Documents and Reports

CSC Chaplaincy Impact Project Religious and Spiritual Services Report*

Chaplaincy Branch

October 2007

* The Chaplaincy Management Team will be managing t he implementation of recommendations for the Religious and Spiritual Services Report.

Table of Contents

Executive Summary

Introduction

Methodology

Key Observations and Findings

Recommendations

Conclusion

Appendix A Glossary of Terms

Appendix B Chaplaincy Programming/Initiatives

Executive Summary

The Religious and Spiritual Services Report is the final report of the Chaplaincy Impact Project, building on the Pastoral Care Report (2004) and the Community Engagement Report (2006). The Project, in addition to developing an evaluation framework for CSC Chaplaincy, seeks to answer two questions: What is the impact of the services being delivered, and how can the impact of the services be strengthened?

The Religious and Spiritual Services Report is the result of over two hundred face-to-face interviews with inmates, staff, volunteers and administrators at fourteen sites in the five regions of the CSC. Observations and key findings were gleaned from the interviews by the site visit teams. Eight recommendations are offered to address the second question the Project seeks to address: How can the impact of religious and spiritual services be strengthened in CSC Chaplaincy?

For the purposes of the report the term 'religious' services' refers to the formal worship services conducted by institutional chaplains, community clergy, volunteers or spiritual leaders/advisors from minority faith traditions; whereas the term 'spiritual services' refers to the spirituality programming offered through the Chaplaincy Team at an institution (or community chaplaincy).

Ninety percent of the inmates interviewed expressed a high level of satisfaction with the religious services that were being offered at their institution. They report that the services are having a positive impact on them that has resulted in personal and spiritual growth, enhancement of emotional well-being, and positive behavioural change.

Although there is a high level of satisfaction on the part of the inmates who attend the services, the Report acknowledges that only between fifteen and twenty percent of the inmate population are attending religious worship services on a regular basis. The interviewees offered several reasons why more inmates do not attend the services and it is hoped that institutional Chaplaincy Teams will seek to expand the reach of the services they provide through their pastoral planning process.

The Report notes the change in the religious landscape of the prison environment. Although the majority of offenders still report Roman Catholic or Protestant affiliation, the "no religion” and "non-Christian" categories have increased over the past few decades. Chaplains interviewed stated that they welcome "non religious inmates to the services they offer. As well, the current reality of religious pluralism has resulted in contracts for services with non-Christian faith communities in all five regions. The inmates who access these services are extremely satisfied with them, although they would like more frequent visits from their advisors/leaders.

Chaplains report that the worship services are a vital component of their Pastoral Plans. The chaplains, volunteers and minority faith providers who deliver the services spend a great deal of time planning, preparing, and conducting the services. As well, the Report notes that there is a high level of participation on the part of the "user group" - the inmates who attend the services, which is having a positive impact on them. The Report includes several of their suggestions for strengthening the impact of the religious services being offered.

One of the findings of the Report is that Chaplaincy offers a broad range of services/programming that fall under the following headings: cognitive, religion, meditation, self-awareness, creativity, one-on-one encounters, relationships, emotions, recovery, personal development and community outreach. A comprehensive listing of actual programming initiatives offered at the institutions is included in Appendix B.

Yet, most staff and inmates interviewed were not aware of the scope of the programming and services offered. A method of communicating and promoting this could result in a greater number of inmates accessing the available services, as well as increased referrals from staff.

As noted above with the religious services, those who access Chaplaincy programming have a high level of satisfaction with the initiatives, which they report as having a positive impact on them. The specific programming components are sometimes offered during the week in the daytime; however, most are offered during the evenings when inmates are not working and volunteers are available to support them. The Report notes the important role that volunteers play in the success of Chaplaincy programming.

Issues such as information exchange between chaplains and staff, ongoing evaluation of what Chaplaincy offers and resourcing are also discussed in the Report.

The Religious and Spiritual Services Report offers eight recommendations to address the key findings noted in the Report. It is hoped that these recommendations will strengthen the impact of the religious and spiritual services offered by CSC Chaplaincy.

INTRODUCTION

Chaplains have been involved in the Canadian penitentiary system since its inception. In his book, A Living Tradition 1, Canon Tom James notes that the role of the chaplain was second only to that of the warden during the early years of the Service. Indeed, the very concept of the penitentiary grew out of the Quaker notion that prisons should be places where offenders make peace with their God, being penitent for their actions before their Maker. Chaplaincy within the Christian context traces its spiritual mandate and calling to the New Testament when Christ said, "I was in prison and you visited me" (Matthew 25:36). Other faith traditions also consider it their spiritual obligation to visit those who are incarcerated.

Reflecting the religious landscape of Canadian society at the time, Chaplaincy began as a joint undertaking between the Protestant and Roman Catholic faith communities. While Canada has become more religiously diverse over the years, the majority of its citizens still identify Protestantism or Roman Catholicism as their religion (2001 Census Data), as does the majority of CSC's offender population. Even so, the CSC currently faces a more complex religious and spiritual milieu in which it must accommodate many faiths. In order to help with the task of religious accommodation, CSC has engaged representatives of the various faith communities to create an advisory body. The Interfaith Committee on Chaplaincy in the CSC was formed in 1968 to be a liaison to both the CSC through the Director General of Chaplaincy and the faith communities. Its primary role is to be:

advisory to the CSC; collaborative in recruitment, selection, and evaluation; supportive to chaplains; and facilitative in liaison between the CSC and churches and other faith communities 2.

The IFC seeks to encourage the involvement of faith communities in correctional ministry by promoting education and awareness of the needs of offenders, ex-offenders, victims, staff and families. The IFC also works with and advises CSC on religious issues such as the requirements for offenders to practice their faith, dietary needs, and broader policy issues, among others. The details of the partnership between CSC and the IFC are established in a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU), renewed in 2000.

