FOR RELEASE THURSDAY, MARCH 22, 2012

Religion in Prisons
A 50-State Survey of Prison Chaplains

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Luis Lugo
Director
Alan Cooperman
Associate Director, Research
Stephanie C. Boddie
Senior Researcher
Cary Funk
Senior Researcher
Erin O’Connell
Associate Director, Communications
(202) 419-4562
www.pewforum.org

2

Religion in Prisons: A 50-State Survey of Prison Chaplains

THIS PAGE INTENTIONALLY BLANK

www.pewforum.org

3

PEW FORUM ON RELIGION & PUBLIC LIFE

About the Pew Forum on Religion & Public Life
This report was produced by the Pew Research Center’s Forum on Religion & Public Life.
The Pew Research Center is a nonpartisan fact tank that provides information on the issues,
attitudes and trends shaping America and the world. The center conducts public opinion
polling, demographic studies, content analysis and other empirical social science research.
It does not take positions on policy issues. The Pew Forum on Religion & Public Life is a
project of the Pew Research Center; it delivers timely, impartial information on the issues at
the intersection of religion and public affairs in the U.S. and around the world. The Pew
Research Center is an independently operated subsidiary of The Pew Charitable Trusts.
The report is a collaborative effort based on the input and analysis of the following individuals:
Primary Researchers
Stephanie C. Boddie, Senior Researcher, Pew Research Center’s Forum on Religion & Public Life
Cary Funk, Senior Researcher, Pew Research Center’s Forum on Religion & Public Life
Pew Forum
Luis Lugo, Director

Joseph Liu, Web Associate
Jillian Larson, Administrative Coordinator

Research
Alan Cooperman, Associate Director, Research

Pew Research Center

David Masci and Gregory A. Smith, Senior Researchers

Andrew Kohut, President

Jessica Hamar Martinez, Besheer Mohamed,

Paul Taylor, Executive Vice President

and Anne Shi, Research Associates

Elizabeth Mueller Gross, Vice President

Elizabeth Lawton and Elizabeth Podrebarac,

Scott Keeter, Director of Survey Research

Research Assistants

Leah Melani Christian, Senior Researcher
Jessica Tennant, Informational Graphics Designer

Editorial
Sandra Stencel, Associate Director, Editorial

Visit http://pewforum.org/Government/religion-in-

Diana Yoo, Graphic Designer

prisons.aspx to see the online version of the report.

Tracy Miller, Editor
Hilary Ramp, Assistant Editor

Pew Research Center’s
Forum on Religion & Public Life

Communications and Web Publishing

1615 L St., NW, Suite 700

Erin O’Connell, Associate Director, Communications

Washington, D.C. 20036-5610

Stacy Rosenberg, Digital Project Manager

Phone (202) 419-4550

Mary Schultz, Communications Manager

Fax (202) 419-4559

Liga Plaveniece and Jemila Woodson,

www.pewforum.org

Communications Associates
© 2012 Pew Research Center

www.pewforum.org

THIS PAGE INTENTIONALLY BLANK

5

PEW FORUM ON RELIGION & PUBLIC LIFE

Table of Contents
PAGE

Preface

7

Executive Summary

11

I. Profile of State Prison Chaplains

31

II. What Prison Chaplains Do … and What They Think They Should Do

37

III. The Role of Religious Volunteers

43

IV. Chaplains’ Perspectives on the Religious Lives of Inmates

47

V. Chaplains’ Views on the Correctional System

61

Appendix A: Survey Methodology

69

Appendix B: Topline

73

Appendix C: The State and Federal Correctional System

99

Appendix D: Glossary

101

Appendix E: External Advisers and Prison Chaplain Working Group

105

www.pewforum.org

6

Religion in Prisons: A 50-State Survey of Prison Chaplains

THIS PAGE INTENTIONALLY BLANK

www.pewforum.org

7

PEW FORUM ON RELIGION & PUBLIC LIFE

Preface
Religion and religious people have always been a presence in American prisons. Indeed, some
of the country’s first prisons were established at the urging of and with help from people of
faith, who hoped that inmates could be reformed during their confinement.1
Today, religious people still play an important role in the U.S. criminal justice system. Almost
all of the nation’s more than 1,100 state and federal prisons have at least one paid chaplain or
religious services coordinator, and collectively they employ about 1,600 professional
chaplains.2
These ministers, priests, imams, rabbis and religious lay people sit at the intersection of two
social trends. The United States has the highest rate of incarceration in the developed world,
with approximately 2.3 million men and women – or about 1-in-100 of the nation’s adults –
behind bars.3 The U.S. also stands out among industrial democracies for its high levels of
religious commitment, with about four-in-ten American adults saying they attend religious
services weekly or more often, nearly six-in-ten saying that religion is very important in their
lives and more than nine-in-ten saying they believe in God or a higher power.4
The constitutional right of Americans to the free exercise of religion – even if they are behind
bars – has been affirmed by courts and bolstered by federal legislation, and the first duty of
prison chaplains is to help meet the religious needs of inmates. But, increasingly, chaplains are
asked to do much more. In the face of studies suggesting that more than 40% of former
inmates end up back in prison within a few years, chaplains in many prisons are called upon to
fight recidivism by counseling inmates and connecting them with religious organizations or
other social service providers that can offer job training, substance abuse treatment, education
and other assistance before and after their release.5
1

For an account of religion’s role in the early history of prisons in America, see Jennifer Graber, “The Furnace of Affliction: Prisons
and Religion in Antebellum America,” University of North Carolina Press, 2011.
2
In addition to state and federal prisons, the U.S. penal system also includes county and city jails that typically hold people
awaiting trial and those sentenced for misdemeanors to terms of one year or less. For more details on the prison system, see
Appendix C.
3
As of 2010, one in every 104 U.S. adults was in the custody of state or federal prisons or local jails, according to the U.S.
Department of Justice. See Lauren E. Glaze, “Correctional Population in the United States, 2010,” U.S. Department of Justice,
Bureau of Justice Statistics, 2011, http://bjs.ojp.usdoj.gov/content/pub/pdf/cpus10.pdf. See also “One in 100: Behind Bars in
America 2008,” Pew Center on the States, Public Safety Performance Project, February 2008,
http://www.pewcenteronthestates.org/report_detail.aspx?id=35904.
4
For measures of religious commitment in the U.S., see “U.S. Religious Landscape Survey,” Pew Research Center’s Forum on
Religion & Public Life, 2007, http://religions.pewforum.org/reports. For measures of religious commitment in other countries, see
“Unfavorable Views of Jews and Muslims on the Increase in Europe,” Pew Research Center’s Global Attitudes Project, 2008,
http://www.pewglobal.org/2008/09/17/unfavorable-views-of-jews-and-muslims-on-the-increase-in-europe/.
5
See “State of Recidivism: The Revolving Door of America’s Prisons,” Pew Center on the States, Public Safety Performance
Project, 2011, http://www.pewcenteronthestates.org/report_detail.aspx?id=85899358613.

www.pewforum.org

8

Religion in Prisons: A 50-State Survey of Prison Chaplains

In light of public concern about religious terrorism since the 9/11 attacks, chaplains also are
sometimes viewed as a first line of defense against the spread of religious extremism. While
they work to provide compassionate care to individual inmates, chaplains are charged with
assisting wardens and other correctional officials to maintain the safety and security of the
prisons where they work. Indeed, chaplains often are considered part of a prison’s
management team.
Moreover, the role of chaplains continues to be recast to suit the changing needs of the
correctional system. For instance, recent research suggests that, due to a shortage of funding
and staff, many chaplains have shifted their focus from direct ministry to administrative
duties, such as recruiting and supervising community volunteers, processing inmate requests
for special diets and other religious accommodations, and organizing secular as well as
religious programs to counsel, mentor and educate inmates.6
For all these reasons, the Pew Research Center’s Forum on Religion & Public Life decided to
conduct a large-scale survey of professional prison chaplains across the United States. We
received generous financial support for this endeavor from the Annie E. Casey Foundation as
well as from The Pew Charitable Trusts. With the endorsement of the American Correctional
Chaplains Association and months of unrelenting effort, Pew Forum Senior Researcher
Stephanie C. Boddie obtained approval from correctional authorities in all 50 states to survey
the more than 1,400 state prison chaplains.
With the encouragement of present and former prison officials, we also sought permission to
include federal prison chaplains in the survey. Unfortunately, the Federal Bureau of Prisons
decided not to allow its approximately 200 chaplains to participate.
Part of the impetus for the survey is that little data have been available to the public on the role
of religion in state prisons.7 State and federal correctional authorities routinely report
information on the age, sex and race/ethnic origin of prisoners, as well as the types of offenses
for which they are incarcerated. And, according to the chaplains surveyed, many prisons also
keep track of the religious preferences of inmates, as well as of religious switching. But those
data are seldom or never made public.

