If I am getting my facts right, the story breaks down like this:
A group of inmates started playing D&D in prison and tried to get others to play. This was seen by one inmate as “recruitment” into a gang. An anonymous letter was sent to the prison officials regarding this “gang” activity and the prison officials confiscated the D&D material. As a result, one of the D&D “gang members” sued the prison system stating his First Amendment rights were being violated.
He sued and failed to win his case.
According to the court decision, and I quote, “We view these cases as persuasive evidence that for some individuals, games like D&D can impede rehabilitation, lead to escapist tendencies, or result in more dire consequences.”
Escapism? Sure. Impede rehabilitation? Doubtful. Dire consequence? Hmm… Not sure what those dire consequences could be when a hardened criminal is role playing as a Half-Elf druid, but I’m not a criminal psychologist, either.
Take a look at the document that summarizes the case in full. It makes for interesting reading, regardless of your personal political personal views on the correctional system.
Well, my D&D gang just took down a rival gang and got a ton of XP. Although, to be honest, it all came down to who had initiative.
That’s how it works in prison, too, Josh, but with one slight difference. The “gang” that gets initiative is the one who jumps the other one first, then rolls the dice (because that’s in the rules). The gang that looses initiative has their HP reduced and smokes taken.