In the early 1980s the Carcajou Report provided a description and analysis of CSC Chaplaincy. It attempted to demonstrate the value of Chaplaincy as well as its impact on offenders, offenders' families, staff, and the faith communities. One of its most notable recommendations dealt with changing the status of institutional chaplains from that of indeterminate CSC employees to that of contracting agents representing their faith communities.

Chaplaincy derives its current mandate from a variety of sources, including (among others):

The Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms ; Universal Declaration of Human Rights (1948) and Canadian Human Rights Act (1977); Corrections and Conditional Release Act (CCRA); United Nations Standard Minimum Rules for the Treatment of Offenders ; Memorandum of Understanding (2000) between the Correctional Service of Canada and the Interfaith Committee ; and sacred literature.

In January 2001 representatives of the Chaplaincy and Evaluation and Review Branches (ERB) gathered at the request of CSC Chaplaincy for a two-day session of brainstorming, reflection and dialogue in order to initiate the development of a strategic framework for accountability and evaluation of Chaplaincy services. The initial consultation revealed that the scope and breadth of Chaplaincy is large and complex. The ERB presented some initial thinking on a Chaplaincy evaluation framework to the Chaplaincy Management Team (CMT) in February 2001.

In the spring of 2001 the Director General of Chaplaincy presented a 'Chaplaincy Business Case' to CSC's Executive Committee (EXCOM). The introduction of the document presented the context for the proposal:

Spiritual leadership involves walking towards a vision of ultimate compassion, goodness and beauty. Chaplaincy has attempted to offer this in words and action in the correctional milieu, both by being a caring presence to the prisoner and by contributing to shaping the CSC Mission and developing understanding of what a restorative justice might look like. It is a dynamic process, involving a variety of responses in a variety of different situations, and dependent on a faithful and committed personal journey. This proposal is presented to improve the effectiveness of this mission of Chaplaincy. 3

The Business Case presented some of the goals of the process in which Chaplaincy was beginning to engage. These included:

• developing a framework to clearly communicate and renew its vision;
• developing effective strategies to implement such a framework;
• identifying and communicating its impact in an accountable way that would facilitate review and evaluation;
• contributing effectively to the corporate reporting of both CSC and the faith communities.

At the heart of this process is the belief that there needs to be a way of communicating the impact of Chaplaincy that respects both the professionalism of pastoral ministry and the Treasury Board's and CSC's commitment to results-based management.

Faith and spirituality are not easily measured or evaluated, so a movement toward a results-based mindset is not readily endorsed by many in the faith communities. Since August 2002 Chaplaincy leadership has been engaging the Chaplaincy and faith communities to lay the groundwork for an evaluation process that seeks to better understand the impact of Chaplaincy on offenders, offenders' families, and staff in both the institutions and community. Through their IFC representatives, the faith communities have expressed reservations about this initiative. The IFC's concern has been that the process would focus too much on the quantitative and not enough on the qualitative aspects of Chaplaincy and fail to capture its essence, which is embodied in the relationships between chaplains and the offenders they serve and walk with. There has been an on-going dialogue between Chaplaincy, Performance Assurance and the IFC to ensure that the evaluation does in fact capture this critical element of Chaplaincy's reality. Chaplaincy began this evaluation process with the hope of renewing its vision and continuing to explore new ways of honouring its living tradition.

METHODOLOGY

The Religious and Spiritual Services Report represents the final report of the Chaplaincy

Impact Project. The first two reports were the Pastoral Care Report (2004) and the

Community Engagement Report (2006).

Religious and spiritual services 4 are essential components of the chaplain's statement of work. From the inception of the CSC chaplains have conducted religious worship services. In fact if one were to ask most inmates and staff what the primary role of the chaplain is, they would probably say it is to conduct chapel worship services. This function was at the very heart of a "penitentiary" approach to corrections. Over the years, however, Chaplaincy has expanded the scope of its services by adding an array of programming initiatives, usually supported by volunteers.

This report seeks to answer two basic questions:

(1) What is the impact of CSC Chaplaincy's religious and spiritual services?

(2) How can the impact of CSC Chaplaincy's religious and spiritual services be

strengthened?

Once the Report has received the feedback of CSC stakeholders and the Chaplaincy

Leadership Team (CLT) an action plan will be developed to address the key

findings and recommendations.

The data collection was carried out through the use of structured interviews with key institutional personnel and offenders.

Site selection was based upon the following criteria: Institutions must represent all five regions and the spectrum of CSC's operations including all levels of security and institutions for women offenders 5.

In applying these criteria, evaluation teams visited the following:

Pacific Mission Institution, Pacific Institution, Fraser Valley Institution

Prairies Regional Psychiatric Centre, Saskatchewan Penitentiary, Next Step Program

Ontario Grand Valley Institution, Fenbrook Institution

Quebec Montée St. Francois, Federal Training Centre, Victim Offender Mediation Program

Atlantic Atlantic Institution, Springhill Institution, "Turnings", Halifax Community Chaplaincy

Peer chaplains were appointed to assist with the site visits. The peer chaplains were selected from a region other than the one being evaluated. The peer chaplains were:

Rosemary Redshaw ( Ontario )

Peter Huish ( Quebec )

Greg Frazer ( Atlantic )

Deborah Tanasiecuk (Prairies)

Wendy Murchy (Pacific)

The team conducted over two hundred interviews with inmates, staff, chaplains, volunteers

and CSC administrators.

The body of this Report contains the observations and key findings drawn from interviews, questionnaires and dialogue throughout the five regions.

CHAPLAINCY SERVICES AND CSC PRIORITIES

Chaplaincy services and programs assist in the safe transition of offenders into the community. Its programs can prepare offenders for a time when they will be once again interacting with private citizens in the community. Most Chaplaincy programs and services are supported and accompanied by volunteers from the community at large. The programs place offenders and citizens from the community together in a pro-social environment. Volunteers model good citizenship to the offenders. Offenders have an opportunity to interact in a healthy manner with people that live in the community. As Well, the thousands of faith-based volunteers provide a means of effective communication to the "outside world" concerning the work of the CSC .