6

See Richard Denis Shaw, “Chaplains to the Imprisoned: Sharing Life With the Incarcerated,” Haworth Press, 1995, and Jody L.
Sundt, Harry R. Dammer and Francis T. Cullen, “The Role of the Prison Chaplain in Rehabilitation,” Journal of Offender
Rehabilitation, Volume 35, Issue 3/4, pages 59-86, 2002.
7
Some data on the religious affiliation of inmates in federal prisons and selected state prisons as of 2007 are available from the
United States Commission on Civil Rights. See “Enforcing Religious Freedom in Prison,” United States Commission on Civil Rights,
2008, http://www.usccr.gov/pubs/STAT2008ERFIP.pdf.

www.pewforum.org

9

PEW FORUM ON RELIGION & PUBLIC LIFE

As a result, “Religion in Prisons: A 50-State Survey of Prison Chaplains” presents a rare
window into religion behind bars. Although chaplains, like all observers, undoubtedly bring
their own perspectives and predilections to bear, they also occupy a valuable vantage point as
correctional workers who have regular, often positive interactions with inmates and take a
strong interest in the role of religion in inmates’ lives.
The survey covers a lot of ground, asking chaplains to describe their daily role in the prisons
and to rate their job satisfaction. In addition, we asked them to list the tasks on which they
spend the most time and the tasks they consider most important – two lists that are not always
the same. We sought their assessments of religious volunteers who come into the prisons to
work with inmates, as well as their perspectives on the strengths and weaknesses of the
correctional system, the quality and reach of rehabilitation programs and possible ways of
cutting costs.
We also asked for their impressions about religious life in prisons, including the religious
composition of the inmate population, the amount of proselytizing and conversion that take
place, which religious groups seem to be growing or shrinking, and how much religious
extremism they perceive in the prisons where they work. At several key points in the survey
questionnaire – which was administered either electronically or, for those who preferred it, by
paper – we gave the chaplains an opportunity to elaborate on their views and experiences in
their own words.
Their answers suggest that religion in prisons may be quite different, in some ways, from
religion in American society at large. For example, chaplains indicate that there is a visible
presence in some prisons of small religious groups that many Americans may never have heard
of, such as Asatru, Odinism and the Moorish Science Temple of America. (For brief definitions,
see the Glossary on page 101.) A number of chaplains also think that some inmates claim to
belong to particular religious groups solely to obtain privileges or benefits, such as kosher food.
But, on the whole, chaplains had many positive things to say about the role of religion in
rehabilitating inmates. Most are also very happy in their jobs. Though the picture that emerges
is complicated and sometimes surprising, our hope is that the survey will contribute to a better
understanding of the role that chaplains – and, more broadly, religion – play in the lives of
inmates.

www.pewforum.org

10

Religion in Prisons: A 50-State Survey of Prison Chaplains

Acknowledgments
In preparing this survey, the Pew Forum received invaluable advice from a number of eminent
scholars and experts in the criminal corrections field. They include Todd Clear, dean of
Rutgers School of Criminal Justice; John DiIulio, the Frederic Fox Leadership Professor of
Politics, Religion, and Civil Society at the University of Pennsylvania; Catherine A. Gallagher,
associate professor in Criminology, Law and Society at George Mason University; Tom
O’Connor, CEO of Transforming Corrections and former research manager for the Oregon
Department of Corrections; Jody Sundt, assistant professor and graduate coordinator in the
Division of Criminology and Criminal Justice at Portland State University; Farid Senzai, fellow
and director of research at the Institute for Social Policy and Understanding; and Sister Susan
Van Baalen, former chief chaplain at the Federal Bureau of Prisons. Several other scholars
generously provided feedback and assistance at various stages in the conceptualization of the
project. A complete list of advisers can be found in Appendix E on page 105.
As previously noted, the survey received a very helpful endorsement from the American
Correctional Chaplains Association (ACCA). We would like to thank its leadership team,
particularly Anthony J. Bruno, current chancellor and past president of the ACCA and director
of religious services at the Connecticut Department of Correction; Dale Hale, president of the
ACCA and Salvation Army major; Gary Friedman, communications chairman for the ACCA
and chairman of Jewish Prisoner Services International; and Stephen Hall, first vice president
of the ACCA and director of religious and volunteer services at the Indiana Department of
Correction.
Also as previously noted, the survey received substantial funding from the Annie E. Casey
Foundation, where Carole E. Thompson was an unstinting – and patient – supporter of this
effort.
Fieldwork for the survey was carried out by Social Science Research Solutions (SSRS) and very
competently led by Robyn Rapoport and Linda Lomelino. While the survey design was guided
by our advisers, contractors and consultants, the Pew Forum is solely responsible for the
interpretation and reporting of the data.

Luis Lugo, Director
Alan Cooperman, Associate Director, Research

www.pewforum.org

11

PEW FORUM ON RELIGION & PUBLIC LIFE

Executive Summary
From the perspective of the nation’s professional prison chaplains, America’s state
penitentiaries are a bustle of religious activity. More than seven-in-ten (73%) state prison
chaplains say that efforts by inmates to proselytize or convert other inmates are either very
common (31%) or somewhat common (43%). About three-quarters of the chaplains say that a
lot (26%) or some (51%) religious switching occurs among inmates in the prisons where they
work. Many chaplains report growth from religious switching in the numbers of Muslims and
Protestant Christians, in particular.
Overwhelmingly, state prison chaplains consider religious counseling and other religion-based
programming an important aspect of rehabilitating prisoners. Nearly three-quarters of the
chaplains (73%), for example, say they consider access to religion-related programs in prison
to be “absolutely critical” to successful rehabilitation of inmates. And 78% say they consider
support from religious groups after inmates are released from prison to be absolutely critical to
inmates’ successful rehabilitation and re-entry into society. Among chaplains working in
prisons that have religion-related rehabilitation or re-entry programs, more than half (57%)
say the quality of such programs has improved over the last three years and six-in-ten (61%)
say participation in such programs has gone up.
At the same time, a sizable minority of chaplains say that religious extremism is either very
common (12%) or somewhat common (29%) among inmates. Religious extremism is reported
by the chaplains as especially common among Muslim inmates (including followers of the
Nation of Islam and the Moorish Science Temple of America) and, to a substantial but lesser
degree, among followers of pagan or earth-based religions such as Odinism and various forms
of Wicca. (See Glossary on page 101.) An overwhelming majority of chaplains, however, report
that religious extremism seldom poses a threat to the security of the facility in which they
work, with only 4% of chaplains saying religious extremism among inmates “almost always”
poses a threat to prison security and an additional 19% saying it “sometimes” poses a threat.
These are among the key findings of a survey of prison chaplains in all 50 states by the Pew
Research Center’s Forum on Religion & Public Life. The survey was conducted from Sept. 21 to
Dec. 23, 2011, using Web and paper questionnaires. The Pew Forum attempted to contact all
1,474 professional chaplains working in state prisons across the country, and 730 chaplains
returned completed questionnaires, a response rate of nearly 50%.

www.pewforum.org

12

Religion in Prisons: A 50-State Survey of Prison Chaplains

Little information is publicly available about the religious lives of the approximately 1.6 million
inmates in the U.S. prison system, the vast majority of whom (87%) are under the jurisdiction
of state correctional authorities.8 The U.S. Bureau of Justice Statistics routinely reports on
several characteristics of the U.S. prison population, such as age, gender and racial/ethnic
composition, but it does not usually report on the religious affiliation of inmates, and
independent surveys of inmates rarely are permitted.9 Thus, the Pew Forum survey offers a
rare window into the religious lives of inmates through the lens of prison chaplains.
In assessing that lens, it may be helpful to know some characteristics of the chaplains who
responded to the survey. They are predominately male (85%), middle-aged (57 years old, on
average), white (70%), Christian (85%, including a 44% plurality who are evangelical
Protestants) and highly educated (62% with graduate degrees). They describe themselves as
conservative on both social issues (53%) and political issues (55%). Most report having a lot of
direct contact with inmates: Fully 90% say they have one-on-one contact with at least a quarter
of all the inmates in the facility where they work, and two-thirds (66%) say that “personally
leading worship services, religious instruction sessions or spiritual counseling sessions” is
among the top three activities on which they spend the most time. About half have been on the
job for more than a decade, and most report high job satisfaction.

