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Introduction to Volunteering in the Department of Corrections

Prison Ministry within the Alternative Faith groups is not a popular topic. Most of the Alternative Faith groups are life affirming and many feel as though when an individual breaks the law, they have violated a tenet of their faith. Many have told me, this is not a worthwhile project.

I disagree with them all and do so from the bottom of my heart because I believe that people are exactly that and all people make mistakes and there is no class, culture, race or faith group that can claim any single person to be mistake free within their lives in any manner.

We all strive to be the best that we can be on our spiritual paths, within our work, to our families and to our community. Those that are incarcerated will eventually be released and will come back into direct contact with society. I honestly believe that behavior and decision making skills can be changed through spirituality, and reinforced upon release.
They also desire to be the best that they can be within their lives as well. All they have to do is see that there is goodness within them, forgive themselves, and learn from their mistakes. All we need to do is be there for them, provide them with unconditional love and give them support in a spiritual manner.

Our country has become a country that throws children away within the system. Our system is deciding that children are adults long before they have the maturity to be adults and are introduced into a correctional setting that is at a time that they are most impressionable and can determine who they are as adults.

The correctional setting does not exclude youth facilities that are housing juvenile offenders who have been tried and convicted as adults. They grow into adults and move into more age appropriate facilities. They are children lost in a system, that eventually become lost adults in our society.

Almost every faith promotes acceptance, forgiveness and love for our fellow neighbor and stranger. Many of these individuals do not know what it means to be forgiven or to accept responsibility for their actions, for if they made a mistake it could cost them their lives and if they took responsibility for all that they have done, it would mean they would have to show emotion, which is a sign of weakness and again, it could cost them their lives.

Many of these individuals were born into circumstances that society failed to protect them from, such as poverty, poor education, poor health and no employment opportunities.

I know a young man who's parents, 2 brothers, a sister, 3 cousins and 2 aunts who were in a gang, sold drugs and were murdered by rival gang members and his grandmother is in prison for selling drugs. He has been in prison since he was 14 and will be released in 2017. In my opinion, this young man never had a chance at life and we as a society has failed him. I have seen him grow into a wonderful young man who has a light in him that shines brightly and he has a lot to offer society, but I often wonder how this amount of time in such a place will affect his release in the very distant future. Will he have an opportunity at life then or will he be so set in prison life that he won't be able to adjust because it is all that he knows?

These worries are why prison ministry is so important and you as a volunteer are so very important to our society. The legislatures yearly cut the budgets of the Correctional Departments in almost every state across the nation. Some of the primary areas that are affected by these budget cuts are the Chaplaincy Departments within the Department of Corrections. The State paid Chaplains are having to cover more than one facility, their workload is increased by the war on drugs, nonviolent offenders, and the three strikes laws, and they are given more responsibility than hours in a day can handle because they are also responsible for assisting the spiritual needs of the staff as well as the inmates.

Many States are attempting to correct this overwhelming work load by accepting and filling state paid Chaplain positions with Community Sponsored and Volunteer Chaplains.

State paid Chaplains have a higher criteria to meet for employment than the Community Sponsored or Volunteer Chaplain. The State paid Chaplain must abide by the rules that govern the State, but the Community Sponsored and Volunteer Chaplain can decline to do certain work or accommodate certain faiths. The State paid Chaplain usually, not always has a military history, which has exposed them to accommodating many different faiths, while the Community Sponsored and Volunteer Chaplain has only the experience of their congregation, which is usually Christian and it is all that they know.

Without a qualified volunteer for a facility, if a Community Sponsored or Volunteer Chaplain is at that facility and there are alternative faith groups that the Chaplain is uncomfortable working with, the chances are, they will not be accommodated the basic right to practice their faith.

There has been several studies, and an article is in the article section referring to the studies that I am talking about that both prove and disprove the affects on faith group participation by inmates. Some say that there are less write ups and less likelihood of return to prison by inmate participation and others say there is no change.

I believe that faith does create change and I believe you believe this as well, or you would not be considering becoming a volunteer or you would not have already volunteered to do Prison Ministry. Prison Ministry is a challenging field, but I know from 15 years experience, that it has tremendous rewards spiritually and if this is your calling, as it was mine, you cannot walk away from it. It is your destiny and I hope these web pages help prepare you for your life's work in this field.

