CHAPLAINS AND VOLUNTEERS

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CHAPLAINS AND VOLUNTEERS
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Chaplaincy Mission

• The mission of Chaplaincy Services is to
  assist the in maintaining public safety by
• Providing pastoral care of inmates, staff, and
  their families
• Assisting offenders in their response to the
  realities of their actions prior to, during and
  after incarceration
• Assisting offenders in discovering or developing
  their personal faith
• Partnering with the community to accomplish
  mutually beneficial results.

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Volunteers Mission

• Although most American prisons have at least one
  full-time chaplain, without pastoral assistance
  many chaplains are ill equipped to meet the
  religious needs of inmates. To lighten their
  workload and to facilitate the provision of
  programs and services, correctional chaplains
  often must recruit, train, and coordinate
  religious volunteers (Coleman, 2003 Rogers,
  2003)
• Coleman, J. (2003). Chaplains Gods partners in
  prison. Corrections Today,

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THE SYSTEM

• Volunteers in the criminal justice system work
  in Jails or Prisons facilities

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JAILS

• Operated by local sheriff
• Many inmates are there waiting to go to courts,
  bond, or to be released.
• Volunteers programs are usually limited in scope
  and duration due to inmate short stay
• Volunteers need to deal with suicides attempts,
  mood swings that range from remorse to repentance
  to anger and hostility (Bayse, 1993)
• Volunteers help inmates prepare for the
  transition to prison
• Once convicted inmates are transferred to either
  State or Federal Prison System

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STATE and FEDERAL PRISONS

• STATE SYSTEM
• Operated by a state agency
• Strict chain of command
• Convicted of an offence against the state
• Most have a Volunteer Coordinator in the central
  office

• FEDERAL SYSTEM
• Federal Bureau of Prisons (BOP)
• Convicted of an offense against the United States

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Two Fundamentals for a Successful Chaplain
/Volunteer Team
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FUNDAMENTALS

• Point 1 A volunteer must understand the role
  of a chaplain to develop a health prison or jail
  ministry
• Point 2 A volunteer must understand how to
  conduct ministry in this specialized environment

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Understanding Chaplaincy ministry

• Point 1
• Chaplains are authentic religious leaders that
  are endorsed by their denomination or religious
  affiliation to conduct traditional clergy roles.
  
• Traditional roles Religious services/worship
• Officiate weddings
• Conduct funerals/memorials
• Preach/ Teach

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Ministry In A Specialized Environment

• Point 2
• Jails and Prisons are multi-faith environments .
  They reflect all the ethnic groups and religions
  of the culture of society today. Therefore,
  chapel volunteers must understand that jail and
  prison ministry occur in a system.

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Non Traditional Specialized Roles

• Point 2
• In order to maintain the smooth operation of the
  system Chaplains have some non traditional roles
  that volunteers must accept and support to
  conduct ministry in this environment.
• Non Traditional roles System of security
• Time scheduling
• Systematic documentation

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RELIGIOUS FREEDOM

• Chaplains are mandated in law to ensure the
  freedom to practice religious faith is provided
  equally to all prisoners
• Charles Riggs (1998) The Prison Minister

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BECOMING PART OF THE SYSTEM

• Volunteers are invited into prisons and jails to
  provide specific services
• Activities must be scheduled in strict
  accordance with existing institutional routines,
  rules, and regulations
• Training and Orientation is Critical

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PRINCIPLES FOR THE CHAPLAIN VOLUNTEER TEAM

• 1. Mutual respect for personal religious beliefs
  and affiliations if your theological views differ
• Cooperation with the system without compromising
  individual standards
• Remember the goal is ministry not competition

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