Dungeons and Dragons Threatens Prison Security, Court Rules

**Griogre** · January 28th, 2011, 02:45

Well I guess we've come a long way, baby. We've been demoted from devil worshipers to just gang members.

If you're an orc or a wizard, you'd better keep your nose clean.

A three-judge panel of the United States Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit weighed in Wednesday on a matter of grievous import to the nation's prisons: Dungeons & Dragons. And the Court's ruling was bad news for naughty nerds nationwide, concluding that the innocent-seeming board game was inviting trouble.

The case brought before the Appeals Court argued that D&D inhibited prison security, because "cooperative games can mimic the organization of gangs and lead to the actual development thereof." And therefore Kevin T. Singer, a long-time dungeon-explorer sentenced to life in prison in 2002 for bludgeoning and stabbing his sister’s boyfriend, was denied access to his magical staffs and pieces of gold.

According to the published ruling, Captain Bruce Muraski, who serves as disruptive group coordinator for the Waupun Correctional Institute in Wisconsin, elaborated that "during D&D games, one player is denoted the 'Dungeon Master.' The Dungeon Master is tasked with giving directions to other players, which Muraski testified mimics the organization of a gang."
In other words, the case didn't hang on whether the dice were loaded or the game's books were cooked or seditious. It argued that limiting the use of board games would deter gang activity. The argument had more nuances than a 12-sided die; for all the legal details, check the Geeks Are Sexy blog.

It's a blow to role-players everywhere -- criminal role-players that is. Law-abiding citizens are safe .So heed this warning and rob no more, or you'll find you've slain your last halfling.

Read more: https://www.foxnews.com/scitech/2011...#ixzz1CIFZ0AJ5

**Lysander** · January 28th, 2011, 03:39

Damn. I was going to put all my dice in a sock and use it as a weapon... to defend myself of course...

**Valarian** · January 28th, 2011, 07:06

Again, nothing about the social benefits of gaming. For example, getting monosyllabic teenage boys talking to each other. All it takes is one player or GM with an obsessive personality wigging out and we all get tarred. Are football fans tarred with the violence that erupts on a weekly basis? No!

Anyway, deep breath and rant over. Maybe we need a counter-message.

**Sorontar** · January 28th, 2011, 07:38

Yeah stop playing D&D in prison, start taking drugs, bulking up, get a bit of Brokeback action with the new inmates and prepare yourself for your next short stint on the outside.

Jeremy Clarkson was right - in some parts of the US people have started mating with vegetables. I just didn't think they would make them Judges

**drahkar** · January 28th, 2011, 09:37

It goes back to a common failing in the average person. The inability to look beyond the prejudices, biases and preconceptions they have on things. Thus you get results like this.

Its this same failing that has given rise to all sorts of atrocities and horrors over the history of Mankind. The Crusades. The Inquisition. And those are just the more recent examples of this kind of thing causing people to be unable to see, or interact with things that don't fit within their little box of perception and belief. Even worse, in those cases, this flaw manifests in violence.

**Fenloh** · January 28th, 2011, 17:00

Actually i think of this as "Lawful evil". Someone does not like them to play DnD, because they have fun doing it.

*Sarcasm on * They are in prison, not in a camp. They are not supposed to have fun. How can they even think they get trough with it. Lets take it away from them.... Oh Darn, i cant do it leagally * evil laughter * YET. And i will make all inmates SUFFFA! * Sarcasm off *

Fenloh

**JFK** · January 30th, 2011, 18:32

Well, it's dumb and off-base, yet (*cringes at the expected flaming*) I can see why some guards could be concerned. I think if they were D&D players themselves, they'd relax a bit maybe, but let's be honest here. Playing a roleplaying game does allow for expression of ideas you don't normally get into with monopoly or bacgammon. We're not talking about a group of people sitting around for a few hours then going off to their normal lives. The prison environment is a closed one. I have seen real emotion from players out here: anger, rage, frustration. Introducing a game into prison that aggravates emotions could be dangerous, sadly.
I think the answer would be prison involvement! Allow D&D, but have a few guards in every session? I dunno...
I agree it is ignorance about D&D that fuels most of this, but I don't necessarily think there's no potential for increased danger with unlimited D&D gaming in a prison environment. Clearly the DM does not 'give orders' to the players!
Anyway . . .

**Astinus** · January 30th, 2011, 19:18

I think it's sad. I've run writing workshops with prison inmates. There are a lot of guys inside who've made mistakes, sure, but they're trying to find productive and creative ways to pass the time. To improve themselves and prevent themselves from going insane. Taking away a creative outlet like that can only have a negative impact, which eventually can only flow back into society.

**BishopOmega** · February 7th, 2011, 20:35

I think prisoners have to much free time if they have the time to play RPG's.

**6v6blues** · March 19th, 2011, 05:30

I liked it better when we were devil worshipers. Being considered a gang member doesn't sit nearly as well with me.

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