You will work in an area that most people watch on television in crime dramas on a nightly basis. The first time you walk into a facility and the doors clank shut behind you, you realize you cannot leave at will, just open a door and go to your car and go home; someone must open those doors for you. Your surrounding becomes unfamiliar and your first thought is of OZ on HBO, and you realize how much faith and trust you must have in the surrounding staff, their abilities to keep you safe. But in reality, you must have faith in the people you are there to see and in your own faith of what will be, shall be. It can be scary your first time in a facility because you don't know what you will encounter.

What you will experience from that point forward is what we are hoping to prepare you for. Our goal is to provide you with resources to prepare you for the differences of prison life. You are in a different world when you are behind the walls and the rules do change, but if you know the rules, you are less likely to make mistakes and you will be able to do the work that you are intending to do and your experience will be rewarding.

How to Navigate Through This Site to Benefit You

This divisional site was created for the sole purpose of being a resource for not only the volunteers within the Department of Corrections, but the Chaplains, inmates and the family and friends of inmates. Each area has it's specific needs and purposes, but there is also information that will be shared by all of you. Due to this fact, I understand it can become confusing and I hope this section will take that confusion away, or at least minimize it.

The most important section to anyone considering becoming a volunteer or whom is a volunteer is the Department of Corrections links page. This page has the link to every state's home page, which has the information to contact each facility within that state. It also has links to policies that affect volunteering, your activities within the facilities as well as the policies that affect the religious programming. You need to familiarize yourself with this information to be professional in your work and stay within the guidelines.

The next section you should browse and hopefully read, are the articles associated with prison studies and books on the subject. 

The Prisoner's Dictionary is something you will need to get familiar with as well. Knowing the language behind the walls is very important. It will keep you informed if your religious study group or activities is being used for illegal aspects, or if the topic is staying on religion.

There are many gangs within the correctional setting and due to this fact, we have a Gang link as well. Many individuals once inside, will affiliate with a gang for many different reasons; protection from other inmates, they were a member on the outside, or they agree with their behavior. Inside a correctional setting gangs and it's members are classified as STG's (Security Threat Groups). STG's have been known to infiltrate a program and use it to pass notes to sale drugs, put out hits on other inmates or to recruit members. As a religious volunteer within a correctional setting you must maintain your group to religious activities. This link will provide you with information to educate you to gang behavior, symbols and activity.

These are the most important links on this site for you to know. Knowing this information can keep you safe, prevent you from violating any laws that could put you in a correctional setting and not put the facilities security at risk that could result in harm occurring to staff, volunteers and inmates.

The majority of the rest of the links are educational resources for you to utilize for support in your prison ministry program. No single person knows everything about any faith group. We are not only teachers in this system, but we are students as well growing with the people we work and interact with.

Lastly, we have the mediation and complaint section which is designed to assist you in over coming obstacles that you may face either due to the staff being uneducated to your faith, communication obstacles or violation of the law. 

The Prison Ministry Division does not have a large budget for filing cases in court, but we do have an excellent track record of correcting injustices within the Department of Corrections setting. We also, have professional relationships with agencies that do have the ability to take cases, that we put together; to court by collecting evidence that support the allegation of discrimination. We prefer to do mediation over court filing. We believe strongly that court expenses is affecting the Chaplaincy Department and our desire is to free up as much money as possible within this system, so that eventually the Chaplaincy Department can continue to hire state paid Chaplains. We can help free up money in the Department of Corrections budget by being successful in the mediation process.

Use the information provided to better help you be successful with your prison ministry program within any correctional setting. Through faith and spirituality, there is no obstacle we cannot over come together.

Basic Training for Working Within the Department of Corrections

This training will not exempt you from attending the institutional training that is required of every volunteer in every state. This information is meant to go beyond that training, unless you have been allowed into the 2-6 week training courses that is required of all staff. Not all volunteers within the Department of Corrections will go through this form of intense training and for those who don't, this information will be vital to you.

All of the information below comes directly from my personal state orientation material. There is restricted material within the manual, that I cannot provide to you, but I can provide important information that will assist you in being the best volunteer within a correctional facility that you can be.

Principles of Volunteer Conduct

1. Be honest in all your endeavors. Never be untruthful when communicating with the staff, inmates, visitors, victims and other volunteers. Be willing to challenge unethical behavior.

