Religion The Community And The Rehabilitation Of Criminal Offenders

Explore the relationship between faith-based programs, religion, and offender rehabilitation! This book reports on current research from several disciplines to help the reader understand the nature and impact of the relationship between faith-based programs, religion, and offender rehabilitation. Religion, the Community, and the Rehabilitation of Criminal Offenders is a unique resource—there has been very little research published on this important topic. President Bush's faith-based initiative recognized that religion plays a role in the justice system and corrections that is overlooked but essential—it increases the role of community and caring in the system in a unique and important way. This pathbreaking book points the way toward a system of faith-based programs that are not only effective but also economical, as these programs are often staffed by volunteers. Religion, the Community, and the Rehabilitation of Criminal Offenders addresses important questions regarding the importance and effectiveness of faith-based rehabilitation programs, including: What is the relationship between prison religion and offender rehabilitation? What motivates inmates to become involved with religious programs and activities? What is the prison chaplain's role in rehabilitation? Are certain religious denominations more effective than others in preventing crime, delinquency, and recidivism? How does religious activity help inmates adjust to the prison environment? What do inmates have to say about the religious programs they encounter within the system? How did Islam develop within American correctional institutions and what changes has the movement gone through in recent years? Why do female African-American inmates tend to resist conversion to Islam while their male counterparts embrace the Muslim faith in increasing numbers? How can sacred texts and social theory be utilized as teaching tools and intervention strategies in the transformation processes of men incarcerated for violent crimes? (A fascinating study from the Sing-Sing prison) and more!

Explore the relationship between faith-based programs, religion, and offender rehabilitation! This book reports on current research from several disciplines to help the reader understand the nature and impact of the relationship between faith-based programs, religion, and offender rehabilitation. Religion, the Community, and the Rehabilitation of Criminal Offenders is a unique resource--there has been very little research published on this important topic. President Bush's faith-based initiative recognized that religion plays a role in the justice system and corrections that is overlooked but essential--it increases the role of community and caring in the system in a unique and important way. This pathbreaking book points the way toward a system of faith-based programs that are not only effective but also economical, as these programs are often staffed by volunteers. Religion, the Community, and the Rehabilitation of Criminal Offenders addresses important questions regarding the importance and effectiveness of faith-based rehabilitation programs, including: What is the relationship between prison religion and offender rehabilitation? What motivates inmates to become involved with religious programs and activities? What is the prison chaplain's role in rehabilitation? Are certain religious denominations more effective than others in preventing crime, delinquency, and recidivism? How does religious activity help inmates adjust to the prison environment? What do inmates have to say about the religious programs they encounter within the system? How did Islam develop within American correctional institutions and what changes has the movement gone through in recent years? Why do female African-American inmates tend to resist conversion to Islam while their male counterparts embrace the Muslim faith in increasing numbers? How can sacred texts and social theory be utilized as teaching tools and intervention strategies in the transformation processes of men incarcerated for violent crimes? (A fascinating study from the Sing-Sing prison) and more!

When Texas Prison Scams Religion exposes corruption in the Texas Department of Criminal Justice, especially in the abuse of religion. In many ways, this book is a literature review of 1,800-plus works that defends freedom of conscience in prison while exposing the unconstitutionality of the seminary program that “buys faith with favor” from prisoners. The state veritably ordains the prisoner a “Field Minister” that represents the offices of the Governor, TDCJ Director, and wardens throughout the prison. Therein, TDCJ lies about neutrality in a program all about Christian missions and lies again in falsely certifying elementary Bible students as counselors. Why is the director sponsoring psychopaths counseling psychopaths? In fact, TDCJ pays $314 million a year to UTMB for psychiatric care and receives not a single report of the care given, and worse, for UTMB generates no reports itself. The underbelly TDCJ’s executive culture of cover up is exposed. TDCJ has hired the lowest qualified of the applicant pool many times in the last 25 years and regularly destroys statistics on violence. TDCJ Dir. Collier led the prison to model Louisiana Warden Burl Cain, the most scandal-ridden in penal history according to a host of published news stories for 20 years. Therein, Collier led TDCJ to favor the smallest segment of religious society within Evangelical Dominionism. Texas has no business endorsing the truth of any religion over another. We close with a proposal that utilizes the 400,000,000 hours of officer contact over ten years as a definitive influence in contrast to a commissioner that spends less than 10 minutes on each decision. Maness has been lobbying Austin for 15 years to definitively access staff for his “100,000 Mothers’ 1% Certainty Parole Texas Constitutional Amendment,” which would revolutionize prison culture and save Texans millions of the dollars.

Special Needs Offenders in Correctional Institutions offers a unique opportunity to examine the different populations behind bars (e.g. chronically and mentally ill, homosexual, illegal immigrants, veterans, radicalised inmates, etc.), as well as their needs and the corresponding impediments for rehabilitation and reintegration.

