Religion and the Responsibility of Prison Administration

My philosophy for punishment is that it needs to be exactly that - punishment. Locking a person in a prison and then leaving them there to languish the days away not only does a disservice to the individual, but also to society. Prison service should include no less than mandatory participation in education, employment, and counseling programs. While many people argue whether the point of prison is to punish or rehabilitate, most would agree that watching television and weight-lifting should not be the main focus of incarceration. Funding is always going to be a problem, and that is not going to be my intention to touch upon that issue, as limiting as it is. Prison work programs, counseling, and education have all been shown to reduce recidivism rates, which should be the general goal of the criminal justice system. Work release or furlough programs, where applicable, are cheaper than full-time incarceration (Jeffery & Woolpert, 1974, p. 406). Inmates who participate in education programs have better conduct records in and out of prison (Lahm, 2009, p.49).
          The standards of civility for an international corrections model would be comprised of the basic principles of human respect and decency included in the The International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights that was adopted in 1966 which proscribes that any person imprisoned be treated with humanity and “with respect for the inherent dignity of the human person” (Coyle, 2008, p. 222). Food should be provided that is substantial and varied enough to maintain the nutritional well-being of prisoners. Health care should be provided to maintain the physical well-being of prisoners, and mental health services should be provided to maintain the mental well-being of prisoners. Inmates should not be subjected to corporal punishment, physical, sexual, or mental abuse, intimidation, or any other act with would diminish their dignity as a human.
          As far as allowing or not allowing punishment, the act of incarceration is the punishment; there should be no other physical or mental punishment allowed. While we should not aim to create a oasis retreat for prisoners, the basics can still be provided for in a minimalistic manner, that does not permanently effect the future of an inmate. Punishment should be total and final that creates no lingering effects after the sentence has been served.
          While religious freedom is vital even within the prison system, I don’t believe that the administration has a responsibility to provide any type of religious teaching or literature to inmates. If inmates wish to have clergy members visit them during regular visiting hours, they are more than welcome to do so. If they wish to have religious materials sent to them, provided they fall within normal guidelines for reading materials, that is also perfectly fine. I don’t believe special considerations or concessions should be made to provide for an inmate’s spiritual needs. Beyond extremist teachings infiltrating prisons, religion is no more a duty of the state than astrology, crafting, or any other hobby that inmates choose to participate in.
          Also, I don’t believe that ensuring that religious teaching is not creating terrorists is a job for the prison administration. Radicalism can come from any source; since in my prison model, religious teachings are not a part of provided services, the prison assumes no responsibility for the type of materials or teaching an inmate would assume on their own time. Extremist religious literature sent through the prison mail system would be identified and filtered on an as-needed basis, as would inmate discussion groups or meetings, and visitor contacts.
          Counseling and therapy sessions should be implemented absolutely in every prison, everywhere. Group and individual discussions should be mandatory. Rather than being preached to, I believe participatory interfacing with trained therapists is much more beneficial than being told how to act, as often occurs with religious teaching. Education and skills development builds confidence, as well, and contributes not only to rehabilitation but also to a more stable prison environment. Social contact and stress-relief is a big part of religious services, currently, as defined by Dammer. Many inmates utilize religious services and meetings with clergy as a way to relax and mingle with other prisoners, outside visitors, even female volunteers (Dammer, 2002, pp. 47-48). Providing more effective psychotherapy and counseling would be a better use of resources while still providing a conversational outlet for prisoners.

Coyle, A. (2008). The treatment of prisoners: International standards and case law. Legal &
          Criminological Psychology, 13(2), 219-230.
Dammer, H. R. (2002). The Reasons for Religious Involvement in the Correctional Environment.
          Journal of Offender Rehabilitation, 35(3/4), 35.
Jeffery, R., & Woolpert, S. (1974). Work Furlough as an Alternative to Incarceration: An Assessment
          of Its Effects on Recidivism and Social Cost. Journal of Criminal Law & Criminology, 65(3),
          405-415.
Lahm, K. F. (2009). Educational Participation and Inmate Misconduct. Journal of Offender
        Rehabilitation, 48(1), 37-52.