The prison seminary movement and the impact of faith-based programmes

Abstract

The prison seminary movement and the impact of faith-based programmes Challenges facing US prisons are increasing. With issues of overcrowding, widespread mental illness, high levels of post-traumatic stress disorder, violence, and more, prisons are failing to correctly rehabilitate inmates. Unfortunately, policymakers largely ignore decades of criminological research documenting how faith-based programmes reduce social isolation and shame among prisoners and offer emotional and network pathways that support fresh starts, which is what Byron R. Johnson and Sung Joon Jang from Baylor University share their expertise in now, regarding the key challenges affecting America’s prison system, the prison seminary movement and the positive impact that faith-based programmes can have. Looking at Angola’s unique prison seminary, and the impact of faith-based programmes, Byron R. Johnson and Sung Joon Jang analyse the work of faith-based organisations and faith-motivated volunteers in prisons, and find through empirical evidence that by embracing religious faith, inmates can and do transform their lives in meaningful ways.