The Situation, Role and Possibilities of Religious Practice in the Reintegration Activities of the Penitentiary Organisation

Abstract

Aim: The author discusses how the practice of religion and the Prison Chaplaincy can be linked to the reintegration goals of the prison service, by reviewing historical background, significant legal and professional aspects, and by drawing on his own observations and experiences.Methodology: An overview of the legal development of the domestic prison system from the religious practice point of view, based on professional perspectives, literature sources and the author's long-term observations and experiences, presents some elements of religious practice as a tool to support the reintegration process.Findings: The historical background and the legal context may explicitly support the professional aspects of reintegration activities in the implementation of religious practice coordinated by the Prison Chaplaincy. The effective use of these tools presupposes a high level of professional knowledge of both reintegration and religious practice.Value: Religious practice has a significant historical background and a well-defined place in the reintegration activities of the prison service. A historical overview of the current status, role and function of religious practice in the reintegration profession provides an opportunity to shed light on the way on which religious practice, by its very nature, supports reintegration activities. Some possible contexts for this supportive character are presented.