believe in worship! They use Satan as a metaphor, seemingly for hedonism or "fleshiness", more like Pan than Lucifer, but more cerebral than Pan. They no more believe in the actual existence of such a creature than Christians do Santa Claus. You've bought in to the media hysteria of the 80s.
- Geekwad, Ontario, Canada
I think that even though they are prisoners that they should be able to practice ANY religion they want. I read this and was very upset that it was made to seem like Wiccan is a bad thing. People do not even know that it is not a "Pagan" holiday. Do you know where the word "Pagan" comes from? If not, don't use it! We all should look to a higher power, but this article made it sound as if only "evil" prisoners believe in Wicca. This is NOT true!
- Jessica Ryan, Effingham, USA
Not everyone in prison is there for serious crimes.
Some are there for non payment of things like council tax and are in debt.
People have even been put behind bars for feeding pidgeons.
Things are not black and white in this world.
- Amanda, Cardiff
While inmates are still people with certain "unalienable" rights, I find it ludicrous that inmates can sue the prison system for lack of holiday worship. Why should jail be "fair"? Life certainly isn't... as it wasn't for the victims of the inmates.
- Jane, Sacramento, CA
I believe that if you commit a crime and go to prison, that you should have no rights whatsoever! And to be allowed to sue anyone is ludicrous! You commit a crime, no matter what, you do the time and while you are in jail you should have no privileges, no rights. What about the victims?
- Elizabeth Poulter, Tulsa, USA
Why is it that this holiday is put in quotes? Is Christmas ever referred to as a "holiday"?
- Scott Muller, New York, USA
As has been stated in the article itself, Christians raise a fuss about not getting Midnight Mass off - and Dec 25th isn't even the date of Jesus's birth!
Church of England (Anglican) is the only religion which the state finds legally binding. That means that Islam, Judaism, Catholicism have just as much standing as other recognised religions such as Paganism, Sikhism, Buddhism and so on. In the same way we wouldn't deny a jew their holidays, nor should we deny a pagan.
Otherwise rights do not apply to all, and the system is at fault.
- Sef, Manchester, England
Devil worshippers and Satanists are not Pagan, although they share the same holidays.
Paganism is a nature religion. It’s a real spiritual belief followed by thousands in this country. So why shouldn’t they have two days to treat as special when other religions do? It’s not political correctness gone mad, it’s consistency, which is important to espouse in a correctional facility.
Work in prison is a privilege, not a chore - so giving it up for a day is not like skiving.
Prisoners are punished enough by taking away the power to come and go freely, see loved ones, even shower when they want to. Religion is needed inside to keep people going. Paganism also has beliefs about getting what you deserve; surely belief systems which reinforce the idea of “do unto others” are to be encouraged among those straying to the wrong side of the tracks?
Pagans have 8 holidays a year and I think the choice of two is a good and sensible compromise. I really don’t see how letting them have a twig and a stone with a picture on it for 2 days a year is any problem.
- Jess, Guildford, Surrey
While it is good to see that followers of the seventh largest religion in this country are having our rights respected, it is a shame to see the statement that pagan prisionoers "include Devil worshippers and Satanists". Satanism is a weird inversion of Christianity followed mainly by teenagers trying to shock their parents and the occasional psychopath. To believe in Satanism and Devil Worship you also have to believe in the Bible. Paganism originates in religions that are thousands of years older and come from completely different cultures. Confusing the two is nonsense.
- Steve Wilson, London
