CNN.com - Judge Sentences Offenders to attend church - May 31, 2005

Judge Michael Caperton is well intentioned but the means do not justify the end. There are two issues here: (1) Going to church is presented as a form of punishment for convicted criminals; (2) It sets a bad precedent when the state can determine whether or not, when and how you go to chuch. Judge Michael Caperton may hope that criminals becomed reformed by going to church but using church visitation as a form of punishment is not the way to go about it.