Shi'a Inmates v. the Department of Correctional Services ___ By Sandra Larriva and Veronica Zaragovia

(from page 1) Although Shi'a classes have been implemented, inmates continue to report difficulties in getting approval to celebrate religious holidays.

Dong Chong, who is currently serving time in Fishkill Correctional Facility, _ said in a letter, “for the last two years, every religious observance we have something always goes wrong.” Having submitted a proposal “two to three months in advance” for holidays such as Ashura, the inmates are unable to observe some holy days because “paperwork is misplaced” or “the imam was on his vacation,” Chong said.

Among the many cases are Cancel v. Goord (1995), Chatin v. Coomb (1999), Orafan v. Goord (2002), Pugh v. Goord (2002) and Chatin v. the State of New York (2005).

Of the above, only Cancel v. Goord has been decided. The Appellate Division of the State Supreme Court held that the Department had not provided a rational basis to deny the alleged religious discrimination grievance and that it was up _ to the Department, rather than the court, to determine the way in which an inmate would be allowed to practice his faith separate from other groups.

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