29. Memorandum submitted by
the Churches' Criminal Justice Forum
THE ROLE OF FAITH GROUPS IN THE REHABILITATION
OF PRISONERS
1. INTRODUCTION
Why faith groups play a major role in delivering
rehabilitation programmes to prisoners.
Faith groups have, over the centuries, had a
strong involvement in all spectrums of the criminal justice system
and many of the great prison reformers, such as Elizabeth Fry
and John Howard were driven by faith. Today, members of faith
groups are involved in a variety of activities from visiting individual
prisoners and running innovative grass roots projects through
to promoting dialogue with politicians.
Whilst no one would deny that prison is necessary
for the punishment of serious offences, it is currently not performing
its rehabilitation role effectively. One only has to look at the
statistics on recidivism to see that far more work is needed in
this area—approximately 80% of young people will be reconvicted
within two years of leaving prison We strongly believe that rehabilitation
is a fundamental and crucial aspect of a healthy criminal justice
system.
The theme of justice is clearly evident throughout
the Bible—justice for the oppressed, justice for both victims
and offenders. But justice is much more than mere punishment:
it is about putting things right, restoring broken relationships
and individuals. Furthermore, prison punishes more than just the
prisoner, often having a devastating effect on the families of
the offenders. Tackling root causes of crime is essential if we
wish to reduce the negative impact of criminal activity on the
individual offender, victim and society as a whole.
Faith groups are motivated to work in this field
by a call to live out their faith, demonstrating Godly love in
true and tangible ways. Getting involved in programmes that help
to rehabilitate prisoners is just one way of expressing this.
NOTE. Any statistics or quotes
used in this document are taken from the "Prison Reform Trust,
PRISON FACTFILE, March 2004" unless otherwise stated.
2. THE ROLE
OF FAITH
GROUPS
The involvement of faith groups in the prison
estate and the rehabilitation programmes currently being delivered
by faith groups to prisoners.
2.1 Involvement in the Prison Estate
The whole criminal justice system is based upon
Judeo-Christian values and faith groups have always played a significant
role in the prison estates of this country, although admittedly,
one that has shifted and evolved over time.
The most obvious, but often over looked role
of faith groups, is in that of the prison chaplains. The Prison
Service Chaplaincy is part of the Directorate of Resettlement.
Chaplains from many faiths work within the Prison Service offering
pastoral care to prisoners. Among the faith groups represented
are Buddhists, Christians, Hindus, Jews, Muslims, and Sikhs.
Former Prisons Minister Hilary Benn stated that
"Prison chaplains can play a vital role in helping to reduce
reoffending by forming a link between jail and the outside world
for inmates" (Birmingham Post, 27 April 2003) Mr Benn
said religion, with its emphasis on redemption and the power of
forgiveness, was a key element in helping to reform prisoners,
claiming that chaplains could provide role models for inmates,
and also reduce hate crimes against members of other religions.
In addition to prison chaplains there are many
other faith-based organisations and individuals motivated by faith
also active in the prison estate. Recent research carried out
by the Centre for Crime and Justice Studies named 464 faith-based
organisations working in prisons, the majority of which were local
Christian organisations. A more comprehensive and detailed review
of several major groups involved will be discussed with reference
to their contribution to the delivering of rehabilitative programmes.