8

For more details, see Appendix C: The State and Federal Correctional System on page 99.
Prisoners are rarely allowed to participate in research studies of any kind, partly because of prior abuses of their involuntary
availability for such studies. To be permitted, studies usually must demonstrate a clear cost-benefit calculation in the prisoners’
favor, such as the benefit from receiving a specific medical treatment. The possible “psychic rewards” to inmates of being able to
express their opinions and describe their experiences on a survey questionnaire, or the value of the information to the public,
generally are not considered sufficient by correctional authorities to justify a survey of inmates.
9

www.pewforum.org

13

PEW FORUM ON RELIGION & PUBLIC LIFE

Rehabilitation, Re-entry and Religion
Most chaplains are upbeat about the prisons where they work. About six-in-ten (61%) of those
surveyed say their state’s correctional system “works pretty well” and needs only minor
changes, while a third (34%) say the system
needs major changes and 5% say it needs to be
Usage of Rehab Programs
completely re-built.
Asked to rate specific aspects of the system’s
performance, chaplains are most positive
about the maintenance of discipline. Nine out
of 10 chaplains surveyed say the state
correctional system where they work does
either an excellent job (40%) or a good job
(54%) of maintaining order and discipline in
prisons. But they are less sanguine about
efforts to rehabilitate inmates and prepare
them for re-entry into the community. Only 8%
say the system where they work is doing an
excellent job of preparing inmates for
reintegration into the community, while 37%
say it is doing a good job and a majority say the
system is only fair (37%) or poor (17%) at
readying inmates to return to the wider society.

Among those who work in prisons with rehabilitation
and re-entry programs, % who say participation
over past three years has …
Gone up

Stayed same
61

Gone down
31

6

Q12 Based on those with a religion-related rehabilitation and
re-entry program in the prison where they work, N=449.
No answer responses not shown.
PEW RESEARCH CENTER’S
FORUM ON RELIGION & PUBLIC LIFE

Quality of Rehab Programs
Among those who work in prisons with rehabilitation
and re-entry programs, % who say program quality
today compared with past three years is …
Better

Same

Worse

57
36
7
There is strong consensus among the chaplains
surveyed about several elements that are
Q11 Based on those with a religion-related rehabilitation and
re-entry program in the prison where they work, N=449.
important for successful rehabilitation and
No answer responses not shown.
reintegration into society. These include
PEW RESEARCH CENTER’S
FORUM ON RELIGION & PUBLIC LIFE
services provided while in prison as well as
support upon release. And, perhaps not
surprisingly, chaplains put access to religion-related programs in this mix. More than sevenin-ten chaplains (73%) consider access to high-quality religion-related programs in prison to
be “absolutely critical” for successful rehabilitation and re-entry, and an additional 23% say
such programs are very important, though not critical.

About six-in-ten chaplains (62%) say that religion-related programs for rehabilitation and reentry (such as faith-based job training or mentoring programs) are available in the prisons

www.pewforum.org

14

Religion in Prisons: A 50-State Survey of Prison Chaplains

where they work. Most of these chaplains consider the religion-related programs to be thriving
both in terms of usage and quality.
Among those working in a prison with a religion-related rehabilitation program, about six-inten (61%) say usage has increased over the past three years, 31% say usage has stayed the same
and just 6% say usage has gone down. A majority of those working in a prison with a program
of this sort also say that the quality of the religion-related rehabilitation programs has
improved (57%), while 36% say the quality is about the same and 7% say the program’s quality
has declined over the past three years.

www.pewforum.org

15

PEW FORUM ON RELIGION & PUBLIC LIFE

Religious Extremism
Since the 9/11 terrorist attacks, religious
extremism has been a topic of high public
interest in the United States. Some experts
specifically have raised concerns that prisons
could be a breeding ground for home-grown
terrorists and have suggested that prison
chaplains and other prison administrators
need to monitor religious activity more
closely.10 The Pew Forum survey devotes
several questions to the topic of religious
extremism, probing the extent to which prison
chaplains perceive it to be common and asking
them to describe the kinds of extreme religious
views they encounter behind bars.
A majority (58%) of state prison chaplains
surveyed say that religious extremism is either
not too common (42%) or not at all common
(16%) in the facilities where they work, while
12% say that it is very common and 29% say it
is somewhat common. At the same time, about
three-quarters of the chaplains say that
religious extremism poses a threat to the
security of the facility either “not too often”
(26%) or “rarely or almost never” (50%).
A number of factors are likely to influence
chaplains’ perceptions of religious extremism,
of course, including the experiences of the

How Common is Religious
Extremism in Prisons?
% saying extreme religious views among inmates
are…
Very common
12

Somewhat

29

Not too/not at all
58

Q30a. Those not answering are not shown. Figures for
combined categories may not sum from their component
parts due to rounding.
PEW RESEARCH CENTER’S FORUM ON RELIGION & PUBLIC
LIFE

How Often Does Religious
Extremism Among Inmates Pose a
Security Threat?
% of chaplains saying extremism poses a threat in
the prisons where they work …
Almost always
Sometimes
Not too often/rarely or almost never
4

19

76

Q32. Those not answering are not shown. Figures for
combined categories may not sum from their component
parts due to rounding.
PEW RESEARCH CENTER’S FORUM ON RELIGION & PUBLIC
LIFE

10

A 2010 article in the FBI Law Enforcement Bulletin, for example, argued that “Prisons literally provide a captive audience of
disaffected young men easily influenced by charismatic extremist leaders” and that “The shortage of qualified religious providers
in prisons heightens the threat of inmate radicalization.” See Dennis A. Ballas, “Prisoner Radicalization,” FBI Law Enforcement
Bulletin, October 2010, http://www.fbi.gov/stats-services/publications/law-enforcement-bulletin/October-2010/confrontingscience-and-market-positioning.

www.pewforum.org

16

Religion in Prisons: A 50-State Survey of Prison Chaplains

chaplains in the facility where they work as well as their individual background and
perspectives. For example, estimates of how common extreme religious views are tend to vary
with the security level of the facility where chaplains work. About four-in-ten chaplains in
maximum security (44%) and medium security facilities (42%) say religious extremism is very
or somewhat common, compared with 32% among chaplains in minimum security facilities
saying the same.
Views on the prevalence of religious extremism
among inmates also tend to vary with the
religious affiliation and race of the chaplains.
Protestant chaplains are more likely than those
of the Catholic or Muslim faith to say that
religious extremism in the prisons is either
very or somewhat common. This tendency is a
bit stronger among white evangelical chaplains
than it is among white mainline Protestants.

How Common Are Extreme
Religious Views (by Chaplains’
Religion)?
% saying that encountering religious groups that
express extreme religious views is …
Very/
Not too/
someNot
what
at all
No
common common answer
Chaplains
who are…

%

%

%

Protestant

43

56

1=100

N

519

Analysis of these differences is constrained by
White
evangelical
44
55
* = 100 264
the modest number of chaplains from some of
White
these faith traditions who are in the survey.
mainline
34
65
1 = 100
94
For example, 98 respondents are Catholic, and
Black
Protestant
39
60
1 = 100
95
only 53 are Muslim. However, those who are
Catholic
32
68
0 = 100
98
Muslim appear less likely than other chaplains
Muslim
23
75
2 = 100
53
to perceive a lot of religious extremism among
Q30a. Figures may not sum to 100%, and combined
categories may not sum from their component parts,
inmates. Just 23% of the Muslim chaplains say
due to rounding.
religious extremism is either very common or
PEW RESEARCH CENTER’S FORUM ON RELIGION & PUBLIC LIFE
somewhat common in the prisons where they
work, while 43% of Protestant chaplains take
that view. Catholic chaplains fall in between, with 32% saying religious extremism is very or
somewhat common in the facilities where they work.

www.pewforum.org

17

PEW FORUM ON RELIGION & PUBLIC LIFE

The Pew Forum survey also asked chaplains to rate the prevalence of extremist views among
inmates in each of 12 religious groups. (The chaplains were given the option of indicating that
the facility in which they work has no inmates belonging to a particular faith. The figures
shown here are based on those providing a response.) A majority of respondents to this
question say that religious
extremism is either very
How Common Is Religious Extremism?
common (22%) or somewhat
common (36%) among
Muslim inmates (including
followers of the Nation of
Islam and the Moorish
Science Temple of America).
A sizable minority of the
chaplains responding (39%)
also say they encounter
extremism among inmates
who practice pagan or earthbased religions. Of those
answering this question,
about six-in-ten (61%) see
such views as not too
common or not at all
common among pagan
inmates.

