In October 2025, the death of Ian Watkins, the former lead singer of the band Lostprophets, prompted a wide range of reactions. While the actions Watkins was convicted of — deeply disturbing and reprehensible in nature, and profoundly harmful to those affected — were beyond dispute in their gravity, the response to his passing stirredContinue reading “Justice, Compassion, and the Test of Humanity: A Reflection on Ian Watkins and the Limits of Retribution”
Tag Archives: prison reform
The Trump Administration Sides with Abusers in Louisiana and South Carolina
In yet another devastating blow to civil rights and the most vulnerable among us, the Trump administration has abruptly halted critical federal lawsuits that sought to address long-standing abuse and neglect in two U.S. states. These lawsuits, originally filed by the Biden administration in December 2023, were the result of extensive investigations by the DepartmentContinue reading “The Trump Administration Sides with Abusers in Louisiana and South Carolina”
Interfaith Friday #6: Prison Ministry and Faith-Based Rehabilitation Under Threat
A new round of prison privatization laws has led to the cutting of funding for faith-based rehabilitation programs that don’t conform to state-approved Christian doctrine. Jewish, Muslim, Buddhist, and interfaith prison ministries are being restricted from offering counseling or ceremonies unless they use state-approved materials. “I’ve been offering Buddhist meditation sessions to inmates for 12Continue reading “Interfaith Friday #6: Prison Ministry and Faith-Based Rehabilitation Under Threat”