The following is simply a brief summary of how some of these organisations
contribute to the prison service in general:
— Prison Fellowship seeks to support
prisoners, ex-offenders and prisoners' families. The hugely successful
"Angel Tree" project that they run, where the organisation
provide Christmas presents for prisoners' children, is just one
example of the work they do;
— The Mothers' Union runs a successful
Parenting Group at Ford Prison in Sussex and also hosts Mums'
Nights and Dads' Nights at several other prisons, helps in mother
and baby units, takes care of children in prison visiting halls,
and welcomes friends and family of prisoners as they arrive for
visits. They have around a thousand volunteers active in prisons;
— The Prison Advice and Care Trust
(PACT) is one of the leading charities working with prisoners'
families. They also work with prisoners who have mental health
needs, both male and female;
— Parents in Prison offers mothers
and fathers in prison the opportunity to record a bedtime story
for their child, and add a personal message. Tapes are sent all
over the world, with PIP covering the costs;
— Care for the Family has recently
published a book called "Daddy's Working Away—a guide
to being a dad in prison" written by prisoners. The book
was compiled in response to a request from a prisoner who had
heard Care for the Family's director, Rob Parsons, do a talk on
fatherhood in The Wolds Prison;
— The YMCA work with young inmates
in 13 prisons and young offender institutions through their Partnerships
in Prisons initiative;
— The Children's Society and Care (Remand
Fostering Programme) both provide alternative accommodation for
young people who would otherwise be remanded in local authority
care or secure accommodation;
— Alpha for Prisons and Caring for
Ex-offenders—Alpha in Prisons runs in 85% of the prisons
in the UK, offering attendees a 15-session introduction to the
Christian faith. The course is run by Chaplains and volunteers.
Also, as part of Alpha's resettlement work the leaders of 700
churches have committed themselves to welcoming released prisoners
who have shown interest in Christianity whilst in prison (often
as part of an Alpha course) and supporting their reintegration
into society;
— Quakers are arguably the denomination
that has had the greatest impact on penal policy. They have played
a significant role in prison reform and developing restorative
justice, and provide guidelines/support for those working with
sex-offenders (Circles of Support and Accountability);
— Black, Pentecostal, and Gospel Churches
are offering valuable services catering not only to the spiritual
but also to the cultural needs of prisoners, especially relevant
as the number of ethnic minorities in our prison grow. In Buckley
Hall and Ashwell these churches have helped the chaplaincy team
offer worship services more suited to their inmates;
— Local Churches have individuals who
are prison visitors, and groups of volunteers that run services
in prison chapels, lead Alpha and mentor/befriend vulnerable individuals
both before and after release. Their contribution is sizeable,
with 6,000 volunteers giving an estimated 300,000 hours per annum
to the Prison Chaplaincy alone.
There are even more faith-based organisations
involved in the area of crime prevention/reduction and post-prison
resettlement; an area we believe to be far more important to prisoner
rehabilitation than any work done inside prison.
2.2 Prisoner Rehabilitation Programmes
Many of the groups mentioned already contribute
heavily to rehabilitation programmes in prisons. The rehabilitative
work done by chaplains was highlighted by Phil Wheatley, Director
General of the Prison Service, who explained that chaplaincy services
have a vital role to play in reducing reoffending by helping criminals
think about their actions. He added that religion could also help
by linking prisoners with support groups when they were released,
and help with housing, jobs and renewing family links. This is
particularly true of a new initiative being developed by CCJF
with the Salvation Army, Community Chaplaincy. The project tries
to bridge the disparity between the support provided in prison
by the chaplaincy team and the lack of support received by prisoners
after release. The programme begins in prison where the offenders
are prepared for release and put in contact with support services
that will aid their resettlement. The team of volunteers, working
under the Community Chaplain, then continues to support the prisoner
post-release. There are projects already working with prisons
in Swansea, Gloucester, North Staffordshire and Preston, and others
are being developed in Feltham, Brixton, Low Newton, Manchester,
Dorchester, Leeds, Nottingham and Cardiff. Shepton Mallet, Swinfen
Hall and Wayland have also shown interest.
Further to this, many faith groups (particularly
the Quakers and Prison Fellowship) have been developing Restorative
Justice in a low-key way long before the concept became part of
Home Office thinking. The Sycamore Tree programme (run by Prison
Fellowship) has been very successful and received praise from
government and prison officials. Many Christian initiatives such
as these try to bring about a change at the heart of the offender.
