Chaplains’ Views on the Correctional System
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Prison chaplains are, on balance, positive about the
correctional system. A majority says the system where they are employed “works
pretty well,” and strong majorities rate the correctional system as excellent
or good when it comes to maintaining order and meeting the religious needs of
inmates. Evaluations of rehabilitation and re-entry efforts are less positive,
however, with about half calling those efforts only fair or poor. About six-in-ten
chaplains (62%) say that religion-related programs for rehabilitation and
re-entry are available in the prisons where they work. Most chaplains consider
these religion-related programs to be thriving both in terms of usage and
quality.
How’s the System
Working?
Most
chaplains are upbeat about the correctional system where they work. About
six-in-ten (61%) of those surveyed say their state’s system “works pretty well”
and needs only minor changes, while a third (34%) say the system needs major
changes and 5% say it needs to be completely re-built.
When
it comes to specific aspects of the state correctional system’s performance,
chaplains are most sanguine about the ability to maintain discipline and order in
prison, and they are least positive about the efficacy of efforts to
rehabilitate inmates and prepare them for re-entry into the community.
Four-in-ten (40%) chaplains say the correctional system where they work is
doing an excellent job at maintaining order and discipline among inmates, 54%
say it is doing a good job, and just 6% say it is doing either fair or poor.
The
correctional system is also seen as excellent (29%) or good (50%) at meeting
the religious needs of inmates. Just a fifth of chaplains consider performance
in this area to be only fair (17%) or poor (3%). A majority also says the
system is excellent (14%) or good (41%) at providing self-improvement programs
for inmates. But a majority of chaplains also say services to help inmates
prepare to return to the community are only fair (37%) or poor (17%) in the
system where they work; 37% say such services are good and 8% say they are
excellent.
Financial
pressures are widespread across many state-funded programs, including prison
systems. There is near consensus among chaplains on several possible ways to
cut costs. Nearly all chaplains either favor (46%) or strongly favor (46%)
dealing with non-violent, first-time offenders through other kinds of sentences
(such as community service or mandatory substance-abuse counseling) rather than
prison terms. Just 8% of the chaplains surveyed oppose this idea. Nearly all the
chaplains also favor (57%) or strongly favor (35%) allowing inmates to earn
early release based on good behavior and completion of rehabilitation programs,
while 7% are opposed. And most favor (53%) or strongly favor (33%) shortening
prison sentences for non-violent crimes; 12% oppose this idea.
On
the other hand, there is near-unanimity among chaplains against one idea: 94%
oppose cutting correctional staff and programs in order to reduce costs in
correctional systems (62% strongly oppose and 32% oppose this idea).
Rehabilitation and
Re-entry
In
the minds of the chaplains, successful rehabilitation and reintegration of
inmates into society requires efforts both in prison and after release. Fully
eight-in-ten (81%) chaplains say that treatment for substance abuse or mental
health problems while serving time is “absolutely critical” for rehabilitation;
14% call this very important but not critical, and the remainder consider it
either somewhat important or not important (or give no response). Chaplains,
perhaps not surprisingly, are also likely to see religious programs as vital. More
than three-quarters say that support from religious groups after release is absolutely
critical for successful rehabilitation (78%); 19% say this is very important
but not critical. And 73% of the chaplains surveyed consider access to
high-quality religion-related programs while in prison absolutely critical to
rehabilitation. A substantial majority (71%) of chaplains also say “help with
things like getting a job and finding affordable housing upon release” is
absolutely critical. And 69% say the same about inmates’ access to high-quality
rehabilitation programs of a secular nature, such as continuing education and
job training.
Access
to some kind of rehabilitation program while in prison appears common; 85% of
chaplains say the prisons where they work offer secular rehabilitation and
re-entry programs. About six-in-ten chaplains (62%) say that religion-related
programs are available in the prisons where they work.
Most
chaplains consider the religion-related rehabilitation programs to be thriving both
in usage and in quality. Among those working in a prison with a religion-related
rehabilitation program, about six-in-ten (61%) say usage has increased over the
past three years, 31% say usage has stayed the same and just 6% say usage has
gone down. A majority of those working in a prison with a program of this sort also
say that the quality of the religion-related rehabilitation programs has
improved (57%), while 36% say the quality is about the
same and 7% say the program’s quality has declined over the past three years.
Perceptions
of secular rehabilitation programs over the same period are a bit less
sanguine. Among those with secular programs in the prisons where they work,
about four-in-ten (38%) say usage has gone up over the past three years, 44%
say usage is about the same and 14% say usage has gone down. Assessments of the
quality of secular rehabilitation programs is similarly divided, with 36%
saying the programs have gotten better, 43% saying the quality is about the
same and 18% saying the programs have declined in quality.
Assessment of the
Second Chance Act
In
2007, Congress introduced and later passed the Second Chance Act, which
provides federal funding for re-entry services in state prisons and local jails
and juvenile facilities. About half of the chaplains surveyed report having
heard either a lot or a little about the legislation (49%) while about half
(51%) say they have heard nothing at all.
Among
those who are aware of the Second Chance Act, 57% say it has been either very (8%) or somewhat effective (50%)
in improving re-entry services and promoting the successful return of inmates
to their communities; a third (33%) say it has been not too or not at all
effective.
In Their Own
Words:
Thoughts about
Rehabilitation and the Prison System
Chaplains surveyed by the Pew Forum expressed a range of opinions about
the state prison system and what they consider important for successful
re-integration into the community. Here are a few of the verbatim comments
provided in response to an open-ended request for other thoughts on issues
raised in the survey.
Transformational Change
- “Chaplains play a key role in
helping inmates transform their understanding of responsibility, choices and
possibilities. Behavior only changes when hearts change.”
- “Without a spiritual-based transformation
there is little hope for sincere, lasting change in any of us. Without a
faith-based after-care living situation an ex-offender has little chance of succeeding
on the street.”
- “Personal contact is crucial. You
minister through relationship. Being accepting, non-judgmental, working toward
self esteem issues is important.”
- “Change what a man believes
inside, you will change what you see outside. Social services are great, but
they work on the symptoms instead of the problem.”
- “I believe the usefulness of the
gospel message and Christian ministries in the prisoner rehabilitation and
re-entry processes [are] underrated. These ministries are as effective as
educational programs in the prison yet receive an extremely small fraction of
the funding and manpower.”
Re-Entry Support
- “There are very few ministries [that]
volunteer their services to our institution that have follow-up care with
inmates and their families when they parole. The ideal would be a sponsorship
of six months prior to release with the family and the inmate, and six months
after release.”
- “[Rehabilitation], in general, is
inadequate at the prisons in which I work. Religious services should be allowed
to help inmates transition into churches and participate with mentors prior to
discharge who will follow them upon discharge. This does not yet happen...”
- “More faith-based formal programs [are]
needed which can help inmates with [the] transition back into community living,
such as ‘faith dorms’.”
On what
it means to be a prison chaplain
- “The term ‘chaplain’ to those
outside corrections usually has people thinking of military or hospital
chaplaincy. The prison chaplaincy is an entirely different model, as prison
chaplains are, in essence, religious programs providers. My main task is to ensure
[that] the religious beliefs of offenders [are] met…. I, as a prison chaplain,
am not to convert persons [but] to ensure their religious rights…”
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