% rating religious extremism among inmates of each religious group as …
Very/somewhat common
Not too/not at all common
Muslims⁺

57

Pagan/earth-based

43

39

Protestants

61

24

76

Other non-Christian⁺⁺

21

79

Native Am. spirituality

19

81

Jews

17

83

Unaffiliated

14

86

Catholics

8

92

Mormons

8

92

Orthodox Christians 6

94

Buddhists

7

93

Hindus 6
94
Religious extremism is
perceived as less prevalent
Q31a-l. Based on all answering. Those who responded that no inmates belong to the
among other groups of
group or did not give an answer are excluded. Figures may not sum to 100%, and
combined categories may not sum from their component parts, due to rounding.
inmates. About a quarter
+
Includes followers of the Nation of Islam and the Moorish Science Temple of
America.
(24%) of chaplains
++
The question listed the following examples: “Baha’is, Rastafarians, practitioners
responding to this question
of Santeria, Sikhs and others.”
say that religious extremism
PEW RESEARCH CENTER’S FORUM ON RELIGION & PUBLIC LIFE
is very or somewhat common
among Protestant inmates;
76% say extremism is not too or not at all common among Protestants in the prisons where
they work.

www.pewforum.org

18

Religion in Prisons: A 50-State Survey of Prison Chaplains

About a fifth of chaplains say extremism is very or somewhat common among inmates
practicing Native American spirituality (19%) and a host of “other non-Christian religions”
(21%), such as the Rastafari movement, Santeria, Voodoo and others. (See Glossary on page
101.) In addition, 17% of chaplains answering the question say that extremism is very or
somewhat common among Jewish inmates, and 14% say this about inmates with no religious
preference. Fewer than one-in-ten of the chaplains answering say that religious extremism is
very or somewhat common among inmates of other religious groups.
To keep these assessments in perspective, it is
important to realize that the religious groups
vary in size. Extremism could be very common
in a small religious group (such as practitioners
of pagan and earth-based religions), but the
overall prevalence of extremism in a prison
might still be quite small.

Kinds of Religious Extremism
Encountered
Themes mentioned when asked about the kinds of
extreme religious views encountered
%
NET Intolerance of specific racial or social
groups
Racial separatism/supremacists

It is also helpful to keep in mind that chaplains
have differing opinions about what constitutes
extremism. One chaplain noted, for example,
that in his view “all true religion is extreme”
and “therefore none is more ‘extreme’ than the
other,” while another chaplain said it is
important to differentiate between the mere
“strangeness” of certain groups and those that
are “threatening to the peace of others.”

41
36

NET Religious exclusivity/inflexibility of faith

40

NET Specific requests for accommodation

28

NET Other view mentioned

22

Groups mentioned when asked about the kinds of
extreme religious views encountered
NET Muslim

54

Muslim/Islamic radicalism/Salafi teaching

33

Nation of Islam

21

NET Christian
NET Protestant
Christian (general)

34
13
7

To better understand what they mean by
Jewish
6
“extreme religious views,” the Pew Forum
NET Other religions
43
Pagan/earth-based (e.g., Wicca)
16
survey asked chaplains to explain, in their own
Satanism/Demonic
12
words, the kinds of extremism they encounter.
Q30b. Open-end. Based on those answering. Most common
Chaplains offered a wide range of answers to
responses are shown. See topline for more responses.
Figures add to more than 100% because multiple responses
this open-ended question, varying in length
were allowed.
and detail. For purposes of analysis, their
PEW RESEARCH CENTER’S FORUM ON RELIGION & PUBLIC LIFE
responses were categorized first in terms of key
ideas or themes and, second, in terms of the
specific religious groups they cite as espousing extreme views.

www.pewforum.org

19

PEW FORUM ON RELIGION & PUBLIC LIFE

Many chaplains mentioned multiple themes, but among the most common was racism
disguised as religious dogma. In total, 41% of the chaplains who answered the question
referred to some form of racial intolerance or prejudice toward social groups. This includes
expressions of racial superiority or supremacy by either black or white inmates (36%) as well
as hostility toward gays and lesbians, negative views of women and intolerance toward sex
offenders or other inmates based on the nature of their criminal offense.
An almost equal share of the chaplains who responded to the open-ended question about
extremism (40%) mentioned instances of religious (as opposed to racial) intolerance. This
includes expressions of religious exclusivity as well as attempts to intimidate or coerce others
into particular beliefs. (Note that percentages do not add to 100% because multiple responses
are allowed.)
A little more than a quarter of the chaplains’ descriptions of extreme views (28%) cited
requests for special foods, clothing or rituals – even though, in response to a different question
in the survey, many chaplains indicate that such requests for religious accommodation
frequently are granted. Some chaplains expressed frustration over requests that they view as
bogus or extreme, such as seeking raw meat for a Voodoo ritual or a religious diet consisting of
goat’s milk, vegetables and oatmeal with sugar.
About a quarter of those responding described religious extremism in other ways, including the
use by prisoners of religious groups as a “cover” for non-religious activities; espousing views that
promote violence or rape; and creating new religions. One chaplain noted, for example, that “We
have a great deal of difficulty with gang activity in our religious activities, and some gangs even
claim to be religious in nature or support their beliefs through religious claims.”
Chaplains also mentioned a wide range of religious groups in connection with extreme views.
Among those responding in their own words to the open-ended question about extremism, the
most commonly mentioned group was Muslims (54%), including 21% who specifically cited the
Nation of Islam. In addition, 34% mentioned Christian groups, including 7% who cited
fundamentalist Christians or evangelical Protestants, 6% who mentioned Hebrew Israelites
and 4% who specifically referred to the so-called Christian Identity movement.11 Other
religions were also mentioned; 16% of the chaplains who answered the question mentioned
pagan or earth-based religions, and 12% mentioned Satanism. (Note that percentages do not
11

The classification of some of these groups is difficult. Hebrew Israelites, also known as Black Hebrew Israelites and Black
Hebrews, are categorized in this report as a Christian group because, historically, they arose from U.S. Christian denominations.
It should be noted, however, that Hebrew Israelites often identify themselves as Jews and that some prison chaplains may view
them as Jews rather than as Christians. In addition, some chaplains indicated that they view Hebrew Israelites and the Christian
Identity movement as racist groups rather than as bona fide religious groups.

www.pewforum.org

20

Religion in Prisons: A 50-State Survey of Prison Chaplains

add to 100% because multiple responses were allowed on this open-ended question. See
Glossary on page 101 for brief definitions of smaller religious groups.)

www.pewforum.org

21

PEW FORUM ON RELIGION & PUBLIC LIFE

Muslims, Protestants Seen as Growing Due to Switching
A majority of chaplains surveyed report that the prison where they work has a formal system in
place both for documenting the religious affiliation of inmates (84%) and for documenting
changes in religious affiliation (76%). However, such records typically are for in-house use
only. As previously noted, official statistics on the religious affiliation of the state prison
population generally are not publicly available. Thus, the Pew Forum survey provides a unique
look —based on the chaplains’ own estimates — at the relative size and growth of religious
groups behind bars.
A majority of chaplains say that attempts by
inmates to convert or proselytize other inmates
are either very common (31%) or somewhat
common (43%), while 26% say such attempts
are not too or not at all common.12

Frequency of Religious Switching
How much religious switching occurs among
inmates? % of chaplains who say …
A lot
26

Some

Not much/none
51

21

Of course, attempts at conversion or proselyQ26. Those not answering are not shown. Figures for
tizing do not necessarily succeed. Still, a
combined categories may not sum from their component
parts due to rounding.
majority of chaplains say that there is either
PEW RESEARCH CENTER’S FORUM ON RELIGION & PUBLIC LIFE
“a lot” of religious switching (26%) or “some”
switching among inmates (51%). About onefifth (21%) say that switching occurs “not much” or not at all in the prisons where they work.

