Religion in United States prisons
Inmates incarcerated in the
Organizations and programs
While inmates often worship as individuals they also frequently do so within the structure provided by the programs of religious groups and denominations tending to the incarcerated. Nearly all correctional facilities provide support for at least the Abrahamic religions: Christianity, Islam and Judaism. Chaplains, volunteers and other representatives of these groups may organize religious services as often as daily in large prisons, while also providing pastoral care to inmates and staff.[1]
Contemplative programs
Some U.S. prisons offer contemplative programs for inmates and staff, which may include
Traditions
Protestantism
A Pew study found that the majority of US inmates are Protestant Christians.[14]
Catholicism
Catholic | |
Website | dismasministry |
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Saint Dismas Prison Ministry was founded in
It was named after
In 2006, Scott Jensen chose to remain on the ministry board after he was forced to leave the Wisconsin State Assembly following a felony conviction that was later overturned.[20]
Islam
In addition to immigration, the state, federal and local
Neopaganism
There are a variety of
The ability of Neopagans to practice their religion in U.S. prisons has been shaped by the outcome of two significant court cases. In 1985, Virginia prisoner Herbert Daniel Dettmer sued Robert Landon, the Director of the Virginia Department of Corrections, in federal court to get access to objects he claimed were necessary for his Wiccan religious practice. The district court for the Eastern District of Virginia decided in Dettmer's favor, although on appeal, in Dettmer v. Landon the United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit ruled that while Wicca was a religion, it was not a violation of the First Amendment to keep a religious practitioner from accessing ritual objects. In 2005 Cutter v. Wilkinson came down on the side of at least three Neopagan prison inmates protesting the denial of access to ceremonial items and opportunities for group worship. Yet in their decision the court reinforced the notion that "should inmate requests for religious accommodations become excessive, impose unjustified burdens on other institutionalized persons, or jeopardize an institution's effective functioning, the facility would be free to resist the imposition."[25]
Relevant court cases
- 1964 – Cooper v. Pate
- 1972 – Cruz v. Beto
- 1986 – Dettmer v. Landon
- 1987 – Turner v. Safley
- 1987 – O'Lone v. Estate of Shabazz
- 1997 – City of Boerne v. Flores
- 2005 – Cutter v. Wilkinson
- 2014 – Holt v. Hobbs
See also
- International Network of Prison Ministries
- Religious Freedom Restoration Act
- Religion in the United States
- Prisons in the United States
- Prison Fellowship International
- Prison religion
Notes
- ^ Dammer, Harry R. (2006) "Religion in prison." In Encyclopedia of American Prisons, edited by Marylin D. McShane and Frank P. Williams III. New York: Garland Publishing. pg. 400
- ^ "World Community of Christian Meditation prison Ministry".
- ^ "Fr. Thomas Keating's Centering Prayer program at Folsom State Prison".
- S2CID 159619264.
- S2CID 145020327.
- Sutherland, Edwin H.and Cressey, Donald Ray and Luckenbill, David F. (1992) Principles of Criminology pp.502-503
- ^ Knapp, Samuel Lorenzo (1834) The Life of Thomas Eddy pp.71-72 direct page view
- ^ a b "New York Times review of The Dhamma Brothers by Whitney Joiner". The New York Times. September 13, 2007. Retrieved May 22, 2010.
- ^ Brooks, Douglas Renfrew (2000) Meditation Revolution: A History and Theology of the Siddha Yoga Lineage pp.109, 154
- ^ "2001 conference description detailing history".
- ^ Bartollas, Clemens (1985) Correctional Treatment: Theory and Practice p.141
- ^ Murty, Komanduri and Owens, Angela and Vyas, Ashwin (2004) Voices from Prison: An Ethnographic Study of Black Male Prisoners p.237
- ^ a b Queen, Christopher S. (2000) Engaged Buddhism in the West pp.355-357
- ^ https://assets.pewresearch.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/11/2012/07/chaplains-chp4-2.png [bare URL image file]
- ^ "Milwaukee Archdiocese forms Catholic ministry group for inmates". Daily Citizen. Beaver Dam, WI. August 12, 2008. p. 18.
- ^ "Board of Directors". Dismas Ministry. Retrieved May 22, 2018.
- ^ "Dismas Ministry: Spreading God's Word in prisons". Tilma. Retrieved 2018-10-02.
- ISBN 9780809143016.
- Youngstown Vindicator.
- ^ Richmond, Todd (March 22, 2006). "Jensen leaves the Assembly". Wisconsin State Journal. p. B1.
- ^ SpearIt. “American Prisons: A Critical Primer on Culture and Conversion to Islam,” (First Edition Design Publishing 2017).
- ^ United States Senate, Committee on the Judiciary, Testimony of Mr. Harly G. Lappin, Director, Federal Bureau of Prisons, October 14, 2003 [1]
- ^ United States Senate, Committee on the Judiciary, Testimony of Dr. J. Michael Waller October 12, 2003
- ^ Gardell (2003), p. 217
- ^ "Cutter v. Wilkinson".