Faith Based Prisons Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Faith Based Prisons - Research Paper Example Faith-based prisons do not take away the thought of being in prison and paying for a wrongdoing. Just like in traditional prisons, inmates participate in all normal day-to-day prison activities but at weekends and evenings, they undergo extra classes that deeply examine issues like spirituality, good parenting, anger management, the effect of crime on victims, moral expectations of a believer among others. There is evidence of people who after going through a faith-based prison, they have totally changed and are now working towards the development of a morally upright society. An example of this is Cooper Ken, a convicted bank robber who is now an evangelical leader (Goddard, 2003). The term faith-based refers to any idea, plan, program or organization that has been established based on religious beliefs. In this case, a faith-based prison is a type of program that seeks to transform offenders through religious teachings on morality and spirituality. There are no distinctive types of faith-based prisons. However, they can be established by a religious organization like a church, an example of this being the Lawtey Correctional Institution program in Raiford, Florida. Alternatively, they can be incorporated into existing traditional prisons as a faith and character program. In this case, those who choose to enroll for the faith and character program are assigned to a different dormitory where they hold meetings with leaders and clergy to discuss issues of spirituality and morality. Faith-based prisons accommodate inmates that have chosen to participate in faith-based rehabilitation programs regardless of their spiritual beliefs.  Faith-based prison is the re-entry program for the prisoner which aims at helping those individuals returning from the prison re-integrate themselves back into the public.