Community chaplaincy provides a "bridge" between the institution and the community. It completes the continuum of care that began in the prison. Community chaplaincy and the faith communities at large often assist offenders in a safe transition into the community. Chaplaincy, through its religious services and programs, assists inmates in the cognitive, behavioural and spiritual dimensions of life. Its commitment to the transformation and wellness of offenders enhances the safety and security of staff and offenders in CSC institutions. This is noted on the CSC website by the Commisioner of the CSC , speaking of volunteers, "You make a real difference to the lives of offenders you work with, and you are an essential component of our efforts to enhance public safety by supporting the successful reintegration of offenders into the community. Whether you assist in delivering correctional programs, work with faith-based community groups…..your efforts and expertise are greatly appreciated.

Chaplaincy, through its religious services and programs helps the CSC fulfil its mission of contributing to public safety, encouraging offenders to become good citizens in an atmosphere of safety and mutual respect. Its services and programs are expressions of the five core values of the CSC . The faith communities, volunteers and chaplains are committed to the dignity of all persons it serves. Its programs are founded on the principle that the offender has the potential for growth and development to become healthy citizens in our society.

Key Observations and Findings

Finding 1 - Inmates who access religious worship events and programming express a high level of satisfaction.

Data from Offender

When asked to rate their level of satisfaction with religious worship events, 90% of the inmates gave a score of five out of five. The interviewees also reported that they were very satisfied with the Chaplaincy programming they attended. With few exceptions they were pleased with their content and delivery, as well as with what they learned from having participated in it.

When asked to rate the meaningfulness of various components of the worship, with a few exceptions the participants gave the highest rating to music (1 = least meaningful; 5 = most meaningful). Music plays a vital role in most worship services in prison, whether as group singing, special music, vocal and instrumental solos, instrumental accompaniment, choirs and pre-recorded audio/video. Most chapels have hymn/song books available for group singing; others use overhead and power-point projections of the music on a screen or wall in the chapel.

Participants at worship events rated other components of the worship highly as well. Ninety percent of those interviewed gave the sermon, the prayers, the Eucharist (Holy Communion) and the scripture reading a rating between four and five (out of five). One respondent stated that "[worship] is the focal point of my incarceration experience." Another said that "my week goes better when I attend the worship service".

When the team asked offenders from minority faith traditions to rate their level of satisfaction with the quality of Chaplaincy services provided, ninety percent stated that they were extremely satisfied.

When the interviewers asked the inmates why they attend the worship events, their responses included the following:

• to practice my faith
• to worship God
• to grow spiritually
• to be part of a community
• to bring healing to my life
• to bring meaning to my life
• to help me feel connected to my past
• to help me to accept and forgive people
• to get me out of the negative environment and into a positive one

Offenders often mentioned that the chaplains who conduct worship achieve a standard of excellence. They appreciate the way the chaplains led the worship with special reference to the positive impact the homily 6 had on them.

Data from Institutional Chaplains

The chaplains and those who deliver services with them plan, prepare, conduct and manage the worship and programming in a competent, professional manner.

As the gatekeepers for the religious and spiritual services offered in the institution the chaplains have ultimate responsibility for all services and programming offered by the Chaplaincy Team. They recruit, screen, train, manage and evaluate the volunteers who conduct or accompany offenders, and collaborate with the religious leaders from the community who offer services to specific groups.

The weekly chapel service led by the institutional chaplain is a vital part of the Chaplaincy Team's pastoral plan. The chaplains interviewed stated that they spend, on average, three hours each week preparing for worship in the chapel. They reported that they use many resources in preparing for their services. These resources include commentaries, devotional and theological books, current best sellers, the internet, and audio/video resources.

While the qualitative nature of spirituality precludes quantifiable measurement, chaplains reported that they have the following goals for their religious worship services.

• To nourish in word and sacrament
• To present both consolation and challenge of the Gospel and to do so in a culturally sensitive way, recognizing that their religious education may have been incomplete/lacking.
• To offer the women a safe place where they can express their faith and be nurtured in their walk with God.
• To help them find healing, wholeness, encouragement and hope in this setting.
• To reach the inmates through the gospel messages and to help them apply it to their lives
• To know God's presence
• To build community
• To give spiritual voice to those who have none
• To respect all points of view

One chaplain noted that the volunteers offer a perspective of conservative Christianity. Consequently, he tries to balance divergent perspectives in his homilies: I emphasize in the public teaching and worship inclusiveness, tolerance, restorative justice, love, reflective thinking and individual decision making for a choice. I attempt to challenge some preconceived notions of Christian thought.

In many institutions, the weekly worship held in the chapel is supplemented with other worship events conducted by volunteers or contract chaplains from minority faith traditions. Both the providers and the participants were interviewed at the sites visited.

Chaplains also conduct other formal liturgies that include festivals on the religious calendar (Christmas, Easter, etc.), memorial services, funerals, weddings, services for staff, Prison Justice Day; Restorative Justice Week, family worship services and ecumenical events.

"Sacred Space"

It was noted that the names designating "sacred space" vary. Most are still called "chapels". Although this name has Christian roots none of the non-Christian inmates or multi-faith providers interviewed expressed disapproval of the word "chapel". Other names used to identify the space were "Spirituality Centre" and "Sacred Space".

While the level of satisfaction was high, inmates also noted the importance of the "chapel space" itself. One stated, " The chapel is a space of sanctuary in the midst of incarceration." Another said, "This is Switzerland, it is a place of neutrality where all offenders can gather without fear. I feel very safe in the chapel. "

One institutional administrator recognized the value of the chapel space as well. He stated that "The chapel space in the middle of our institution is a reminder of the importance of spirituality. It is a place where inmates are not known by their label. It provides a meeting place between inmates and volunteers. It also provides a sacred space of quiet and consolation for both inmates and staff."

Finding 2 - Inmate participation is a key factor in worship events.

