In terms of the lack of academic Pagan books, I think that is a strength rather than a weekness. According to the National Center for Education Statistics:
"7 in 10 prisoners perform in Levels 1 and 2 on the prose, document,
and quantitative scales."
Level 1 is considered to be functionally illiterate. Too high a reading level would be bad thing from most prisoners. (For the cite, see the report: http://nces.ed.gov/pubsearch/pub...asp?
pubid=94102
You know, the more I think of this, the more perplexed I get. I mean, don't the prisons have chaplains and Sunday Christian services? And if so, what do they have for Pagans? And if not, do the prisoners have to organize their own worship services?
Please keep up with this story! It's interesting.
Pagan services are usually peer-led, though sometimes local clergy will visit to lead a ceremony. In most cases the prison will provide a room (or space) for the purpose of performing rites. The details vary from prison to prison.
I was a volunteer for Minnesota Heathens' prison outreach program. My experience was only with the state prisons, not federal. The prison has an official Chaplain. Most will hold a service in either their denomination (and training) or a "non-denominational" service. Still typically Christian.
Other religions, Islam, Judaism, Hinduism, Buddhism, Asatru, Wicca, Native American, etc. (lacking a Chaplain) can only meet with their approved volunteer present. Chapel meetings, holiday meals, etc. all must have the volunteer present. If the volunteer doesn't show, they are canceled.
Some Chaplains are hostile to non-Christians, some are neutral, some are actively supportive and encouraging (like the one I worked with). It really varies based on the people you're working with.
I was quite surprised to find Gareth Knight and Emma Restall Orr (although not her best) on the list. This is really eccentric to your line here Jason, but I wonder who in the Federal Prisons management system knows enough about druidry and the British magical system to put this together? I'd be interested in knowing the "how" of this as much as the why. Are there secret practitioners to pick the non-obvious choices or were "experts" consulted and who were they?
david
"I'd be interested in knowing the "how" of this as much as the why. Are there secret practitioners to pick the non-obvious choices or were "experts" consulted and who were they?"
I share your curiosity in this matter. Were Pagans secretly consulted? Publishers? I want to know!
I think I can safely say that publishers were not consulted. Everyone here at Llewellyn was surprised and troubled when we first heard the news of this secret list. (Thanks for posting it, BTW!)
I think we can *all* agree that we would much rather have Pagans and seekers in prison be able to read anything and everything that is donated to chaplain libraries than simply what is on a list like this. It is a real shame for all religions involved. Chaplains were already selectively screening out books that include nudity, incite violence, etc. etc. from what I've heard anyway. Why try to be all pre-emptive by making a pre-approved list, rather than letting the chaplains handle these issues on a case-by-case basis as they always have?
I have talked with others about this and so far no one knows who these mystery list-makers could be.
The lists are bizarre. I just finished a list of its pecularities myself:
http://altreligion.about.com/b/a.../b/a/
257593.htm
It's quite disturbing to see what the anonymous censors approved- they seem to have no knowledge at all of most faiths. Some of them are just mind-bogglingly weird. What I found really curious was the inclusion of no fewer than eight titles from Yisrael Hawkins of the House of Yahweh, on a list that is supposed to avoid radicalism.
I think I have an idea of the how- because this list is too strange to be deliberate, and "experts" would have biases, but not result in such random weirdness. I know they asked chaplains for lists of what they had, I think they skimmed a few, and the result was this list- how else to explain only six Sikh books?
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