2. Hold yourself to the highest standards of moral, personal and professional conduct.

3. Treat everyone with respect.

4. Establish trust by being creditable, consistent and accountable.

5. Take responsibility for our actions.

6. Be a good citizen by abiding the laws and setting example with this behavior.

7. Maintain your safety.

Volunteer-Inmate Relations

When I went through this training, the first statement after the introduction, shocked me extremely, "Over half of you will lose your jobs and become an inmate within the next year." I could not believe the training officer was telling me that half of the individuals in that room would end up in prison. I began to notice because I was paying attention to the media regarding correctional officers in the news, that possibly he was correct in that statement.

The State Correctional setting use to have a light policy regarding staff that violated laws such as sneaking in cell phones, providing drugs to the inmates or even weapons. They would be asked to resign and never request employment in their agency again and all was forgotten about, but that is not happening any more. Many states have decided to crack down on this behavior and prosecute all that get involved in this behavior.

These guidelines should assist you in to not falling into the trap that can lead you to prison with many others that have already fallen in this area. 

As a volunteer it is important that at all times you maintain a professional demeanor when working with the incarcerated. At all times you should be within the confines of the rules. You should always treat the incarcerated humanely, pleasant but be firm. Follow through on appropriate request. The facilities prefer it if you address the inmates by their last name.

As a member of clergy there are areas that on the outside would be classified as confidential information, but inside a correctional setting they may not be, such as counseling sessions that discuss suicide, harming another, participating in a riot or any other activity that threatens the security of the facility. All of these activities must be reported to the Head Chaplain of that facility and if they are not available, then you must report it to a correctional officer immediately. Failing to do so, could cost you the ability to be a volunteer at that facility or any other facility and maybe even criminal charges filed against you. So be careful in this area.

Behavior that is classified as unprofessional or unacceptable is listed below:

1. Romantic contact with an inmate, whether it be physical, in writing, verbal or via telephone. If you have sex with an inmate, in some states you can go to prison for 20 years. (State paid chaplains have even done this act, as well as librarians, volunteers, correctional officers and other staff. So this does happen and this is in no manner meant to imply that we as volunteers are more prone to the behavior.)

2. Non-religious contact or visits with an inmate, inmate's family member or friend.

3. Giving or receiving letters, phone calls, money, telephone numbers or anything else that is not authorized by policy to or from an inmate, their family members or friends.

4. Failure to obey all rules or report violations.

5. Accepting loans, gifts, or services from inmates or their family members.

6. Talking about personal matters with an inmate. (I understand that sometimes as clergy within our faith that it is necessary to get personal, but the Department of Corrections does not want us getting personal in a manner to where we are sharing our personal problems and not being there for the purpose we are there for.)

7. Showing favoritism or doing favors for an inmate or having them do favors for us.

Any violations of misconduct can result in legal and personal consequences, as well as resulting in a change of policy for your faith group, or all faith groups within not only that institution, but the entire state. So make sure, you do not violate any of these rules because the consequences can affect more than just yourself. Be aware that every facility and state has guidelines on how to deal with each infraction.

Inside the system, there are those that intentionally will attempt to set up a volunteer, staff, or other individuals that they come into contact with. This section is not meant to imply that every individual within the correctional system behaves in this manner, but to make you aware of those that do and to insure that you do not fall victim to the games that some may play.

The volunteer should not be easily provoked or manipulated into situations that distract because to do so might jeopardize personal safety or the safety of others. The average inmate game takes approximately 19 months to complete.

There are five (5) aspects of the set up team:

1. The Observer: This individual is responsible for collecting information about others who may provide information to them for money or other favors.

2. The Contact: This individual is the one who provides the information to the set up team.

3. The Runner: This individual violates the rules to test the volunteer and is paid by the set up team.

4. The Point Man: They stand guard while an illegal act is taking place.

5. The Turner: They are the leader or the brains behind the operation.

There are three (3) phases of the inmate set up and 14 steps:

1. Technique: This phase describes how the inmates conduct the setup. In this phase the information is gathered and the target is selected. 

A. Observation: The inmate watches the volunteer on a regular basis while inside the facility. They observe what you bring in, what people are saying about you, body language, listen in on your conversations with others and your responses to suggestions of illegal behavior, probably a minor infraction to see if you will do it, to get your reaction.