Worship events not only connect inmates with their faith tradition, they also provide opportunities for public participation and involvement. These include the following:

• leading prayers
• reading scripture
• leading music
• playing musical instruments
• singing in a choir/singing group
• assisting in distribution of Communion
• entering into dialogue sermons
• preparing and serving the coffee and snacks
• offering testimonies
• sharing poetry
• providing verbal responses to the homily

By actively participating in these ways, many inmates are dealing with fears they have experienced in their lives. One woman offender said, " I could never speak in public. Now, through my experiences in chapel, I am realizing that I can do this." Another stated that her public participation was helping with her self esteem: " I have kept quiet all my life because I didn't think I had anything worthwhile to say. I don't believe that anymore about myself."

Worship in the chapel, along with participation in Chaplaincy programming, gives inmates an opportunity to express themselves in a group. This leads to greater self confidence and enhances their ability to speak in other groups that they attend as part of their correctional plan.

However, the majority of inmates do not attend the formal worship that is available. The chaplains interviewed stated that only between fifteen and twenty percent of the prison population at their institutions attend the worship services they organize.

The site visits did not indicate that there were any barriers imposed by the institution that would prohibit any inmates from participating in worship events; none of the interviewees claimed this to be the case. An institutional lockdown may prevent inmates from attending from time to time, but they occur relatively rarely at most institutions. So what prevents eighty to eighty-five percent of inmates from attending formal chapel services? 7

Some inmates were reluctant to speculate about the motivation of other inmates, choosing to focus on their own issues instead. Still, their responses proved to be enlightening:

• The inmates have their own internal barriers, despite the open door policy.
• Peer pressure and negative stereotypes put on those who attend chapel services:

'Church is for old ladies.' 'You are considered weak if you go to church.'

• Lack of understanding about what really goes on in the chapel
• Some inmates do not leave the units because they feel intimidated or afraid of others.
• Some inmates are self-conscious and uncomfortable being in groups.
• They are caught in their own routines.
• They have their own issues.
• The "con code"
• Some guys do not want to be associated with sex offenders.
• Perception of chapel as tainted by the residential schools issue
• Television
• Visits
• Leisure activities

Clearly there are many personal/emotional factors that inhibit inmates from participating. Many of the male and female offenders who attend worship services must overcome these internal and external barriers before they enter the chapel or the spirituality centre.

The site visit teams noted that the attendees at worship services tend to be older than the institutional demographic. Chaplains and other worship leaders must find creative ways of reaching younger inmates if they wish to expand the reach of their services. This is also the challenge for religious and spiritual leaders in the community at large!

Finding 3 - Inmates report that their involvement in religious worship events and programming is having a positive impact on them.

One of the main questions posed during this phase of the Chaplaincy Impact Project was "What is the impact of religious and spiritual services?" This is a difficult question to answer. 8As noted in the introduction above, spirituality is difficult to measure and quantify. It is rarely predictable and always personal.

Offender Data – Impact of Worship and Programming

The respondents pointed to a number of ways in which Chaplaincy services and programming were having an impact on them. They mentioned the following:

• Personal Growth - One female inmate said, "I t helps me understand things about myself that I didn't know before." Another said, "It helps me to stay positive and focused and gives me a sense of purpose." Most inmates interviewed reported that their participation in religious services and programming was helping them identify areas in their lives that needed attention. For many this resulted in significant personal growth. Some interviewees discussed how the participation has changed the way they view themselves: It has helped me a lot to open up and to hear everyone else open up because it makes me look at life the right way and not the wrong way.
• Spiritual Growth - A Deputy Warden made the following observation: " The chapel is an oasis in the middle of the institution. It is a place of spiritual strength and a safe place." Many inmates noted the positive role the religious services were playing in their faith development. Some were reconnecting with religious and spiritual traditions from their past while others reported that their faith journey was beginning in prison. Some of the initiatives have helped inmates in their spiritual journey, bringing a greater awareness of God and the nature of faith According to the interviews spiritual growth was being facilitated through the teaching and mentorship of the chaplain or spiritual advisor, personal participation in the services, interaction with volunteers as well as private study and reflection.
• Community - It gives a sense of belonging to a group. The presence of volunteers brings feedback from the outside. One participant said, " These services provide a safe environment, a chance to socialize and fellowship with volunteers and help us grow spiritually and to become better individuals." Another inmate referred to his attendance at chapel reflected a lifelong practise of attending religious services and allowed for continuity with his religious past. Some inmates discussed the power of the chapel community to act as an antidote to the negativity of the community they experience in the rest of the prison. " I can't believe I am in prison. When I come to the chapel there is an atmosphere of love, acceptance and encouragement. I am experiencing this for the first time in my life", reported one inmate.
• Emotional Well-being - Many inmates spoke of the impact of religious services on their emotional health: enhancement of their self worth/esteem; allowing them to feel more peaceful, more patient, happier and freer within themselves. One female inmate summarized the impact for her in this way: " I'm not so angry anymore and this is a direct result of my involvement in the chapel." Another said, " I am able to get through the days without feeling hatred." When asked to consider the impact of religious and spiritual programming on them, some of the participants addressed the way that participating in it had changed their outlook: "It has brought a level of accountability to my life". Others refer to the way the programming has helped them to view others differently, be they fellow inmates, family or staff. They have come to value people in a different way: "This program has taught me to love others" , said one participant.
• Behavioural Issues - Interviewees reported behavioural changes as a direct result of their involvement in religious services. These changes included treating people better; not seeing the bad in everyone, learning to talk in front of a group, and a new awareness of how their behaviour was affecting themselves and others around them. Participation has also helped some cope better with prison life: " The program has helped me understand how sexual abuse can make me dysfunctional in the prison environment and helped me deal with that. Another said, " I don't struggle with violence the way I did."

