West Virginia Drops 12-Step Recovery Programs for Inmate Release

West Virginia has ended the requirement for inmates eligible for parole to complete a religious-based 12-step substance abuse recovery program before release, following a legal battle by an atheist inmate who objected to the program as "religious coercion." The decision, which removed the religious components from the parole eligibility requirements and treatment program handbook, could have national implications on the use of religious 12-step programs in prison systems. Advocacy groups are pressuring other states, such as New York and Minnesota, to follow suit.