Muslims in Prison

JAMES A. BECKFORD is Fellow of the British Academy and former Vice-President of the International Sociological Association, UK. He has written six books and has edited a further five volumes. His research has focused on religious minorities, 'cult' controversies, religion in prison and social theories relating to religion. DANI LE JOLY is Professor and Director of the Centre for Research on Ethnic Relations, Warwick University, UK. She obtained a Licence ?s Lettres, University of Nanterre, France, a Master's Degree in Industrial Relations, University of La Sorbonne, France, and a PhD f

The growth of Islam in Europe is reflected in the increasing numbers of Muslims in British and French prisons, but authorities have responded differently to the challenges presented by Muslim prisoners in each country.The growth of Islam in Europe is reflected in the increasing numbers of Muslims in British and French prisons, but authorities have responded differently to the challenges presented by Muslim prisoners in each country. The findings of three years of intensive research in a variety of prisons show that British prisons facilitate and control the practice d of Islam, whereas French prisons discourage it and thereby sow the seeds of extremism. The policy implications of these ironic findings are examined in detail.