Data from Chaplains - Impact of Worship and Programming

The interviewers asked the people who deliver Chaplaincy programming to comment on the impacts they have observed in the participants. Their feedback included the following:

• The inmates are very positive about the Grief and Loss course. They say it will help them deal with issues in the future. I have found them to be like thirsty sponges absorbing the material and posing excellent questions and feedback.
• We see changed lives….take on a new, positive way of being
• For some this group is sufficient in resolving their anger, embarrassment, and pain. For others it helps them identify issues so that they can seek professional assistance.
• Participants have become more confident in their self worth and develop creative ways to deal with conflict and live a more peaceful existence
• Receiving healing and allowing themselves to be cared for can be difficult for some inmates. This gentle program lets them know that they are worthy and raises their self-esteem.
• The specialty in my practice is the removal of physical pain from clients. Working in prayer, pain from chronic and acute ailments either abates completely or is healed more quickly than usual. This means that my clients at the institution are less dependent on pain-killers than they would be without the treatments.
• Two attendees, upon release, have linked up with our church where we are assisting in their reintegration process. This is tremendously encouraging
• The connection with outside people builds up the participant's sense of normalcy and contributes to reintegration
• Positive changes concerning attitude, accountability, emotional release for good, and some very strong life applications being made and followed by the men who participate

When one chaplain was asked to comment on the impact of religious services on offenders, he summarized it as follows: " While we don't control results, I do believe many are strengthened in their resolve to live out their better strengths, [that is, their] more enlightened, less compulsive, communally-minded, justice-oriented, pro-social, self-differentiated and well-individuated selves." However, most chaplains would also agree that the journey is characterized by "ups and downs" and recognize that some inmates misuse religious expression and involvement for their own ends.

Suggestions to Strengthen the Impact

When asked, "Do you have any suggestions to improve religious services in the institution?", some offenders were reluctant to provide feedback, despite their high level of satisfaction. What follow are some of the suggestions that those who Chaplaincy events offered:

• more singing, solos, music groups from the outside
• more public reading
• more publicity
• more guest speakers, testimonies by people who have turned their life around
• ess formal liturgy
• more people attending the service that are actually Christians
• more volunteers
• ecumenical, shared services
• dance and music, drama groups
• more services that families could attend
• "I would like to see less of the same old hymns of worship which only leads to a monotonous 'mantra type' of participation."
• "Inmates should not be allowed to come for the coffee and free stuff and not enter into the service."
• "As a Buddhist I would like more time."
• less food: "It takes away from the real meaning of why we are gathered."
• "Inmates going in and out for smokes during the service is too distracting."

Even though some of these suggestions relate to local issues, they also have application for all who conduct worship: chaplains, religious advisors and volunteers who deliver religious services.

Finding 4 - Religious services throughout the five regions are diverse expressions of the current religious landscape which includes non-Christian and non-religious expressions.

As documented in Tom James' book, A Living Tradition, the Roman Catholic and Protestant religious traditions have played a prominent role in the historical development of religious services and programming within the Correctional Services of Canada. In most institutions there is a Roman Catholic and a Protestant chaplain. This reality continues to reflect the self-reported religious affiliation of the inmates, sixty-six percent of whom claim Christian affiliation 9.

Yet there are two new realities that have emerged over the past twenty-five years. The first is the emergence of the "no religion" category. Census data tells us that within the Canadian population at large the category of those who do not have a formal religious affiliation has shown the largest increase. Reflecting this trend, many inmates enter the prison without an experience of formal religion. However, there are many people who would not identify with religion but would view themselves as spiritual.

The question becomes how religious services relate to these inmates? Does Chaplaincy have a role to play with those who consider themselves to be spiritual but not religious? What types of services would meet the needs of these people? Chaplains report that they provide services to inmates fitting this profile, for the most part through one-to-one pastoral counselling and support. Institutional chaplains welcome people of "no faith" to participate in their worship events and programming. One inmate said, " Chaplaincy is a non-judgmental place for anybody who wants to come. Even though I do not believe in God, I still like to come and experience the fellowship. It is a positive atmosphere and I feel very comfortable."

Some chaplains are exploring creative programming to appeal to the "non-religious" inmates including meditation, workshops on values and courses on "non-religious" themes like parenting, money management, grief and loss, philosophy and non-violent communication. The site visits made it clear that if Chaplaincy is to continue to meet the spiritual needs of inmates, it must continue to explore ways of relating to the "non-religious inmates".

The second reality is religious pluralism. As in Canadian society, many of today's inmates come from diverse cultural and religious experiences. How is CSC Chaplaincy providing services to meet the needs of these people?

Religious services are provided and sustained through the Memorandum of Understanding between the CSC and the Interfaith Committee (IFC). The IFC was formed in the mid 1960s at a time when "interfaith" meant a committee comprised of representatives from various Christian denominations. Now the IFC is comprised of people from many faith traditions, Christian as well as others. The new religious reality in prison is that inmates who are Buddhist, Muslim, Sikh, Wiccan, Jewish, Aboriginal, Hindu are connecting with their faith traditions and faith communities.

In all regions, Chaplaincy is seeking to make the connections between the faith traditions of inmates and their faith traditions in the community. For the most part this is done by contracting the services of a spiritual leader/advisor from non-Christian faith traditions. These contracts are usually for a limited number of hours. Ontario now has a contract for the services of a Muslim imam who functions as a member of a Chaplaincy Team in an institution as well as delivering services to Muslim inmates in other institutions in the region. In addition, an imam on contract in Quebec provides services to all of the region's institutions.

The site teams interviewed inmates and contracted leaders/spiritual advisors from non-Christian faiths in every region. For the most part, inmates are very satisfied with the services that they receive. They report that the opportunity to worship within their own traditions is having a positive impact on them as it enables them to practise their faith and maintain a connection to their faith communities. The one common concern expressed by the inmates and religious service providers related to the number of contracted hours that CSC provides. According to those who participated in interviews, the fact that most leaders/spiritual advisors serve several institutions within a given region, the limited nature of their contract does not allow them to visit with adequate frequency. Non Christian contractors also reported that the number of contracted hours was limiting the impact of the services they were delivering.

Notwithstanding this constant source of frustration for both the service providers and the inmates, inmates from these traditions report that these connections have an extremely positive impact on them.

Finding 5 - Chaplaincy offers a broad range of services/programming. However, Chaplaincy needs to explore effective communications strategies to promote its services to offenders, staff and administrators.