12

The survey asks, “And in your opinion how common is it, if at all, for inmates to attempt to convert or proselytize other
inmates?” without defining either term. The American Correctional Chaplains Association, however, distinguishes between
legitimate sharing of faith and proselytizing, which it defines as “unwanted or forceful” attempts at conversion.

www.pewforum.org

22

Religion in Prisons: A 50-State Survey of Prison Chaplains

To get a sense of which religious groups are gaining the most converts, the Pew Forum survey
asked chaplains to estimate whether the number of inmates in each of 12 religious groups is
increasing, decreasing or staying at about the same level. Among chaplains who report that at
least some switching occurs within the correctional facilities where they work, about half (51%)
report that Muslims are growing in number, and 47% say the same about Protestant
Christians. A sizable
minority of chaplains
Which Groups Are Growing and Shrinking?
answering this question also
% saying each group is growing, shrinking or staying the same size in the
say that followers of pagan or
inmate population where they work, due to switching
earth-based religions are
growing (34%).
Growing Staying the same Shrinking
For nine of the 12 religious
groups considered, however,
a solid majority (61% or more)
of chaplains answering the
question report that the size of
each group is stable. And for
several religious groups, the
chaplains are as likely, or even
more likely, to report
shrinkage as to report growth.

Muslims⁺

51

Protestants

47

Pagan/earth-based

8

61

19
14

6

49

24

Jews

7

42

34

Native Am. Sprituality

Catholics

37

61
61

6
8
20

Unaffiliated

12

Other non-Christian⁺⁺

13

65

8

Buddhists

12

67

8

63

17

For example, one-in-five
Mormons 3
68
11
chaplains answering this
Orthodox Christian 3
68
10
question (20%) say that the
Hindus 1
number of practicing
73
8
Catholics behind bars is
shrinking due to switching,
Q27a-l. Based on all saying there was a lot, some, or not much switching in the
prison where they work, N=710. No answer/not sure responses are not shown.
while 14% say the ranks of
+
Includes followers of the Nation of Islam and the Moorish Science Temple of
Catholics are growing.
America.
++
Similarly, 17% say that the
The question listed the following examples: “Baha’is, Rastafarians, practitioners of
Santeria, Sikhs and others.”
number of inmates with no
PEW RESEARCH CENTER’S FORUM ON RELIGION & PUBLIC LIFE
religious preference is
shrinking, while 12% say the
ranks of the unaffiliated are growing. And about one-in-ten chaplains report a decline in
Mormons and Orthodox Christians due to switching, while only 3% say those religious
minorities are growing behind bars.

www.pewforum.org

23

PEW FORUM ON RELIGION & PUBLIC LIFE

Presence of Various Faith Groups
The relative size of each faith group within the prison population is difficult to gauge.
The Pew Forum survey asked chaplains to estimate the approximate percentage of inmates in
the prisons where they work who identify with each of 12 religious groups. It should be noted,
however, that these findings cannot be used to reliably estimate the religious affiliation of the
U.S. prison population. They provide only an impressionistic portrait of the religious
environment in which chaplains work.
On average, the chaplains surveyed say that Christians as a whole make up about two-thirds of
the inmate population in the facilities where they work. Protestants are seen, on average, as
comprising 51% of the inmate population, Catholics 15% and other Christian groups less than
2%. The median estimate of the share of Protestants is 50%, meaning that half of the chaplains
estimate that Protestants comprise more than 50% of the inmate population where they work,
and half of the chaplains estimate the figure to be below that.
The chaplains’ responses also suggest that many other faith groups are represented in the
prison population. On average, the chaplains surveyed say that Muslims make up 9% of the
inmates in the prisons where they work, with half of the chaplains saying that Muslims
comprise 5% or less of the inmate population and half saying that Muslim inmates make up
more than 5% of the inmates where they work. On average, other non-Christian groups are
perceived as considerably smaller in size.
Chaplains’ perspectives on the religious makeup of inmates may reflect a number of different
influences, including their degree of exposure to various groups in the course of their work.
But even if the chaplains interviewed had perfect information about the relative distribution of
religious groups among inmates in the prisons where they work, the findings would not be
weighted in proportion to the size of the overall U.S. prison population. As a result, they would
not provide an accurate count of religious affiliation in the U.S. prison population.

www.pewforum.org

24

Religion in Prisons: A 50-State Survey of Prison Chaplains

Religious Accommodation Requests
The diversity of faith groups in the inmate population underscores the challenges the prison
system faces in meeting the religious needs of all inmates. The Pew Forum survey included
several questions designed to probe the kinds of requests that inmates make for
accommodation of their religious beliefs and practices, as well as the frequency with which
they are granted.
An overwhelming majority of
chaplains who responded to these
questions say that inmates’
requests for religious texts (82%)
and for meetings with spiritual
leaders of their faith (71%) are
usually approved. And about half of
chaplains say that requests for a
special religious diet (53%) or for
permission to have sacred items or
religious clothing such as crucifixes,
eagle feathers and turbans (51%)
also are usually granted.

Requests for Religious Accommodation
% saying requests from inmates for each of the following are …
Usually approved
Sometimes approved/sometimes denied
Usually denied
Religious books or texts

82

Meetings with leaders from
inmates' faith

17

71

26

Special religious diet

53

40

Religious items or clothing

51

46

Special hairstyle or grooming

28

36

3
7
3

36

But one kind of request appears to
Q29a-e. Based on all answering. Those who responded that the request had
be less routinely granted. Only about not come up or did not give an answer are excluded. Figures may not add to
100% due to rounding.
three-in-ten chaplains (28%) say
PEW RESEARCH CENTER’S FORUM ON RELIGION & PUBLIC LIFE
that requests for special
accommodations related to hair or
grooming are usually approved in the prisons where they work, while 36% say such requests are
usually denied and 36% say the decisions can go either way.

www.pewforum.org

25

PEW FORUM ON RELIGION & PUBLIC LIFE

Need for Volunteers from Particular Faiths
Another window into the religious diversity of the inmate population is what chaplains say
about the number of volunteers who come into the prisons to help meet inmates’ religious
needs. About seven-in-ten chaplains (69%) say there are some faith groups for which more
volunteers are needed. The picture that clearly emerges is that
non-Christian faiths have the greatest need for a larger pool of
Religious Volunteers
volunteers to work with inmates.
%

The religious group most commonly cited as being underserved
by volunteers is Muslims, according to the chaplains surveyed.
A total of 55% of chaplains say this, including 7% who
specifically mention the Moorish Science Temple of America
and 6% who mention the Nation of Islam as needing more
volunteers. Other commonly named groups include pagan or
earth-based religions such as Wicca, Odinism, Asatru and
Druidism (35%) and Native American spirituality (32%). (See
Glossary on page 101.) About one-in-five chaplains answering
this question say that Christian groups lack enough volunteers
(22%). The most commonly mentioned Christian group with
too few volunteers is Catholics (10%).
By contrast, about a third of chaplains (32%) report that some
faith groups have more volunteers than are needed to meet
inmates’ spiritual needs. Among the chaplains who say this,
the most commonly named groups are Protestants (net of
52%), and an additional 26% say “Christians” with no further
specification. A total of 7% mentioned Catholics. No other
religion was named by more than 10% of the chaplains
responding.

