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!

Introduction: Religion-Offenders-Rehabilitation: Questioning the Relationship Prison Religion in Action and Its Influence on Offender Rehabilitation The Reasons for Religious Involvement in the Correctional Environment The Role of the Prison Chaplain in Rehabilitation Intersections of Race, Religion, and Inmate Culture: The Historical Development of Islam in American Corrections Resistance to Conversion to Islam Among African American Women Inmates Prisoners, Prison, and Religion: Religion and Adjustment to Prison Religiosity and Drug Use Among Inmates in Boot Camp: Testing a Theoretical Model with Reciprocal Relationships Denominational Differences in Self-Reported Delinquency Evaluating Religious Initiatives in a Correctional Setting: Do Inmates Speak? Shame and Religion as Factors in the Rehabilitation of Serious Offenders Social Theory, Sacred Text, and Sing-Sing Prison: A Sociology of Community-Based Reconciliation The Prisoner as Scapegoat: Some Skeptical Remarks on Present Penal Policy Rethinking God, Justice, and Treatment of Offenders Index Reference Notes Included

Thomas P. O'Connor