Why is Christian Indoctrination of the Incarcerated Allowed


This blog has attracted a variety of people over its lifetime. One was a man who volunteered giving lessons in Christianity to inmates in a state prison. Religious groups often raise money to fund "ministries" in prisons. The jail Chaplain of the large county where I lived in ND was, as I recall, a former Baptist minister. 

This Christain indoctrination receives praise from prison wardens. The common view of wardens is something like, "It calms down the prisoners." I suppose that means it calms some of the tensions between individuals and groups in jails and prisons. While I have no reason to doubt the views of these wardens there is a downside to indoctrination of prisoners they never mention. Now this downside is being addressed.

Because wardens believe inmates are calmer does not prove they are actually. This may be the conclusion of wardens who themselves are Christians. Is there no other way to keep prisoners calm but indoctrinate them with religious of political views? Maybe more education classes and individual attention from professional councilors would help?

Underlying all of this is the big reason so many U.S. citizens are incarcerated. The big reason is drug offenses. We are seeing a peak at a new way of looking at these drugs. The "War on Drugs" has been a failure. The "drug problem" and danger associated with it have been exaggerated. If we turn the page on drug laws we will turn the page on huge prison populations. Lowing these will surely lower tension and the need for a religious fix.  

The entire project of marketing Christianity in prisons has always had a cloud of suspicion over it. The suspicion is that participation in Christain indoctrination goes on a prisoner's resume and helps when parole hearings are held. Many ex prisoners have revealed they only participated in order to get out early. 

As so often is the case, Prison Ministry has a dark side. Leave it to those in prison to work out their own religions beliefs without side deals. 

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