EXPLORATION OF EURASIAN PRISON CHAPLAINS’ PSYCHOLOGICAL WELL-BEING TO RAISE THEIR JOB SATISFACTION

The article aims to attract the attention of policymakers, educators, business-affiliated bodies, and community to the psychological well-being of such prison staff members as chaplains whose job satisfaction will directly influence inmates’ rehabilitation and the health of the society in general. A phenomenological research was carried out in a non-profit organization Good News Jail and Prison Ministry whose mission is to provide spiritually mature, equipped, and motivated chaplains serving in 22 states, one American territory and 25 countries. The research sample was the participants of six Eurasian regions. The data were collected using interviews, diary notes and reports of stakeholder and problem tree analysis. The literature review and the gained data reveal a clear profile of what and who prison chaplains should be to guide prisoners towards their integration into society. It exposes both sides of the same system, known as penitentiary, as well as indicates problem solution strategies as well as requirements to maintain the work in line with trends in the branch. The research has brought repeatedly proved evidence that the complicity of “state of the art” calls for more attention from policymakers, educators, business-affiliated bodies, and states clearly that more research is necessary.

A Gang of Pentecostals

This article uses ethnographic data from two of Rio de Janeiro’s inmate-led prison churches to examine how they function. It also highlights the structural and functional parallels of these churches with prison gangs. I argue that the gang-like characteristics of these churches are an important reason for the success of Pentecostalism inside Rio de Janeiro’s penal system. The results of this research can inform future scholarly investigation and prison ministry initiatives.

Law and Conversion in Evangelical Devotion

Evangelical spirituality had implications for both felons and philosophers. Convictions about the psychological depth and comprehensiveness of God’s law led evangelicals to minister to those who were condemned and imprisoned by the law. The evangelical message of law and gospel was tested when confronted by the desperate condition of the capital convict. This is evident in the prison ministry of John Wesley and Charles Wesley, and other lay Methodists, especially at Newgate prison in London, and also in the response of the Dissenters Philip Doddridge and Benjamin Fawcett to condemned criminals. Intellectually, John and Charles Wesley and Henry Venn offered a deontological ethics grounded in evangelical spirituality, and Jonathan Edwards challenged dominant ideas in moral philosophy by showing that true virtue was deeper and more comprehensive than natural virtue. It required the grace of conversion and the presence of God who was always first and last in any moral considerations.

Penal reform in Africa: The case of prison chaplaincy

Penal reform is a challenge across the world. In Africa, those who are incarcerated are especially vulnerable and often deprived of basic human rights. Prison conditions are generally dire, resources are limited, and at times undue force is used to control inmates. The public attitude towards offenders is also not encouraging. Reform efforts include finding alternative ways of sentencing such as community service, making use of halfway houses and reducing sentences. These efforts have not yet yielded the desired results. The four principles of retribution, deterrence, incapacitation and rehabilitation guide penal practice in Africa. Retribution and rehabilitation stand in tension. Deterrence and incapacitation aim at forcing inmates to conform to the social order. The article argues that prison chaplaincy can make a valuable contribution to restoring the dignity and humanity of those who are incarcerated. Chaplaincy can contribute to improving attitudes and practices in the penal system and society. In addition to the social objective of rehabilitation, prison ministry can, on a spiritual level, also facilitate repentance, forgiveness and reconciliation. The aim is the holistic restoration of human beings.