Non-Muslim inmates convert to Islam to get better food? Get real Daily Mail

Tuesday, 24 January 2012 14:13

The Mail of Sunday last week featured an article on the Young Offenders’ Institute in Feltham stating that a third of inmates at the prison are Muslim and claimed that non-Muslim inmates are converting to Islam to get ‘better food’.

From the Mail on Sunday:

“A third of inmates at one of Britain’s most notorious youth jails are Muslims and the religion is attracting a large number of converts.

“There are 229 Muslims out of a total of 686 youngsters detained at Feltham Young Offenders’ Institution in West London, according to Ministry of Justice figures.

“Sources claim that converts are attracted by the chance of better food and a more comfortable regime.

“But there are also fears that some are being radicalised.

“During Ramadan, Muslim prisoners are given food in separate hot and cold containers so they can eat what they choose at the end of their daylight fast.

The article continues to state ‘facts’ about the Muslims prisoners at Feltham based on quotes from one unnamed source:

“A source revealed: ‘Over the last few years there has been a huge surge in those attending Muslim services.

“‘The popularity of the faith has surprised people. We are seeing a large number of inmates converting to Islam.'

He added: ‘There is a difference between mainstream believers and extremists, but the fear is that some in the jail are being radicalised.

"'Others convert for protection or to have what they believe is an easier lifestyle."

“Prison insiders say most non-Muslims are locked up during Friday prayers because so many guards are needed to monitor the lunchtime service."

It is difficult to see how food packages in hot and cold containers, intended to enable Muslim prisoners to fast when the hours for eating and drinking are restricted to before sunrise and after sunset, can reasonably be considered ‘better food’ or an ‘easier lifestyle’. And the article takes no account of the accommodation of religious practices for other faith groups in the UK in our prison service. Are we to understand that fasting and weekly congregational prayers are rituals of worship which only affect Muslims?

Moreover, the statistics on the high number of Muslim prisoners at Feltham Youth Prison - 33% - are shocking but the significant lack of any analysis or context by the Daily Mail means that the statistics are simplistic and suggest that Muslims are more likely to partake in criminal activity, without giving any consideration to issues such as poverty and unemployment which are often linked to crime.

A previous report on Muslims in British prisons and their over representation, found that the picture is rather more complex. The report suggests that other issues should be considered when assessing the rise in offenders such as the overwhelmingly young age of the British Muslim population (34% under 16 in 2001) as well as issues of social and economic deprivation and unemployment which disproportionately affect British Muslims of Pakistani and Bangladeshi descent more than other ethnic groups.

Furthermore, the report states that “prison statistics in relation to religious identities do not show the number of prisoners who convert to a particular faith whilst inside prison, or those whose religious identity has been re-awakened”. This may go some way towards substantiating statistics on the high Muslim prison population.

Moreover, analysis of the statistics on Muslim prisoners reveals that although Muslims are over represented in British prisons (11% of the prison population compared to being only 3% of the general population), only 6% are of the total prison population are British Muslims, suggesting that foreign nationals comprise the rest of the Muslim prison population.

The Mail on Sunday article is but a further example of the regular bad press that British Muslims receive with no regard for the social consequences of frames of references utilised by journalists and editors that unfairly demonise them. Taken together with the Mail on Sunday front page, ‘Terror link pilot accuses airline of racism’ and the ensuing double page spread titled, ‘This could only have happened to a Muslim,’ as well as the editorial in the paper, ‘Justice cannot be done under veil of secrecy’ it’s difficult not to imagine the average reader piecing together a picture negatively disposed towards Muslims.

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