Need more religious
volunteers in some faiths

69

Have more religious
volunteers than needed in
some faiths

32

Which faiths need more
volunteers?
NET Muslim
Muslim
Moorish Science Temple
Nation of Islam
Pagan (e.g., Wicca,
Odinism, Asatru, Druid)
Native American
spirituality
NET Christian
Catholic
Jewish
Buddhist

%
55
51
7
6
35
32
22
10
22
14

Which faiths have more
than necessary?
NET Christian
NET Protestant
Catholic
Christian (general)

83
52
7
26

Q19, 20. “Which groups need more
volunteers” and “Which groups have
more volunteers than necessary” are
based on all answering open-end.
Responses do not add to 100%
because multiple responses were
allowed. See topline for other
responses.
PEW RESEARCH CENTER’S
FORUM ON RELIGION & PUBLIC LIFE

www.pewforum.org

26

Religion in Prisons: A 50-State Survey of Prison Chaplains

What Chaplains Consider Central to their Role
Chaplains fulfill a wide range of functions in
state prisons. The Pew Forum survey listed 10
possible tasks and asked the chaplains to
indicate which ones they perform in the course
of their work. In addition, the chaplains were
asked to rank the top three activities on which
they spend the most time and, separately,
which activities they personally see as most
important.
Nearly all the chaplains (92%) say their work
includes personally leading worship services,
religious instruction and spiritual counseling
sessions. Nearly all (93%) also say they
administer or organize religious programs.

Prison Chaplains’ Day vs.
Most Important Activities
% saying each activity is ranked 1st as …
Most important

Spend most time
57

Personally
leading
services
Administer
programs

33
18
38

Q8a-b, 9a-b. Activities shown are “personally leading
worship services, religious instruction sessions or spiritual
counseling sessions” and “serving as an administrator
helping to organize religious programs.” Percent not
answering or not ranking 1st are not shown. Rankings for
other activities not shown.
PEW RESEARCH CENTER’S FORUM ON RELIGION & PUBLIC LIFE

In terms of importance, 57% of the chaplains
say that personally leading religious worship, instruction and counseling sessions is the single
most important activity in which they engage. Yet only a third say this is the activity on which
they spend the most time. By contrast, just 18% of chaplains say that administering religious
programs is their most important function, yet 38% report that helping to organize such
programs is the activity on which they spend the most time.
The survey also offered chaplains an opportunity to specify, in their own words, any other
activities that take up a significant amount of their working day. One kind of activity
dominated the responses to this open-ended question: paperwork and administrative tasks.
Fully 45% of those responding cited administrative tasks, including 28% who specifically
mentioned paperwork, reports, mail, correspondence or data entry.

www.pewforum.org

27

PEW FORUM ON RELIGION & PUBLIC LIFE

Chaplains Themselves Largely Protestant, Evangelical
The overwhelming majority of state prison chaplains (85%)
identify themselves as Christians, and about seven-in-ten are
Protestants (71%). Fully 44% of all the chaplains surveyed say
their denomination is part of the evangelical Protestant
tradition, while 15% belong to a mainline Protestant tradition
and 7% say they are associated with the historically black
Protestant tradition.13 Catholics make up 13% of the chaplains.
The remainder either belong to non-Christian traditions
(including 7% who are Muslim and 3% who are Jewish) or did
not specify a religious preference.

Chaplains’ Religious
Affiliation
%
Protestant

71

Evangelical Protestant

44

Mainline Protestant

15

Historically black Prot.
No answer

7
5

Catholic

13

Muslim

7

Jewish

3

Native American
spirituality

1

Most chaplains also describe themselves as holding
Other religion
2
theologically conservative views. Six-in-ten (60%) say their
No religious preference
2
No answer
1
religion should “preserve its traditional beliefs and practices,”
100
while only 2% say it should “adopt modern beliefs and
Q46, 47. Figures may not add to
practices.” Three-in-ten (30%) take a middle stance, saying
100% due to rounding.
their religious tradition should “make some adjustments to
PEW RESEARCH CENTER’S
FORUM ON RELIGION & PUBLIC LIFE
traditional beliefs and practices in light of modern beliefs and
practices.” A majority of chaplains describe their political as
well as their social views as either conservative or very conservative.
The chaplains surveyed are overwhelmingly male (85%) and middle-aged (82% are 50 or
older). A majority are white (70%), 18% are black, 5% are Hispanic, 5% are Asian or other and
2% did not specify their racial or ethnic background.14 They are also a well-educated group,
with about six-in-ten (62%) holding either a master’s or doctoral graduate degree and an
additional 21% holding a bachelor’s degree. A majority of the state prison chaplains (56%) have
a graduate degree in religion or a ministry-related field, and about half have experience
working as a chaplain for some other kind of institution, such as a hospital or the military
(49%).

13

These results are based on chaplains’ self-identification of their particular denomination as evangelical, mainline or historically
black Protestant. The figures are based on all chaplains surveyed, although the denominational breakdown question was asked
only of Protestant chaplains.
14
By contrast, a majority of inmates in U.S. prisons are black (38%) or Hispanic (22%), according to the U.S. Bureau of Justice
Statistics. For more information on the demographic characteristics of the inmate population, see Appendix C: The State and
Federal Correctional System.

www.pewforum.org

28

Religion in Prisons: A 50-State Survey of Prison Chaplains

Other key findings from the survey include:


About two-thirds (64%) of chaplains say they are very satisfied with their job, and an
additional 30% are somewhat satisfied. Only 6% are very or somewhat dissatisfied.



Among the chaplains who express an opinion on the performance of volunteers, most
favorably assess how volunteers lead worship services or other religious rituals; more than
nine-in-ten rate volunteers as excellent (42%) or good (50%) leaders of worship services,
and more than eight-in-ten say volunteers are excellent (33%) or good (52%) at running
prayer and meditation groups.



But chaplains are less positive about volunteers as mentors for inmates. About a third of
the chaplains who offer an opinion say that volunteers do only a fair (26%) or poor (8%)
job of mentoring inmates.



About half (49%) of the chaplains say they have heard about the Second Chance Act, which
provides federal funding for re-entry services in state prisons and local jails as well as
juvenile facilities. Among this group, 57% say the federal legislation has been either very
effective (8%) or somewhat effective (50%) in improving re-entry services and promoting
the successful return of inmates to their communities, while a third (33%) say it has been
not too effective or not at all effective.



There is near consensus among chaplains on several ways to cut prison costs. Nearly all the
chaplains surveyed either favor (46%) or strongly favor (46%) dealing with non-violent,
first-time offenders through alternative sentencing (such as community service or
mandatory substance-abuse counseling) rather than prison terms. Nearly all the chaplains
also favor (57%) or strongly favor (35%) allowing inmates to earn early release based on
good behavior and completion of rehabilitation programs. On the other hand, there is nearunanimity among chaplains against one idea: 94% oppose cutting correctional staff and
programs.

About the Survey
This survey was conducted between Sept. 21 and Dec. 23, 2011, among professional chaplains
and religious services coordinators working in state prisons (both titles are used in state
prisons, and they are treated as interchangeable in this report). Correctional authorities in all
50 states granted permission for the Pew Research Center’s Forum on Religion & Public Life to
contact state prison chaplains and request their voluntary participation in the survey. The state
departments of corrections also provided email addresses or other contact information solely
for the purposes of this survey, which was endorsed by the American Correctional Chaplains

www.pewforum.org

29

PEW FORUM ON RELIGION & PUBLIC LIFE

Association. Of 1,474 chaplains who were sent Web and paper questionnaires, 730 returned
completed questionnaires, a response rate of nearly 50%.
Roadmap to the Report
The remainder of this report is divided into five parts. The next section provides a religious
and socio-demographic profile of state prison chaplains. It is followed by a look at what
chaplains do in the course of their work and by their assessments of religious volunteers. The
fourth section presents chaplains’ perspectives on the religious lives of inmates, including
proselytizing, religious switching and concerns about extremism. The final section summarizes
chaplains’ views of the correctional system. Details about how the survey was conducted can be
found in Appendix A (Methodology). Appendix B (Topline) contains the full wording of the
questionnaire and a summary of results. Appendix C provides background statistics on the
state and federal prison system, Appendix D is a glossary of terms and Appendix E is a list of
advisers. The entire report is available online at http://www.pewforum.org/Government/
religion-in-prisons.aspx.

www.pewforum.org

30

Religion in Prisons: A 50-State Survey of Prison Chaplains

THIS PAGE INTENTIONALLY BLANK

www.pewforum.org

31

PEW FORUM ON RELIGION & PUBLIC LIFE

I. Profile of State Prison Chaplains
All of the 730 survey respondents work as professional prison
chaplains or religious services coordinators in state prisons,
including privately run prisons that operate under state
contracts. Their workplace environs vary, with most serving in
facilities designed for male inmates and housing an average of
about 2,000 inmates (mean = 1,965 inmates). The chaplains are
a well-educated group, with a majority holding graduate degrees
in religion-related fields. About seven-in-ten identify themselves
as Protestants (71%), and 44% say their denomination belongs to
the evangelical Protestant tradition. Generally speaking, the
chaplains indicate that they hold theologically conservative views
when it comes to their religion. A majority say their social and
political views are conservative as well.
Employment Setting

Workplace
Characteristics
%
Provide service to …
One facility

74

Multiple facilities

25

Maximum security

33

Medium security

49

Minimum security

13

Facility location
Rural

66

Suburban

19

Urban

12

Facility has …

Chaplains serve in a wide range of settings. Most of those
surveyed work in a single correctional facility, although a
quarter (25%) divide their time across multiple facilities.
About eight-in-ten report that they are employed directly by a
state correctional system (81%). Other arrangements include
working as a contractor (8%), working for a private prison
management firm (5%) or working through a religious
organization (5%).