Another principle central to work that faith
groups have been carrying out, yet only recently widely understood
to reduce re-offending and improve rehabilitation, is that of
maintaining family ties. Work by secular organisations such as
Action for Prisoners' Families contributed to Martin Narey stating,
"A stable, supportive family throughout the sentence is a
key factor in preventing reoffending on release . . . I firmly
believe that we should do as much as possible to sustain family
relationships at what for many will be an especially traumatic
time in their lives", and the Home Office acknowledging that
good family ties can reduce a prisoner's risk of reoffending by
six times. It is no surprise then that PACT, the Mothers' Union,
Parents in Prison, and Care for the Family are all working hard
to provide rehabilitative programmes that promote the preservation
of family ties. Cherie Blair, at an event she hosted at 10 Downing
Street, identified the work of PACT as "so important in providing
advice, information and emotional support". In addition,
the scheme run by Parents in Prison whereby prisoners can record
bedtime stories onto tape for their children, not only aids family
ties but improves the reading skills of the prisoner—both
essential factors in rehabilitation.
The YMCA work particularly with young prisoners
helping them to prepare for life outside of prison. They encourage
the young people to take responsibility for their future, deal
with the underlying reasons for their involvement in crime, and
build their personal skills and confidence. On release, ex-offenders
are offered support in securing housing, training or employment
and encouragement to integrate back into their community without
turning to crime. By taking a non-judgmental approach, valuing
the young people for who they are and for what they can be, organisations
like the YMCA can help young people to take positive, sustainable
steps towards independent, non-offending lifestyles—rehabilitation
in action. There are also many smaller faith-based organisations
carrying out similar work to this with both adult and young prisoners;
one example is found in the Kainos Community project, which seeks
to create therapeutic communities within prisons.
The Rt Hon Paul Boateng, former Minister for
Prisons, believes that even programmes with a predominantly spiritual
focus such as Alpha can have an important role to play in prisoner
rehabilitation, stating "Alpha is making a valuable contribution
to the spiritual life of our prisons and has helped many make
the change to a new life free of crime and drugs. The role of
church communities beyond the prison gates in support of newly
released prisoners and reaching within to touch lives through
Alpha is vital. My heartfelt thanks to all involved, and my prayerful
best wishes for the future of the work."
3. PROVISION
FOR VULNERABLE
PRISONERS
Programmes catering for vulnerable prisoners,
such as short-term prisoners, women, young offenders and those
with mental health problems.
In our over-stretched prison system it is imperative
that those who are most vulnerable are given special care, especially
if the aim is to prevent them from re-entering the system again
in the future. Faith groups often focus their efforts specifically
on these individuals as we are called to defend the rights of
the vulnerable, especially those who are powerless to speak up
for themselves.
Women's vulnerability is evident from the numbers
committing suicide, last year they accounted for 15% of the suicides
in prison although accounting for only 6% of the overall prison
population. With the importance of maintaining family ties for
prisoner rehabilitation already established, one can see that
this is a hugely relevant issue for women with over 66% of female
prisoners being mothers. PACT, NEPACS, Mothers' Union and Parents
in Prison are all working hard to this end.
High reoffending rates, prevalence of substance
misuse, and an all too common background of social exclusion among
young prisoners highlight their vulnerability. And it is for this
reason that the YMCA sinks a great deal of time, energy and resources
into working to rehabilitate young offenders. "Underpinning
[their] work with young offenders is an approach that ensures
that young people are always at the heart of programmes. In turn,
these programmes are focused on empowerment, education and participation."
(YMCA Website)
Mental health presents a real predicament for
the prison estate with over 70% of the prison population being
described as having significant mental health problems. 7% of
male and 14% female prisoners have a psychotic disorder, 14 and
23 times the level in the general population respectively. This
not only raises questions about the provisions made for them,
but whether they should be in our prisons in the first place.
However, they are, and faith groups such as PACT are providing
support for them.
At present, the prison estate, secular agencies,
and faith-based organisations are all failing short-sentence prisoners.
No one is adequately providing services for this challenging and
growing group of prisoners. Their reason for being categorised
"vulnerable" is primarily the very same reason it is
hard to cater for them. Most of the programmes currently running
benefit those who are in prison for a significant stretch of time;
rehabilitation is not a quick process. The prison chaplains are
really the only group of people except for the prison officers
that have any valuable contact with these prisoners, visiting
each new inmate, no matter how brief their stay.
