Prison Seminaries: A Survey of Constitutional Practice

• In Event: Correctional Programming

Abstract

In the context of national-level concerns about the high cost of American prisons and recidivism rates documenting failure as the norm for released prisoners, corrections officials beset by rising populations and shrinking budgets have increasingly welcomed “faith-based” providers offering services at no cost to help meet the needs of inmates.This paper offers a survey of Constitutional Practices among US prison seminary programs as they relate to concepts of religious “Establishment” and “Entanglement” in the First Amendment. The paper compares, contrasts and documents existing practices regarding inmate recruitment, admission, discipline, funding, worship practice, and inmate ministry as they relate to existing Constitutional Law. The paper concludes with a working typology of Constitutional issues raised by prison seminaries.

Authors

• Michael Hallett, University of North Florida

• Byron Johnson, Baylor University

• Sung Joon Jang, Baylor University

• Grant Duwe, Minnesota Department of Corrections

• Joshua Hays, Baylor University