Faith-Based Initiatives and Prisons

Jamie L. Weldon

Faith-based initiatives operate in federal and state prisons across the United States. This entry describes faith-based prison initiatives and discusses key issues surrounding these programs. A summary of Kairos Prison Ministry, Horizon Communities, and Prison Fellowship is provided, as these programs operate nationwide in the U.S. prison system. Most programs are Christian centered, and religions such as Islam, Judaism, Buddhism, and other non-Christian faiths are often neglected in faith-based prison programs. This issue of neglect is addressed along with suggestions for future research. According to the Bureau of Justice Statistics there are over 2.2 million prisoners held in federal or state prisons or local jails. In 2006 the Bureau of Justice Statistics estimated the overall incarceration rate per 100,000 U.S. residents for each state and federal prison system. These statistics indicated that 4.8% of Black men were in prison or jail compared to 1.9% of Hispanic men and 0.7% of ...

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