Male inmates

80

Female inmates

10

Both

9

Estimated one-on-one
contact with …
Almost all inmates

20

About three-quarters

12

About half of inmates

19

About a quarter

39

Almost none/few

8

Q37b, 38a-c, 36b. Percentage giving
no answer not shown.
PEW RESEARCH CENTER’S
FORUM ON RELIGION & PUBLIC LIFE

www.pewforum.org

32

Religion in Prisons: A 50-State Survey of Prison Chaplains

As expected from the composition of the U.S. prison system, most chaplains (81%) say they
work exclusively with male inmates.15 Most also work in a rural setting (66%). About half of
chaplains identify their workplace as a medium-security facility (49%) while one-third are
employed in maximum-security institutions (33%) and the remainder work in minimumsecurity prisons (13%) or did not specify a security level (5%).16
The chaplains’ level of direct contact with inmates varies considerably. Nearly half of the
chaplains surveyed report having direct, one-on-one contact with about a quarter (39%) or
fewer (8%) of the inmates in the prisons where they work. About a fifth (19%) have direct
contact with about half of the inmates, and the remainder say they interact with about threequarters (12%) or with almost all inmates (20%).
A plurality of chaplains work in facilities that contain more than 1,000 and fewer than 2,500
inmates. For those working in a single facility, the average number of inmates reported is
1,965. The median number is 1,500, meaning that half of the chaplains working in single
facilities are responsible for 1,500 or more inmates. Those
working in multiple facilities report a wide range of inmates,
Job Experience
from about 120 to more than 50,000. On average, these
%
chaplains are responsible for a total of 4,968 inmates across all
Past experience as
the facilities in which they work; the median number of
chaplain for some other
kind of institution
49
inmates they are responsible for is 1,962.
Job Experience and Demographic Background
About half of the chaplains surveyed (53%) have 10 or fewer
years on the job in the state prison system, 34% have between 11
and 20 years of service and 12% have worked as prison chaplains
for more than 20 years. The average tenure is 11.3 years.

Currently both a prison
chaplain and house of
worship clergy

43

Years as prison chaplain
0-10 years

53

11-20 years

34

21 or more years
Mean

12
11.3

Q34,39,35. Percentage saying no or
no answer are not shown.
PEW RESEARCH CENTER’S
FORUM ON RELIGION & PUBLIC LIFE

15

The state and federal prison population is predominately male (93%), according to the U.S. Bureau of Justice Statistics.
See Appendix C: The State and Federal Correctional System.
16
Inmates who pose the greatest threat to public safety typically reside in maximum-security prisons, which have the highest
staff-to-inmate ratios, the closest monitoring of inmates and physical features such as reinforced fences, walls and armed watch
towers. By contrast, inmates at minimum-security prisons generally pose the least risk to public safety, and these facilities
typically have only single-perimeter fences and no roving patrols or armed watch towers. Medium-security prisons fall in the
middle.

www.pewforum.org

33

PEW FORUM ON RELIGION & PUBLIC LIFE

Most of the chaplains surveyed are male (85%), and their
average age is 57. Only 16% are under 50. About two-thirds
(65%) are between 50 and 64 years old, and 17% are 65 or older.
Seven-in-ten (70%) of the chaplains surveyed are non-Hispanic
whites, 18% are black, 5% are Hispanic and 5% are Asian or
some other race, and 2% did not specify.
About half (49%) previously have worked as a chaplain or
religious services coordinator in some other institutional
setting, such as the military or a hospital. And about four-inten (43%) of the prison chaplains currently hold a second
position as a minister, pastor, rabbi or imam in a house of
worship outside the prison walls.

Gender, Race and Age
%
Men

85

Women

14

White

70

Black

18

Hispanic

5

Asian and other

5

Age
18-49 years

16

50-64 years

65

65 or more years
Mean

17
57.0

Q42,49-51. Percentage giving no
answer not shown.

Most chaplains report working an average of 32 to 40 hours
(39%) or more than 40 hours (45%) per week for the state
prisons. Only about one-in-six work a part-time schedule of
31 hours or less (15%).

www.pewforum.org

PEW RESEARCH CENTER’S
FORUM ON RELIGION & PUBLIC LIFE

34

Religion in Prisons: A 50-State Survey of Prison Chaplains

Chaplains’ Religious Affiliation
Most chaplains surveyed are Protestant, with the lion’s share
coming from an evangelical Protestant tradition. About sevenin-ten (71%) chaplains identify as Protestants, 13% are
Catholics, 7% Muslims and the remainder identify with other
religions, including Judaism and Native American spirituality.
A plurality of the chaplains (44%) consider their faith to be part
of the evangelical Protestant tradition while 15% come from a
mainline Protestant tradition and 7% are from a historically
black Protestant tradition.

Religious Affiliation

Six-in-ten (60%) chaplains believe their religion should
preserve traditional religious beliefs and practices. Just 2% say
their religion should adopt modern beliefs and practices, while
three-in-ten (30%) take the middle ground, saying their
religion should make some adjustments in light of modern
beliefs and practices.
Evangelical chaplains are more likely than those of other
Protestant traditions or faiths to believe in preserving
traditional beliefs and practices; 71% of evangelical Protestant
chaplains believe religious tradition should be preserved, and
26% take a middle-ground position on religious tradition.
Mainline Protestant chaplains, by comparison, are more evenly
divided between those who think that traditional beliefs and
practices should be preserved (45%) and those who favor some
adjustments (46%).

%
Protestant

71

Evangelical Protestant

44

Mainline Protestant

15

Historically black Prot.

7

No answer

5

Catholic

13

Muslim

7

Jewish

3

Native American
spirituality

1

Other religion

2

No religious preference

2

No answer

1
100

Q46, 47. Figures may not add to
100% due to rounding.
PEW RESEARCH CENTER’S
FORUM ON RELIGION & PUBLIC LIFE

Theological Leanings
% of chaplains who say their
religion should …
%
Preserve traditional
beliefs and practices

60

Make some adjustments
in light of modern beliefs
and practices

30

Adopt modern beliefs
and practices
No answer/No religious
preference

2
8
100

Q48. Figures may not add to 100%
due to rounding.
PEW RESEARCH CENTER’S
FORUM ON RELIGION & PUBLIC LIFE

www.pewforum.org

35

PEW FORUM ON RELIGION & PUBLIC LIFE

A majority of chaplains report holding
conservative views on both social and political
issues. Overall, 53% of chaplains describe their
views on social issues as conservative or very
conservative, 28% are moderate and 16% are
liberal. Similarly, when it comes to political
issues, 55% say their views are conservative
or very conservative, 29% moderate and 13%
liberal.

Chaplains’ Ideological Leanings
Social
Issues

Political
Issues

%

%

Conservative/very
conservative

53

55

Moderate

28

29

Liberal/very liberal

16

13

No answer

3

3

100

100

Q40,41. Figures may not sum to 100%, and combined
categories may not sum from their component parts, due to
rounding.
PEW RESEARCH CENTER’S FORUM ON RELIGION & PUBLIC LIFE

www.pewforum.org

36

Religion in Prisons: A 50-State Survey of Prison Chaplains

Education and Training
As expected, the prison chaplains surveyed are a well-educated
group. About six-in-ten (62%) hold either a master’s degree or
a doctorate, 21% hold a bachelor’s degree and 15% did not
complete a four-year college degree. Nearly all of those with a
graduate degree (90%) specialized in a religion or ministryrelated field. Overall, 56% of the chaplains surveyed completed
graduate studies in a religion or ministry-related field.

