A private prison in Montana is being accused of discriminating against Indian inmates.

The American Civil Liberties Union said the Crossroads Correctional Center forced Indian inmates to undergo strip searches before and after sweat lodge ceremonies. Guards refused to allow inmates to use tobacco and mistreated inmates when they complaint about it, according to the ACLU.

"It is important the Native American culture and religion be treated with respect and equality in our prison system," Betsy Griffing, the legal director for the ACLU of Montana, told the Associated Press. "The sweat lodge ceremony is an important part of Native American religion and culture."

The Montana Corrections Department said it is investigating the allegations. Indian inmates are about 25 percent of the population at Crossroads.

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ACLU says private prison unfair to Indians (AP 4/23)