As Maness so forcefully presents, religion is truly the greatest source for change in human history, and our staff chaplains facilitate that. Likewise, we came to see there would be little true cost savings, in that some staffer would have to take care religion in prisonits a right after alland manage the good volunteers. Jerry Madden, Senior Fellow Right on Crime RightonCrime.org House Committee on Corrections Chairman 2011-12 It seemed like all was lost. . . . Dr. Keith Bellamy Senior Minister, Woodville Church of Christ TDCJ Certified Volunteer Chaplain 15-plus years Take a ride through Maness book and learn firsthand about reducing crime, rehabilitating lives, making our streets safer, and bringing hope to the least, the last and the lost just like Jesus commanded. The chaplain of the prison brings hope and light in what can be a dark and stressful place, all the more reason we need them. Carol S. Vance Former Chairman, Texas Board of Criminal Justice Harris County District Attorney 1966-79 Every TDCJ chaplain and every chaplaincy manager owe the existence of their jobs to the efforts of a few unique individuals who rallied many to seek help from Texas senators and representatives. Frank Graham, Founder Chapel of Hope.org Politically, the TDCJ chaplaincy was doomed. God used the courage of one man to turn that situation around. Thank you, Chaplain Michael Maness, for preserving this magnificent piece of important religious history. Dr. Paul W. Carlin, LBT, Ph. D. TheMinistryChurch.org

This book examines how prisons meet challenges of religious diversity, in an era of increasing multiculturalism and globalization. Social scientists studying corrections have noted the important role that religious or spiritual practice can have on rehabilitation, particularly for inmates with coping with stress, mental health and substance abuse issues. In the past, the historical figure of the prison chaplain operated primarily in a Christian context, following primarily a Christian model. Increasingly, prison populations (inmates as well as employees) display diversity in their ethnic, cultural, religious and geographic backgrounds. As public institutions, prisons are compelled to uphold the human rights of their inmates, including religious freedom. Prisons face challenges in approaching religious plurality and secularism, and maintaining prisoners' legal rights to religious freedom. The contributions to this work present case studies that examine how prisons throughout Europe have approached challenges of religious diversity. Featuring contributions from the UK, France, Italy, Germany, Switzerland, The Netherlands, Belgium and Spain, this interdisciplinary volume includes contributions from social and political scientists, religion scholars and philosophers examining the role of religion and religious diversity in prison rehabilitation. It will be of interest to researchers in Criminology and Criminal Justice, Social and Political Science, Human Rights, Public Policy, and Religious Studies.

There are nearly two million inmates in America today. Are there better alternatives to incarceration? Criminal Justice: Retribution vs. Restoration presents new answers and unconventional suggestions addressing America’s overcrowded prisons and jails, high recidivism rates, and weakened family and community relationships with ex-prisoners. Experts in the field discuss the benefits and failures of America’s criminal justice system at various times in history and today, then explore possibilities to improve on that system. This groundbreaking book introduces encouraging, therapeutic approaches to criminal justice that include treatment, rehabilitation, and the direct involvement the victims, the families, and the communities. Criminal Justice looks at America’s over-reliance on punishment and retribution as the means of responding to prevalent social problems and examines the justice system’s tendency to incarcerate—rather than treat—minority, mentally ill, poor, and drug-dependent offenders. The authors—who are all active in some field of criminal justice—argue for a restorative model of correction that is more humane to both offenders and victims. This model opens up dialogue between offenders and their victims, families, and communities by promoting hallmark programs, including victim offender mediation, conferencing, peacemaking circles, restitution, and community projects and services. Criminal Justice includes such intriguing topics as: the social costs and moral economy of incarceration drug policy—should drug users be incarcerated or rehabilitated? the potential of restorative justice—a first-hand account from a prison inmate restorative justice and faith communities the practice and efficacy of restorative justice the path from fury to forgiveness—the emotions of the mother of a murdered child strategies for creating safe and just communities women in prison—their special needs both during incarceration and after re-entry social work and criminal justice—how they work together grassroots advocacy for criminal justice reform—a look back over the last 30 years by the founders of CURE (Citizens United for Rehabilitation of Errants) This book’s foundation rests on the Biblical concepts of restoration, healing, forgiveness, reconciliation, and responsibility. Criminal Justice: Retribution vs Restoration is an eye-opening look at the negative effects of our current system of blame and punishment and offers hope for better, more humane methods in the future. This holistic, empowering, and strengths-based perspective offers insight and suggestions that are valuable for students, social workers, policymakers, and criminal justice professionals.

From drilling holes into the skulls of prisoners, to solitary confinement, to deploying a range of psychological therapies, society has attempted to deal with the problem of criminals in myriad ways over the last few centuries. This analytical history explores the ever-changing approaches to punishing wrongdoers and preventing further offenses, the philosophical beliefs underlying them, and their relative effects. It discusses such core issues as the role of free will and determination, the root causes of crime, and the effects of studying crimes versus studying criminals. It highlights the continuous debate regarding rehabilitation and punishment, the history of biologically and psychologically based treatments, and the principles of effective intervention, concluding with discussion of what lies ahead.