Prison chaplains presentation for 3.22.12 webversion

Religion in PrisonsA 50-State Survey of Prison Chaplains

Senior Researchers

Stephanie Boddie & Cary Funk

Why Study Prison Chaplains?

March 22, 2012 2“Religion in Prisons: A 50-State Survey of Prison Chaplains”

www.pewforum.org

• High Religiosity in U.S.• High Incarceration and High Recidivism• Little Data

Unique Window on Religion in Prisons

• Compiled “population list” of paid prison chaplains in each of the 50 states (N=1,474)

• Contacted all prison chaplains in the population to ask for voluntary participation in the survey

• N=730 prison chaplains completed the survey

• 49.6% response rate

• Web and paper questionnaires completed Sept. 21-Dec. 23, 2011

• Margin of error +/- 2.6 percentage points

About the Survey


www.pewforum.org

Gender, Race and Age of Chaplains

Q42, 49-51. Those not answering are not shown. PEW RESEARCH CENTER’S FORUM ON RELIGION & PUBLIC LIFE

March 22, 2012 4

0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100

85% 14%

Male Female

0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100

70 18 5 5

White BlackHispanic Asian and other

0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100

16 65 17

18-49 50-64 65 or older

“Religion in Prisons: A 50-State Survey of Prison Chaplains”www.pewforum.org

Education of Chaplains

Q43-44. Those not answering are not shown. PEW RESEARCH CENTER’S FORUM ON RELIGION & PUBLIC LIFE

March 22, 2012 5

High school or less

Some college

Bachelor's degree

Graduate degree

0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100

2

13

21

62%


Chaplains’ Religious Affiliation

Q46, 47. PEW RESEARCH CENTER’S FORUM ON RELIGION & PUBLIC LIFE.

March 22, 2012 6

No answer

No preference

Other religion

Native American spirituality

Jewish

Muslim

Catholic

Protestant

1

2

2

1

3

7

13

71% %

Protestant 71

Evangelical 44

Mainline 15

Historically black 7

No answer 5


Needs to be completely rebuilt

Needs major changes

Works pretty well, only minor changes needed

0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70

5

34

61%

Evaluating the System

Thinking about the correctional system where you work…

Q2. Those not answering are not shown. PEW RESEARCH CENTER’S FORUM ON RELIGION & PUBLIC LIFE


www.pewforum.org

Helping prepare for re-entry

Providing self-improvement programs

Meeting religious needs

Maintaining order

0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100

8

14

29

40%

37

41

50

54%

54

45

20

6%

Excellent Good Only fair/poor

How is the Prison System Doing?

Q3a-d. Those not answering are not shown. PEW RESEARCH CENTER’S FORUM ON RELIGION & PUBLIC LIFE

8

Rate the job the correctional system where you work is doing in each area

March 22, 2012“Religion in Prisons: A 50-State Survey of Prison Chaplains”

www.pewforum.org

Access to quality programs such as education, job training in prison

Help with things such as job, housing

Access to quality religion-related programs in prison

Support from religious groups after release

Treatment for substance abuse or mental health problems in prison

0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100

69

71

73

78

81

What Is Important for Successful Rehabilitation?

% of chaplains saying each is absolutely critical

Q5a-e. Those not answering are not shown. PEW RESEARCH CENTER’S FORUM ON RELIGION & PUBLIC LIFE


www.pewforum.org

Have religion-related rehabilitation and re-entry programs

Have secular rehabilitation and re-entry programs

0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90

62

85%

Access to Rehab Programs?

In the prison where you work…

Q13, 10. Those saying no or not answering are not shown. PEW RESEARCH CENTER’S FORUM ON RELIGION & PUBLIC LIFE


www.pewforum.org

Rehabilitation ProgramsAmong those who work in prisons with rehabilitation and re-entry programs, % of chaplains who say participation over past three years has…

Secular programs

Religion-related programs

0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100

38

61%

14

6

44

31%

Usage

Gone up Gone down Same

Among those who work in prisons with rehabilitation and re-entry programs, % of chaplains who say program quality today compared with past three years is…

Secular programs

Religion-related programs

0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100

36

57%

18

7

43

36%

Quality

Better Worse Same

Q11-12, 14-15. Those not answering are not shown. PEW RESEARCH CENTER’S FORUM ON RELIGION & PUBLIC LIFE

March 22, 2012 11“Religion in Prisons: A 50-State Survey of Prison Chaplains”www.pewforum.org

Frequency of Religious Switching

How much religious switching occurs among inmates?


