Are religious people less violent?
British jails are already overcrowded, so any attempt to reduce prisoner numbers is probably a good thing. I would imagine that Ms. Booth’s think here was that the convicted would be better served by the judgement and guidance of his peers (ie. his imam and other worshippers) than a spell in prison (given that the man had no history of violence). Whilst it may not be a decision that I am not personally comfortable with, there probably is room for discussion of the involvement of religious institutions in our justice system. I’m generally for a clear divide between church and state but, given that our justice system is often not particularly effective and that prison if often not an appropriate method of punishment/rehabilitation, all options are worth considering. In short answer to your main question, however, no, I don’t believe that religious people are any less violent than their secular contemporaries.