As noted in the introduction, Chaplaincy was known in the early years of its history for the delivery of religious services, which was a key function in the institution. In order to meet the needs of offenders, Chaplaincy has also been delivering programming or services 10 for several years now. Institutional chaplains offer these initiatives alongside volunteers and leaders from the faith community. Some are overtly focused on issues of faith and spirituality while others are more holistic.

Chaplaincy programming deals with many of the issues listed below 11:

• Cognitive groups – Alternatives to Violence, Non Violent Communication
• Religious groups - Bible study, Alpha, Catholic catechism
• Meditation – Group meditation exercises such as Tai Chi, Taizé
• Self-awareness – Choices; Personality Tree; Enneagram
• Creativity – drama, quilting, creative movement, music lessons
• One-to-one – M2W2, spiritual direction, pastoral counselling
• Relationships – couple counselling, parenting; boundaries
• Emotions – grief and loss; healing the past; forgiveness
• Recovery – A.A.; Post-Traumatic Grief Recovery
• Community outreach – Operation Christmas Tree; the Angel Tree
• Personal Development – Reiki Healing; money management

These initiatives can provide a complementary function to the inmates' correctional plans. However, if staff members are not aware that they exist, they cannot refer offenders to them; and if offenders do not know that they exist, they will not access them on their own. Consequently, it is essential that the Chaplaincy Teams develop a communication strategy. One CSC administrator stated that " Chaplaincy is the CSC's best kept secret." Chaplaincy needs to find ways to communicate its services in a more effective manner.

Chaplains should ensure, for example, that they participate in offender and staff orientation sessions in order to communicate programming options to both. They could also make regular presentations to staff, especially case managers. The above-mentioned profiles could be included in the presentation on Chaplaincy services to staff and offenders. It could also assist staff in making meaningful referrals to inmates.

When the site teams asked chaplains and those who deliver programming to provide pamphlets describing their work, only twenty percent could produce any written literature. A pamphlet or some other advertising would go a long way to inform their various constituencies within the institutional community about their activities and initiatives.

While most of the chaplains interviewed were able to summarize what they deliver, offering goals and objectives, strategies and expected impacts, they did not possess a profile of the programming components they offer. A programming/service profile can assist offenders and staff to understand the nature of each initiative, its goals and objectives, strategies and anticipated outcomes.

Finding 6 - Chaplaincy programming/services are offered during the daytime, evenings and weekends.

Site visits indicated that there is no set formula as to when Chaplaincy programming/services should be offered. Some of the programming components were offered during the daytime: in the mornings or the afternoons. Others were offered in the evenings and on weekends.

Each Chaplaincy Team decides what works best for them, given distinctions in their institution's security level and needs, their pastoral plan and the availability of resources.

Those inmates who attend Chaplaincy programming during the day are often paid to do so. This provides an extra incentive for inmates to attend. It also does not penalize them if they do attend. However, Core Programs are offered during the daytime and some institutions do not want Chaplaincy programming to compete with the Core Programs. According to the current policy at most institutions, core programming must always take precedence over any other programming or service. Chaplains support this policy. However there are two points to be taken into account, according to the chaplains. There are many inmates who are not taking Core Programs or not working. As well, some inmates find themselves waiting for Core Programs to commence. Chaplaincy programming could be an option for them as they wait for their Core Programs. One CSC administrator said that " Chaplaincy programming can act as a gateway to Core Programs. It gets them ready for the work that lies ahead." There are some institutions, e.g. Grand Valley Institution in Ontario , where the majority of Chaplaincy programming takes place during the daytime. This institution views religious and spirituality programming as being an essential ingredient of their correctional strategy. Chaplaincy programming should not be viewed as competing with core programs; rather it should be seen as complementary to CSC core programming.

Most Chaplaincy programming takes place during the evenings. For inmates their work placement and correctional programming takes place during the day. Consequently they are free in the evenings to pursue activities like recreation, visits and Chaplaincy programming. Given that most volunteers have employment responsibilities during the day, it is also the time when they are available to come to the prison. According to the site visits, evenings seem to be the preferred time for Chaplaincy programming.

Some programming components are offered on weekends, especially those requiring prolonged, intensive time slots. Programs like Alternatives to Violence and Kairos Marathons are best suited to the weekends.

The pastoral plan of the Chaplaincy Team should allocate appropriate times to suit the specific needs of the program providers and the inmates. These times should be reviewed

when the Chaplaincy Team conducts its annual review of services...

Finding 7 - Volunteers play a prominent role in the delivery of Chaplaincy programming and worship events. Their participation is greatly valued by the inmates, the chaplains and the institutions.

Volunteers have been vital to the success of Chaplaincy services for many years. They provide a combined total of thousands of hours of service every week. Many of them work inside or outside of the home during the day then leave their homes in the evening to be with inmates. They do so without financial remuneration and expectation of reward. The institutions and the Chaplaincy Team provide orientation and training so that the volunteers will feel safe and act appropriately in the institution.

The chaplains recognize their value. When asked to describe their role in prison, chaplains offered the following to the site visit team:

• The volunteers basically bring the "candle of hope" that the outside community has not forgotten the incarcerated people and that these people, the volunteers, are working to open the door for the offenders when they return to free society.
• Volunteers are mentors and role models for the inmates. "Many of the guys have never experienced positive models of citizenship and faith." They find it hard to believe that someone would leave their families to come and visit with them when they often feel so rejected by the community.
• Volunteers deliver and support programming, assist with worship, sit with the men and women, play their musical instruments, talk one-to-one, and fill in when the chaplain is unavailable. Basically we would be lost without our volunteers.

The inmates are also very aware of the vital role the volunteers play in prison. They rely on them to bring the perspective from the community and the world to them. They often feel abandoned by their communities and their families, so volunteers give them hope that someone still cares for them.

One chaplain noted a challenge that he faces by observing that almost all Chaplaincy volunteers are fifty years old or older. He stated how difficult he finds it to recruit younger volunteers and wondered whether Chaplaincy would be able to continue its activities in twenty years if it is not more successful in recruiting younger volunteers.