March 22, 2012 12

26% 51% 21%

A lot Some Not much/none


Which Groups Are Growing and Shrinking?% of chaplains saying each group is growing, shrinking, or staying the same size due to switching in the inmate population where

they work

Q27a-m. Based on all asked, those responding “don’t know” not shown, N=710. PEW RESEARCH CENTER’S FORUM ON RELIGION & PUBLIC LIFE

March 22, 2012 13

Muslims

Protestants

Pagan/earth-based

Native Am. Sprituality

Jews

Catholics

Unaffiliated

Other non-Christian

Buddhists

Mormons

Orthodox Christian

Hindus

51

47

34

24

19

14

12

13

12

3

3

1

37

42

49

61

61

61

63

65

67

68

68

73

7

6

8

6

8

20

17

8

8

11

10

8

Growing Staying the same Shrinking


How Common is Religious Extremism in Prisons?% of chaplains saying extreme religious views among inmates

where they work are…

Q30a. Those not answering are not shown. PEW RESEARCH CENTER’S FORUM ON RELIGION & PUBLIC LIFE

March 22, 2012 14

Series1 12 29 58

Very common Somewhat Not too/not at all


How Common Is Religious Extremism?% of chaplains saying extremism among inmates of each religious

group is…

Q31a-l. Based on all answering. PEW RESEARCH CENTER’S FORUM ON RELIGION & PUBLIC LIFE

March 22, 2012 15

Muslims

Pagan/earth-based

Protestants

Other non-Christian

Native Am. spirituality

Jews

Unaffiliated

Catholics

Mormons

Orthodox Christians

Buddhists

Hindus

57

39

24

21

19

17

14

8

8

6

7

6

43

61

76

79

81

83

86

92

92

94

93

94

Very/somewhat common Not too/not at all common


How Often Does Religious Extremism Among Inmates Pose a Security Threat?


March 22, 2012 16

4 19 76

Almost always Sometimes Not too often/rarely or almost never

% of chaplains saying religious extremism among inmates poses a security threat…


Kinds of Religious Extremism Encountered

Q30b. Open end. Based on all answering. Most common responses are shown. PEW RESEARCH CENTER’S FORUM ON RELIGION & PUBLIC LIFE

March 22, 2012 17

Themes mentioned %

NET Intolerance of specific racial or social groups 41 Racial separatism/supremacists 36NET Religious exclusivity/inflexibility of faith 40NET Specific requests for accommodation 28NET Other view mentioned 22

Groups mentioned

NET Muslim 54 Muslim/Islamic radicalism/Salafi teaching 33 Nation of Islam 21NET Christian 34 NET Protestant 13 Christian (general) 7NET Other religions 43 Pagan/earth-based e.g., Odinist 16 Satanism/Demonic 12Jewish 6

Themes and groups mentioned when asked about the kinds of extreme religious views encountered


Other Topics on the Survey

• Key Activities of Prison Chaplains and What Chaplains See as Most Important

• Religious Volunteers: Need for and Role in Providing Services

• Satisfaction with Their Job

• Opinions about Cost-Saving Proposals and the Second Chance Act

• Inmate Requests for Religious Accommodation


www.pewforum.org

March 22, 2012 19www.pewforum.org

Cut correctional staff and programs

Shorten sentences for non-violent crimes

Early release for good behavior

Non-prison sentences for non-violent, first-time offenders

0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100

4

53

57

46

32

11

7

7

62

33

35

46

Strongly favor Favor Oppose Strongly oppose

Opinions about Cost-Saving Proposals% of chaplains who favor or oppose each as a way to cut costs in correctional system

Q4a-d. Those not answering are not shown. PEW RESEARCH CENTER’S FORUM ON RELIGION & PUBLIC LIFE


www.pewforum.org

Requests for Religious Accommodation% of chaplains saying requests from inmates for each of the

following are…

Q29a-e. Based on all answering. PEW RESEARCH CENTER’S FORUM ON RELIGION & PUBLIC LIFE

March 22, 2012 21

Religious books or texts

Meetings with leaders from inmates' faith

Special religious diet

Religious items or clothing

Special hairstyle or grooming

82

71

53

51

28

17

26

40

46

36

3

7

3

36

Usually approved Sometimes approved/sometimes denied Usually denied


Prison Chaplains’ Day vs. Most Important Activities

% of chaplains saying each activity is ranked 1st as…

Q8-9. PEW RESEARCH CENTER’S FORUM ON RELIGION & PUBLIC LIFE

March 22, 2012 22

57

18

33

38

Spend most time Most important

Personally leading services

Administer programs


Prison chaplains presentation for 3.22.12 webversion

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Transcript of Prison chaplains presentation for 3.22.12 webversion