NCJ Number
85697
Date Published
1982
Length
26 pages
Annotation
This discussion of religion and offender rehabilitation considers the historical background of Christianity's interest in the offender, the potential of Christian programs for the offender, the role of chaplains in prisons and jails, and the nature and problems of correctional religious programs.
Abstract
Historically, Christianity has focused on the offender as one who needs God's forgiveness and spiritual resources and guidance to change behavior and life perspectives. Christianity continues to offer these resources to offenders, particularly in institutions, through the leadership of chaplains. Chaplains are typically white males with both college and seminary degrees, along with several years of experience in a parish ministry and specialized counseling training. Many chaplains now spend about half of their working hours counseling inmates, although there is now a trend toward chaplains functioning as religious program coordinators. Whatever outward form they may take, religious programs provide a unique contribution to offender rehabilitation by offering the spiritual resources of religious faith, divine power received through prayer, ethical direction based in scripture, and the support of loving professional and volunteer representatives of the faith. Some critical issues in religious programs for offenders are whether the government has the constitutional right to employ chaplains (the courts have continually upheld this right), the relationship between evolving standards for correctional chaplains and chaplain proficiency, and the problem of serving inmates with a diversity of religious orientations. Sixty-two references are listed.