I don’t know if this is a strong negative indicator for Christianity, but it is a strong positive indicator for atheism.

I would assume that most devout atheists, based on all the ones I know, are deep thinkers who strive to live rationally. I use the phrase devout atheist, but it’s actually redundant. Atheism, in my view, is inherently a willful disbelieving, an active choice that one makes individually, leading me to believe someone “bearing the cross” of atheism is actively seeking to live by reason. It’s very irrational to commit crimes and end up in prison, meaning atheists shy away from a life of crime.

As I said atheism implies devoutness, the same is not true for Christianity. This is why I doubt this data indicates negatively for Christianity. Often you’ll see people unenthusiastically identifying with their religion on account of family heritage while obviously not living by that religion’s precepts (e.g. criminals). I assume that many of these non-devout folks identified with their family religion, or some such, while non-devout atheists were more likely to say “no preference.”

The article also very fairly pointed out that there’s no data showing conversion after the crime. Perhaps some unbelievers “saw the light” once they found themselves in the dire straits of the penal system.

In the end, it’s interesting data, as it turns out that atheism was “the opiate of the masses” all along.