The bipartisan criminal justice bill that just passed through the Senate yesterday — and one of the only legislative issues both parties seem to support in large numbers — has a church/state separation problem.
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Except for the part that’s bad. One of the provisions in S. 3649 concerning an “evidence-based recidivism reduction program” — which is a program to prevent offenders from ending up back in jail — allows for “faith-based classes or services.” In other words, one way to convince the government to set you free because you’ve shown you won’t commit another crime would be by going through a religious program.
Not just a religious program, but one funded by the government.