Institutional staff members appreciate what volunteers bring to the institution. One said, "I just can't believe the dedication I see in the volunteers as they leave their homes week after week, drive to the prison, and work with these people that most of society has abandoned."

Finding 8 - "Information exchange" between chaplains and the institution continues to be an issue for chaplains, CSC staff and administrators.

The first report of the Chaplaincy Impact Project, The Pastoral Care Report (August, 2004), identified the need for the Chaplaincy community to explore the issue of "information exchange" between chaplains and the institution. The Report has triggered a national discussion on the topic which resulted in guidelines for the sharing of information.

Despite these efforts the site visits revealed that this continues to be an issue for chaplains and CSC staff.

Many of the inmates interviewed about Chaplaincy programming and services linked their effectiveness to the fact that chaplains do not file reports on the services rendered to individuals. One inmate stated, "Chaplaincy programs we take for ourselves. There is no hoop to jump through, no "brownie points", no report at the end. We take them because we want to take them for ourselves. This is why they are effective. We feel free to open up without some report being placed in our files and brought up ten years from now."

Chaplains are aware of this dynamic. Many of them refuse to create a record of anything

that transpires between them and an inmate whether it occurs within the context of a programming component, a worship event or a one-to-one encounter. Although chaplains would view a threat to the security of the inmate or the institution as an exception, the principle of confidentiality is still valued by most chaplains.

The institution also recognizes the value of this principle. One administrator stated that there must always be one place where inmates can come without fear of evaluation or scrutiny, security issues notwithstanding. Given that their other freedoms have been relinquished, they must come to a place or a person where confidentiality will be maintained, This administrator believes that Chaplaincy is this essential place and that, written reports and information exchange would compromise its effectiveness. This principle was affirmed by many of the CSC administrators who were interviewed.

Even though this viewpoint has much in its favour, some inmates interviewed would like CSC to value and recognize the hard work they do with Chaplaincy. As well, some of the Institutional Parole Officers expressed a desire to know, at the very least, that inmates on their caseload had participated in Chaplaincy programming.

A possible solution is for the chaplains to enter "program profiles" on the Offender Management System (O.M.S.). They could write a description of each activity they offer and include a statement of goals and objectives as well as expected outcomes. In addition, they could have an entry made on the inmate's casework record stating that he/she successfully completed the activity. This proposal would honour the need for confidentiality while creating recognition of the inmate's success. It would also give staff the information they need to understand what the program seeks to achieve.

Because this suggestion is controversial, chaplains, offenders, and CSC staff and administrators will need to thoroughly discuss it.

Finding 9 - Chaplaincy programs often lack a formal evaluative component

Although this report recognizes that religious and spiritual programming is effective in having a positive impact on inmates, much of the programming lacks an evaluative component.

The site visit teams noted that the majority of programs/services being offered through the chaplaincy department were not being evaluated on an ongoing basis.

Properly assessing the effectiveness of the programming requires that regular, meaningful evaluation take place. Each initiative under the Chaplaincy umbrella should receive meaningful feedback from the participants to enable the service provider to determine if he/she is meeting the initiative's goals and objectives and to make adjustments where necessary for future reference.

The Institutional Chaplaincy Team should meet at least once a year with the service providers to review whether the objectives were met for the year. Additionally, this would provide an opportunity for both chaplains and volunteers to discuss issues, schedules and ongoing volunteer training opportunities, placing each program in the context of the Team's pastoral plan for the upcoming year. Most chaplains value the programs offered through Chaplaincy; however, some noted that they would prefer not to offer some longstanding programs which they consider to have lost their effectiveness.

Annual evaluation will also assure the regional chaplain that the Chaplaincy Team's

Pastoral Plan remains in compliance with its stated objectives.

Finding 10 - Institutional Chaplaincy is often under-resourced and/or often lacks adequate financial resources to cover expenses like honoraria for guests, musical materials, instruments, books, etc.

Some institutions that the site teams visited were under-resourced in terms of available Chaplaincy services 12. This limits the ability of chaplains to plan, implement, maintain and evaluate new and existing programs, something that was especially evident where only one chaplain was providing Chaplaincy services.

As noted above, the expectations placed upon chaplains have increased over the past several years. Today's chaplains must manage and provide services unheard of in the past. In one relatively large institution visited there was only one institutional chaplain. As well, he had the added responsibility of being the Institutional Volunteer Coordinator. In these circumstances it becomes difficult, if not impossible, for the chaplain to provide the Chaplaincy services and manage existing programs. Fulfilling the extensive Statement of Work for Contract Chaplains creates the potential of burnout for the chaplain.

Many of the chaplains interviewed stated that they lacked the financial resources

to support the programming and services they coordinate.

Some, but not all, regional chaplains have a fund to buy supplies and pay for resources to support Chaplaincy in the institutions. Some Teams must rely entirely on the goodwill of their institutions. However, many institutions that provide office supplies, photocopying, computers, office space and coffee to Chaplaincy do not have a budget for other expenses like honoraria for guests, musical instruments, sound systems, candles, religious books and materials.

One chaplain said, "I feel like a beggar. The institution is great but there is only so much it can do. When money is tight in the institution sometimes I buy the coffee myself. It's easier than bothering people. The money just isn't there. Where do I get it?"

The Chaplaincy Teams should explore this issue with their regional chaplain and the institution in the context of reviewing their annual pastoral plan.

According to the Memorandum of Understanding between the CSC and Interfaith Committee , the current ratio for service delivery is one chaplain for every 150 to 200 inmates, a ratio that the visiting teams found dramatically exceeded in some institutions they visited.

It is important that the regional chaplain, along with institutional and regional administrators, review Chaplaincy resources at each institution to determine their adequacy.

Recommendations

1. That, in the light of the recommendations in The Report on Standards for Delivery of Spiritual and Religious Services to Offenders Belonging to Minority Traditions (2002), the regional chaplains review the current contracts with minority faith leaders in their regions to determine whether the current number of contracted hours is meeting the needs of the inmates they serve.

