The Feds Sue The Florida Prison System For Not Serving Kosher Meals

Back in 2007, the Florida Department of Corrections decided that it needed to tighten
its belt and stopped serving special meals to its Jewish and Muslim population. That's right, no kosher or halal meals for the inmates. Prior to that decision both Muslims and Jews ate kosher meals. But those meals cost more than double the amount that regular prisoner food costs, so it made sense to stop providing them that option. However, the FDC must have buckled at some point in time after that initial decision, because one correctional facility in South Florida has been offering kosher meals since 2010 to about 12 or so who qualified for a pilot program:

Only prisoners who are at least 59 years old or eligible for assignment to a work squad and have religious reasons for keeping kosher are eligible for the program.

And even though the inmates have  plenty of vegan and vegetarian options, which would preclude the need for kosher meals, they are still complaining and now the federal government has stepped in. Yes, the feds have actually sued the FDC for not making kosher meals available to all inmates. Apparently, the feds believe that this "forces hundreds of its prisoners to violate their core religious beliefs on a daily basis." Excuse me, but if they were that religious- and that goes for anyone who follows a strict "religious" diet- how did they wind up in the slammer to begin with? Surely someone who is that religious would have the moral rectitude to stay out of trouble.

According to FDC spokesman Jo Ellyn Rackleff Kosher meals cost around $4.70 a day as opposed to $1.54 a day.

The vegetarians lucked out with all their food options, but that's because soy products are cheaper than meat. However, one pedophile inmate- Eric Harris- at Lake correctional facility in Florida sued the Florida prison system last year because he felt that being forced to consume soy by-products in up to 70% of his meals was "cruel and unusual" punishment. I guess he should have thought about that before he started molesting young kids.

Criminals of any religious persuasion do not deserve any special treatment. If you want to be able to follow your religious and dietary laws then stay out of prison.

Don't the feds have anything better to do?!