B. Selection: Inmates categorize victims into 3 categories:

a. Hard: Strict and inflexible
b. Soft: Trusting, overly familiar, naive.
c. Mellow: Knows when to be hard, when to be soft and when to apply each method/approach appropriately. They are comfortable in their volunteer positions. 

C. Test of Limits/Fish Testing: This is the process used to compromise the volunteer and leave them in real trouble. It includes the process of pursuing; bending, breaking, and circumventing the minor rules to determine how far the manipulator can go before the volunteer takes action such as reporting them.

2. Tools: This represents the resources used by inmates to turn volunteers.

D. Support System: The inmate is always there to support you, will pledge faith, trust and devotion to the volunteer. 

E. Empathy/Sympathy: Empathy bases itself on a shared understanding, experience, or a vicarious experience of feelings, thoughts or attitudes. It forms a bond. Sympathy is where you feel sorry for the individual without understanding the problem.

F. Plea For Help: At this point, the turner will ask the volunteer for things which they know are against the rules. 

G. We/They Syndrome: The inmates will try to play the volunteer against the staff. Making it you and the inmate against "them." 

H. Protection: They will stage events to make it look like they are protecting you either from other inmates or staff. They have done you a favor and you will be expected to return the favor.

I. Allusion to Sex: To the female volunteer the motive is usually frequent sex and to the male volunteer is to create a bond and this allusion can be used as a lever.

J. Touch System: For the male volunteer this usually consists of handshaking, pats on the back, placing one's hands on the shoulder to form a closer bond. For the female volunteer it may consist of straightening a collar or picking lint off of a collar or touching of the arm when assisting her through an open door.

K. The Rumor Mill: Rumors are a means of pulling the target away from the support of the staff within the facility. They will start a rumor which will cause management to closely observe the volunteer or called in for questioning.

3. The Turnout: This is the stage when the Turner makes their wants or demands known to the volunteer/victim.

L. Shopping List: This exposes the set up and the point where the inmate makes their wants known.

M. The Lever: The lever is the device that will force the volunteer to break the law, which means you have already broken a rule and do not want to get caught, so you just keep digging your hole deeper.

N. The Sting: After you have done everything asked of you, they turn you in.

Many of us wants to believe that everyone has good intentions when they are coming to our religious groups, and I feel strongly that we should give them the opportunity, but at the same time, be aware of behaviors that could lead you down a path that is not so innocent. If you notice behavior that is in direct violation of the rules, let them know, that you are legally required to report these violations and that if the behavior continues, that is exactly what you are going to do. By being honest and upfront about things, it can save you a lot of heart ache and problems. Something as simple as mailing a letter for an inmate can turn into an illegal action because it could go to their victim and be a threat or it could be a message they are sending out to someone to harm another, request drugs or etc.

Hostage Situations

Each state has their own policy, but universally they do not do hostage negotiations. So, if you are ever grabbed as a hostage, do not believe for a moment that you will be out of crisis until the situation is under control and why the Department of Corrections will have you sign a document stating you understand this fact. Should you ever be in this situation, these are some important things you need to keep in mind and remember:

1. Do not look them directly in the eyes.
2. Do not assume you are smarter than they are.
3. Do as you are told.
4. Don't try to be hero.
5. Do not show your fear, stay calm.

Other Information

Since we are all clergy in our faiths, I am pretty certain that we have all dealt with issues dealing in diseases such as AIDS, TB and VD. In a correctional setting they do not distribute condoms for safe sex, and there is a lot of sexual predatory behavior inside the walls. While undergoing my training, the nurse who taught this section stated that she felt there were incurable forms of VD inside the correctional setting. 

AIDS is another large factor within the walls. While the Department of Corrections, once they are aware of whom has this disease, will separate them from general population within the walls. They will not stop them from coming to your religious program, nor should they. But, since everyone knows everything about the other inside the walls, you may experience problems with other inmates and you will need to deal with it so your group is not disrupted by these prejudices.

The last thing I want to mention, is that once you drive onto the property of the Department of Corrections they have the legal right to search your body, your possessions and your vehicle. If they suspect drug or alcohol use they have the right to test you right there on the spot. Many units has a K-9 Unit specifically for locating drugs inside or on the correctional property.

Also, be aware of the dress code of each facility, even though you may go to several in a day, you may need to keep an extra couple of suits within your car so that your attire is able to meet the dress code policy in each facility you meet within.