It has long been my opinion that all meals in prisons and jails should be vegan. It would probably save the states money and a vegan, all natural, no hormones added diet may calm some of these people down...maybe there should be a study done with prisoner volunteers. Is the incidence of violence among vegan prisoners in relation to the meat eaters higher, lower, or no change?

Posted by: Rev. Meg Schramm | August 26, 2009 05:30 PM

If prisons exclusively served vegan food the inmates would gradually become less violent. It's called karma.

Posted by: Brien Comerford | August 26, 2009 08:14 PM

Irrespective of the crimes they have committed, at least the lives of some animals will be spared which can only be a good thing.

I do hope that when they are released they will have as much respect for their fellow human beings as they do for animals and try not to break the law again.

My only problem with this latest news is that the same respect isn't shown towards veg(etari)an hospital patients by those in charge. Through personal experience I can say that I was lucky to even get a vegetarian meal, let alone vegan.

Posted by: Bluebell | August 26, 2009 09:09 PM

Thanks be to God for COMPASSION AS PART OF UK JUSTICE SYSTEM UNLIKE USA.Hope and pray the americans learn from us and become humane and compassionate and caring like animal loving Englanders.

Posted by: Ravi Pandya | August 27, 2009 03:08 AM

Vegans or not, they are prisoners. They broke society's law and aren't entitled to anything special. They should eat what the other prisoners eat or starve. The same with the shampoo.

Posted by: Tom | August 27, 2009 10:19 AM

Ravi,

I wouldn't say that England (or the UK as a whole) is any more compassionate than America.

Let's not forget that although PETA was co-founded by the British born Ingrid Newkirk, it is based in the USA.

Posted by: Bluebell | August 27, 2009 11:05 AM

If these prisoners are so worried about being "cruelty free" Then why are they in prison? Violating the rights of others is cruel in and of itself. Why weren't they worried about being cruelty free when they were committing their crimes?

Posted by: Tom | August 27, 2009 12:09 PM

Just because the prisoner's aren't entitled to anything special doesn't mean animals should have to die just so the prisoners can get clean.

Posted by: Ben | August 27, 2009 06:30 PM

societys laws cannot be right, the prison industrial complex is out of control. the silly and remote straw man argument presented above is pointless and absurd.

Posted by: vegancoin | August 27, 2009 09:55 PM

THEY CRIMINALS WHY SHOULD THEY BE TREATED ANY DIFFERENT AND ALSO IF THEY SERVED VEGAN FOOD IN PRISON THAT WOULDN'T DO ANYTHING CAUSE PEOPLE WILL STILL PEOPLE...IF YOUR IN JAIL YOU HAVE NO RIGHTS POINT BLANK PERIOD!!!!

Posted by: POPPA FUNK | August 28, 2009 12:17 AM

Yeah, For Poppa , if I am imprisoned then I must be forced to contribute to the slaughtered and torture of other species? That is unethical and some prisoners do have ethics. It is the govt that lack ethics

Posted by: Roxnne | August 28, 2009 01:44 PM

So Roxanne, by your logic, you would rather have a homocidal maniac set free vs. having a governer who enjoys meat? If people were ethical, there would be no need for jails. If people don't want to be forced to eat meat, STAY OUT OF JAIL. When you are a criminal, you give up certain rights. In my opinion, baby killers are much worse than a government that actually makes sure that its prisoners are fed, clothed, and sheltered. And who are you to say that the government is more unethical than prisoners?

Posted by: Edward | August 28, 2009 06:09 PM

there prisoners they shouldnt get special products if there in prison they DONT deserve comfort.. if they dont want to wash then let them stink

Posted by: sarah | August 29, 2009 01:12 AM

It's a matter of Religious Freedom. Even in jails in the US you have a right to practice your religion. Being vegan for me is a religious choice. Also even if it were not a religion I have a conscious and respect for other living beings and do not want them to suffer or feel pain. I did not discover the religious aspect of being vegan until I began to study it after beginning to eliminate meat from my diet nearly 10 years ago. I could not accept that a LOVING GOD that I believe in could approve of such cruelty and began to investigate.

And Mr. Thomas if you ever have the unfortunate experience of being in jail, many are there for crimes they did not commit, you would change your unevolved punk attitude around real fast.

Posted by: Saucy | August 29, 2009 11:35 AM

The way I see it they broke the law they shouldn't be getting special treatment and be treated like every one else.

Brien Comerford I highly doubt being vegan would decrease violence in prisons.

Posted by: trikesorz | August 29, 2009 12:50 PM

roxnne, If prisoners had ethics they wouldn't be in prison. and Saucy, while it's true that a great minority of prisoners are there because of a miscarriage of justice. The VAST majority of prisoners are there as a consequence of their behavior and lack of ethics. They are entitled to anything special.

Posted by: Tom | August 31, 2009 02:16 PM

Serving vegan (and even vegetarian) diets will probably increase violence, since prisoners love their protein. There is no way that hardened criminals would accept eating tofu and rice for dinner. Why are jails such a concern? There are more important things to worry about. It's not like they hand out fur coats and leather pants for their uniform.

Posted by: Edward | August 31, 2009 04:42 PM

OK Tom, thats fine unless that one person sitting on death row for a crime they didn't commit is YOU.

We are group of people who want to promote peace, not only to mankind but all creation.
"Blessed are the PEACEMAKERS for they shall inherit the KINGDOM OF GOD"

Why do you have to sound so harsh?

In my religion there is a trinity of existence; body, mind, spirit. They are all connected. If you put violence into your body, your spirit and mind will be affected, however subtly you believe that to be, it is common sense.

So, it is about getting people, wether they are sitting in prison or a palace to eat less meat, therefor lessening the amount of violence on the planet.

Jesus said "My yoke is not hard, harsh, sharp and pressing, but GENTLE, MEEK, LOWLY AND HUMBLE.

There is nothing gentle about the meat industry. It is a HORROR SHOW to be sure.

The Bible says to guard your heart for out of it flows LIFE.

Can the STOMACH say to the HEART because I am not the HEART, I am no longer a part of the BODY and therefore it be so.

Please be aware, the devil keeps himself well hidden, he is the father of lies, his m/o is deception. You cannot partake of the TABLE OF CHRIST and the Table of Satan. The choice is yours.

Go Vegan. There are so many wonderful options.

Chalk full of PROTEIN.

God Bless, May the Lord be with you.

Posted by: Saucy | September 1, 2009 10:22 AM

Uh, Saucy, Jesus ate fish and meat.

Posted by: Liz | September 1, 2009 04:23 PM

Uh Liz,

If Jesus ate meat, I'm the Easter Bunny.

The KINGDOM OF GOD is VEGAN.

Genesis 1:29

Posted by: Saucy | September 2, 2009 07:40 PM