4. EFFECTIVENESS
OF SUCH
PROGRAMMES:
The effect such programmes are having on reoffending.
It is extremely difficult to empirically measure
the effect that many of these programmes have on reducing reoffending.
Outcomes have been assessed however, on some of the projects.
Community Chaplaincy, the project that begins in prison preparing
prisoners for release and then follows through to supporting them
post-release, has had significant impacts on reoffending in Swansea.
Of those who have taken part in the Swansea Community Chaplaincy
programme, since it began in 2001, only 22% are known to have
reoffended; less than half the national average. The Swansea project
calculated, based upon the reduction in re-convictions, that in
the two-and a-half years it has been running they had potentially
saved the government £6,000,000. It attributes its success
to the ability to link prisoners with outside support services
prior to release. (Swansea Community Chaplaincy Project, Executive
Summary, April 2004) The Criminal Justice Research and Policy
department at the University of Central England have recently
announced that they have undertaken to evaluate the Communuity
Chaplaincy Programme in North Staffordshire over the next three
years.
The effectiveness of Restorative Justice programmes
is still being researched, but early findings are very encouraging.
The positive outcomes of Restorative Justice are seen to be far
broader than merely reducing re-offending rates. Victims have
an opportunity to be part of the justice system, put the crime
behind them and ultimately become empowered again. The offender
has the opportunity to own the responsibility for, and learn about
the far-reaching consequences of their crime in addition to making
reparation for it.
The effect, according to the Home Office, of
maintaining family ties is that of reducing the likelihood of
re-offending six fold, as mentioned earlier. This clearly demonstrates
the importance and effectiveness of the work done by faith groups
involved in preservation of family ties.
The educational and mentoring approach that
organisations like the YMCA take appears to be a successful combination.
Education is an essential element to rehabilitation with offenders
approximately four times more likely to have no formal qualifications
than the general population and mentoring has had very positive
coverage in America, although it is only starting to be used effectively
in the UK.
5. FUTURE POSSIBILITIES
Suggestions regarding what faith groups might
be able to offer in the future.
The Churches' Criminal Justice Forum is a national,
ecumenical body that seeks to uphold Christian values in the field
of criminal justice. We feel very strongly that there is further
contribution to be made by faith groups in the area of prisoner
rehabilitation. We aim to continue raising awareness of criminal
justice concerns in local churches through talks, articles, regional
events, Christian festivals etc, stressing relevance of criminal
justice to Christian teaching and the demand upon people of faith
to get involved. We believe closer links between local churches
and prisons/probation areas can be achieved and will be working
hard to achieve this aim. The "What Can I Do?" booklet
has been produced by PACT, on behalf of the CCJF, and funded by
Rethinking Crime and Punishment. It includes sections on why and
how to get involved (with both government and voluntary agencies),
how to stimulate debate and links to further resources and useful
contacts. Available on our website.
Today, individual wealth is higher than it has
ever been, yet people are far more reluctant to get involved in
their community, resulting in a marked decrease in the amount
time the average person spends volunteering. Contribution of time
to voluntary work among faith groups however, is six times greater
than the national average. One needs to consider the great source
of motivation that faith offers potential volunteers and the unique
opportunity for lasting outcomes of a practical and spiritual
nature. It would be a disaster for both the prison service and
the church if we were not to capitalise upon the possibilities
of further involvement. Our overstretched public services need
the volunteer base that faith groups offer to continue to function.
However, faith groups are continually hampered
in their work by lack of initial or renewed funding. Successful
projects are facing closure only a year or two after they began
because the government or other funding bodies fail to recognise
the true investment that they represent, or responds too slowly
causing dispersal of expertise. This needs to be addressed.
It is also necessary to stress the importance
of the probation services maintaining, and prison services developing,
local links under NOMS, as faith-based organisations (and most
voluntary agencies) co-operate best at the local level.
"With growing diversity the relevance of
religion to prisoners may be increasing, rather than diminishing
in accordance with the prophecies of secularism." Roger Grimshaw,
CCJS
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