Dangerous Convictions for PDF - ADL

Dangerous
Convictions:
AN INTRODUCTION TO EXTREMIST ACTIVITIES IN PRISONS
These dynamics pose enormous problems for America’s prison systems.
Prison officials are responsible for balancing the stability of the penitentiaries
and the safety of inmates and guards with the constitutional rights of the
inmates who reside within those penitentiaries. In many cases, this can be a
challenging task. Extremist ideology can be violent, even advocating the overthrow
of what its adherents see as illegal or illegitimate government authority,
yet extremist speech is still protected speech. While prison authorities are able
to limit an inmate’s access to material that could compromise the security of
the prison, inmates still have the right to First Amendment protections.
Freedom of religion similarly becomes an issue. The First Amendment mandates
that prisons make religious accommodations for prisoners. Yet this can
create problems when inmates adopt a pseudo-religion in order to subvert
prison regulations or when inmates become adherents of a theology that promotes
violence towards those of other religions or races. Disputes over constitutional
rights many times end up in court, where prison officials must
prove that withholding literature or religious services is reasonably related to
legitimate penological objectives. The sticky intermeshing of prison culture
and dynamics; inmates and outside groups with extreme ideological goals; and
the need to ensure both security and constitutional rights within prison walls,
suggests that these are problems not easily solved. As a result, their effects will
continue to be felt both inside and outside America’s prisons.
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