Opinion ID: 217826
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: wiccan inmates in cdcr custody

Text: Like the district court, we adopt the religious language of the complaint and use the term Wiccan to refer to Wiccan/Pagan faith groups consisting of Wiccans, Goddess worshipers, Neo-Pagans, Pagans, Norse Pagans (and any other ethnic designation), Earth Religionists, Old Religionists, Druids, Shamans, Asatrus, and those practicing in the Faery, Celtics, Khemetic, Gardnerian, Church of All Worlds, Reclaiming, Dianic, Alexandrian, Iseum of Isis, Reconstructionist, Odinist or Yoruban Traditions, and other similar nature-based faiths. A concise description of Wiccan religious practices is found in an expert declaration submitted by plaintiffs: Ritual or liturgy is the touchstone of Wiccan/Pagan religious identity and community. Wiccans/Pagans honor the cycles of nature with rituals at new and full moons and on eight seasonal festivals, including the solstices and equinoxes. Regular rituals are often held in small groups ... and are typically directed by a priestess and/or priest. Rituals are usually held in circles and facilitated by ritual leaders who explain the purpose of the ritual, invite deities or spirits to be present, monitor the group's energy and end the ritual in such a way that everyone returns to a normal state of consciousness. The ending of the ritual usually includes a grounding exercise, in which the presence of a priest/priestess/minister is important to help participants return to a normal state of consciousness. According to a 2002 CDCR survey, there were approximately 598 [3] Wiccan inmates in custody, a number that plaintiffs contend excluded the various Wiccans/Pagans included in plaintiffs' definition of Wiccan. This number compares to 20,901 Protestant inmates, 11,351 Catholic inmates, 1,773 Muslim inmates, 1,482 Native American inmates, 306 Jewish inmates, and 4,155 inmates identified as other. In September 2007, the inmate survey indicated 42,666 Protestant inmates, 28,884 Muslim inmates, 23,160 Catholic inmates, 8,296 Native American inmates, 3,296 Jewish inmates, 183 Wiccan inmates, and 2,678 inmates identified as other.