March 11, 2010

McCORMICK, S.C. (AP) -- A South Carolina agency is creating a new place for some of the state's inmates to pray.

The Corrections Department is breaking ground on Thursday on a new chapel at McCormick Correctional Institution.

The chapel is being built at the same prison where more than 100 inmates began living in a faith-based dormitory in January.

Inmates in the program take classes and participate in activities that focus on personal responsibility, anger resolution, addiction treatment and parenting. Corrections officials provide inmates with security and basic needs, but volunteers staff the classes and programs.

Officials hope that the faith-based environment will breed peace at the prison. They say they'll expand the program if it's successful.

(Copyright 2010 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)