2. That each Chaplaincy Team develops a method to promote th e range of Chaplaincy programming/services available to inmates and staff.

3. That each Chaplaincy Team enters 'program profiles' on its initiatives in the Offender Management System (OMS).

4. That institutional chaplains arrange to enter the successful completion of
of a Chaplaincy programming component on an inmate's casework record
(with the inmate's approval)

5. That each Chaplaincy Team creates a volunteer recruitment strategy to
attract new volunteers in the interest of sustainability of faith community
involvement in and religious leadership of its initiatives.

6. That each Chaplaincy Team establishes an annual review of chaplaincy
programs and services.

7. That each Chaplaincy Team assesses the adequacy of resources to meet the
institution's needs articulated in the pastoral plan at the annual
review of their pastoral plan with the regional chaplain and the Deputy
Warden/Assistant Warden Correctional Programs.

8. That the regional chaplains communicate the findings and
recommendations of this Report at a gathering of chaplains in their region.

Conclusion

The Spiritual and Religious Services Report has tried to present the impact of Chaplaincy's religious and spiritual services/programs on offenders. Based on over two hundred interviews and fourteen site visits it has portrayed a system of providing diverse and dynamic Chaplaincy services and programming that appear to be having a dramatic impact on inmates throughout Canada .

The above recommendations offer some suggestions for strengthening Chaplaincy initiatives for many years to come. As the Chaplaincy community responds to these recommendations these recommendation will hopefully make its work even more effective.

APPENDIX A

GLOSSARY OF TERMS

• Impact is used in this report to denote the effect that Chaplaincy services are having on individuals. The impact may be evidenced by, but not limited to, spiritual growth, behavioural change, and increased ability to deal with life in the community. 'Impact' refers not only to a deeper understanding of one's religious/spiritual beliefs but also to the application of that understanding in life-giving ways.
• Pastoral Plan is a planning tool for pastoral ministry. It begins with the pastoral team considering the question, "Who are we?" To answer this question the team develops a mission statement, guiding principles and values. From the macro level it moves to strategic ways of actualizing the philosophical/theological values. It undertakes a "needs assessment" based on the pastoral context and then attempts to address the needs in a systematic way, utilizing the full resources of the pastoral team including chaplains, community clergy, and volunteers. An effective pastoral plan builds in accountability, flexibility, evaluation, and communication.
• Religious Services, for the purpose of this report refer to the formal religious services which are conducted by an institutional chaplain, spiritual leader from a minority faith community, community clergy or volunteer
• Spiritual Services refer to the programs, services or initiatives which are provided by Chaplaincy in the institution or community. The delivery of the services does not necessarily have to be provided by the institutional chaplain but could also be delivered by a volunteer, multi-faith leader, or community clergy. These services or programs should not be confused with the "core programming" delivered by CSC staff and contractors.
• Qualitative Evaluation "seeks to discover the meaning of a human experience and to communicate this understanding to the reader. It does this through narrative rather than through numbers, with the understanding that its narrative words evoke the human experience attached to them." 13 Most qualitative research employs the face-to-face interview to make meaning by encouraging the researcher to engage the interviewee in the pursuit of a question. This type of research is especially suited to an evaluation of something as non-quantifiable as spirituality
• Visible Presence is a term employed in the Statement of Work for Contract Chaplains . It describes the qualitative dimension of the chaplain's presence, not merely the quantitative aspect. The latter can be determined by signing a worksheet that confirms number of hours delivered. However, the visible presence is something less concrete, referring to the theological concept of incarnating the divine in the ministry and pastoral services offered.

APPENDIX B

CHAPLAINCY PROGRAMMING/INITIATIVES 14

Bible Studies and Other Study Groups

Inuit Bible study

Midweek Bible Study

Bible study correspondence courses

Chinese Bible studies

Catholic catechism

A.A. Big Book Study

Chakam Bible School

Next Step Men's Bible study

Biblical Exploration

Reading/Discussion Course

Correspondence

Pen Pal Program

Grief and Loss

Grief and Loss Workshop

Post-traumatic grief recovery (EMDR)

One-to-One Grief and Loss Recovery Program

Groups Led by External Organizations

New Life Prison Ministry

Salvation Army Chapel Fellowship

Prison Fellowship Bible Study

Robertson Fellowship Ministry

Catholic Charities

Salvation Army Community Assistance

Prison Fellowship

Keteri House Prison Ministry

Healing/Forgiveness

Healing Our Emotions

Houses of Healing

Reiki Healing Treatments

Forgiveness course

Critical Incident Stress Management for offenders and staff

Meditation

Meditation and Tai Chi

Quiet time program

T.M.I. Group

Music and Creative Expression

Chapel choir

Keyboard lessons

Music concerts

Guitar Jack's music ministry

Quilting Project

LifeSavers Drama Company

Music appreciation/application

Improv Drama Group

Outreach

Operation Christmas Child

Angel Tree

Relationships

Is marriage for me? How can I have a lasting relationship?

Parenting course

Fool-proofing your life – Wisdom for untangling your most difficult relationships

Boundaries

Special Events or Topics

Special speakers

Money and Possessions

Three Communities One Hope

Spiritual Development/ Personal Growth

Alpha

How to make choices you won't regret

Lies Women believe and the truth that sets them free

How do you walk the walk you talk?

Seven Habits of Highly Effective People

Enneagram

Purpose Driven Life

Getting a grip on the Basics

Spiritual direction

Kairos Marathons

A Life worth living

Si Tu Faisais La Paix

Staff

Staff solitude

Critical Incident Stress Management for staff

Support/Accompaniment

M2W2

A.A.

Entrée libre

Circles of Support and Accountability

Face to Face

Violence Issues

Alternatives to Violence Program

Worship Led by Specific Faith Groups

Roman Catholic liturgies

Buddhist group

Muslim Juma prayer group

Taize Prayers

Wiccan Lodge

Catholic Praise