Education
%
Graduate degree
Doctorate
Master’s

12
50

Bachelor’s

21

Some college

13

High school or less

A majority of chaplains surveyed also report having at least
some clinical pastoral training, which can take place inside or
outside of a degree program.17 About three-in-ten (29%) have
completed four or more units of training, 32% have completed
1-3 units and 36% have had no clinical pastoral training. Those
with more formal education are more likely to have had clinical
training. Among those with a graduate degree, two-thirds
(67%) have completed at least one clinical pastoral training
unit. Among those with a college degree, 55% have completed
at least one unit, and among those with less education, 51%
have done so.

62

No answer

2
1
100

Hold a religion-related
graduate degree
Other graduate degree
No graduate degree
No answer

56
6
37
1
100

Clinical pastoral training
4 or more units

29

1-3 units

32

No units

36

No answer

3
100

Q43-45. Figures may not add to 100%
due to rounding.
PEW RESEARCH CENTER’S
FORUM ON RELIGION & PUBLIC LIFE

17

Clinical pastoral training prepares chaplains to provide counseling and help people through crisis situations, end-of-life issues,
grief, difficult family dynamics, mental health problems and so on. A unit of pastoral training is usually 400 hours of supervised
work.

www.pewforum.org

37

PEW FORUM ON RELIGION & PUBLIC LIFE

II. What Prison Chaplains Do … and What They Think
They Should Do
The role of prison chaplains is to meet the religious needs of inmates. But the specific activities
of prison chaplains vary from state to state and facility to facility. Most chaplains report that
they perform a wide range of functions — from administering religious programs, to training
volunteers, to advising other prison staff members. In the view of many chaplains, however,
their most important role is to personally lead religious services, provide religious education
and counsel inmates. Some seem to chafe under the burden of paperwork and administrative
duties. But, on the whole, they express high levels of job satisfaction.
Main Activities
The Pew Forum survey asked the chaplains
which of 10 possible functions they perform as
part of their work. The chaplains could indicate
that they perform multiple functions, and
virtually all of them did so. Indeed, more than
nine-in-ten say they do each of the following:
administer religious programs (93%), work
with external faith-based and community
organizations (92%), personally lead worship
services, religious instruction or spiritual
counseling (92%), advise correctional staff on
religious issues and related policies (92%), and
supervise or train volunteers (91%).
A majority of chaplains also say they provide
support and counseling for correctional staff
(85%), supervise inmates to help maintain
security (78%) and facilitate interfaith dialogue
among inmates or staff (74%).

What Chaplains Do
% saying they perform each of the following
%
Administer/organize religious programs

93

Personally lead worship and other services

92

Work with external faith-based groups

92

Advise correctional staff on religious issues

92

Supervise/train volunteers

91

Provide support/counseling for staff

85

Supervise inmates to help maintain safety
and security

78

Facilitate interfaith dialogue

74

Administer educational or other secular
rehabilitation services

42

Follow up with former inmates after release

33

Q6a-j. Percentage saying no and no answer not shown.
PEW RESEARCH CENTER’S FORUM ON RELIGION & PUBLIC LIFE

A substantial minority (42%) of chaplains say they administer educational or other secular
rehabilitation services as part of their job. And a third (33%) say that following up with
inmates after release is among their duties.

www.pewforum.org

38

Religion in Prisons: A 50-State Survey of Prison Chaplains

An open-ended question on the survey asked
chaplains to list any other activities on which
they spend “a significant amount of time” on
the job. One response was particularly common:
paperwork. Among those offering a response,
45% mentioned administrative tasks such as
completing paperwork or processing religious
accommodation requests. Other frequent
responses include communication with family
members of inmates and to inmates regarding
family news (cited by 18% of respondents to
the open-ended question), pastoral counseling
(17%) and recruiting and vetting volunteers and
in-kind donations (16%).

Other Roles and Activities
% mentioning other activities on which they spend a
significant amount of time
%
Administrative tasks

45

Communication between families and
inmates

18

Pastoral counseling

17

Coordinate volunteer services

16

Other program management

12

Visits with inmates

11

Teaching/educational activities

9

Oversee religious services

7

Other miscellaneous

23

Q7. Open-end. NET % shown for each category. Figures add
to more than 100% because multiple responses were
allowed.
PEW RESEARCH CENTER’S FORUM ON RELIGION & PUBLIC LIFE

www.pewforum.org

39

PEW FORUM ON RELIGION & PUBLIC LIFE

Activities Chaplains Spend the Most Time On
Asked to rank the top three activities on which
they spend the most time, the most common
response from chaplains was serving as an
administrator helping to organize religious
programs. Nearly seven-in-ten chaplains rank
this among their top three activities on the job
(69%), including 38% who say it is the activity
on which they spend the most time. About the
same portion (66%) reports that personally
leading worship services, religious instruction
or spiritual counseling sessions is among their
top three activities, including 33% who say it is
how they spend the most time.
Other activities are less central to the chaplains
as a whole. About one-third of chaplains (32%)
say that supervising or training volunteers is
among the top three activities they perform.
About a quarter (24%) rank supervising
inmates in their top three activities, and about
a fifth (19%) consider advising correctional
staff on religious issues one of their top three
activities.
Fewer than one-in-ten say that providing
counseling for staff, administering secular
rehabilitation services, facilitating interfaith
dialogue among inmates or staff, and following
up with inmates after release are each among
the top three uses of their time on the job.

How Chaplains Spend Their Time
What are the TOP THREE activities you spend most
of your time on?
Ranked Ranked in
1st
the top 3
%

%

Serving as an administrator
helping to organize religious
programs

38

69

Personally leading worship
services, religious instruction or
counseling sessions

33

66

Supervising inmates to help
maintain safety and security

4

24

Supervising or training
volunteers

3

32

Advising correctional staff on
religious issues and policies

2

19

Working with external faithbased organizations

1

16

Administering educational or
other secular rehabilitation
services

1

6

Providing support/counseling
for correctional staff

*

8

Facilitating interfaith dialogue

0

5

Following up with former
inmates after release
Other activities+

0

2

12

27

Q8a-m. Percentage not answering or not ranking in top 3
are not shown. +Other activities based on up to three
volunteered responses.
PEW RESEARCH CENTER’S FORUM ON RELIGION & PUBLIC LIFE

www.pewforum.org

40

Religion in Prisons: A 50-State Survey of Prison Chaplains

Most Important Roles
Time-consuming activities do not always
match up with priorities for the job. The Pew
Forum survey also asked each chaplain to rank
the top three activities that, from his or her
point of view, are most important. One activity
stands out: personally leading worship
services, religious instruction sessions or
spiritual counseling sessions. About threequarters of the chaplains surveyed (75%)
consider this to be among their most important
functions, including 57% who ranked it as their
No. 1 priority.
A majority of chaplains (60%) also view the
administration of religious programs as one of
the three most important activities they perform;
18% consider it their most important activity.
Other activities were less likely to be seen as high
priorities. A third of chaplains (34%) say that
supervising or training volunteers is among their
three most important duties. About a quarter
(24%) say that advising correctional staff on
religious issues and related policies is one of their
top priorities; a similar portion (22%) says the
same about working with external faith-based
organizations.

Most Important Activities
What activities do you, personally, see as MOST
IMPORTANT for your role as chaplain or religious
services coordinator?
Ranked Ranked in
1st
the top 3
%

%

Personally leading worship
services, religious instruction
or counseling sessions

57

75

Serving as an administrator
helping to organize religious
programs

18

60

Advising correctional staff on
religious issues and policies

3

24

Supervising or training
volunteers

2

34

Working with external faithbased organizations

2

22

Supervising inmates to help
maintain safety and security

2

12

Providing support/counseling
for correctional staff

1

14

Following up with former
inmates after release

1

10

Facilitating interfaith dialogue

1

9

Administering educational or
other secular rehabilitation
services

1

6

Other activities+

5

15

Q9a-m. Percentage not answering or not ranking in top 3
are not shown. +Other activities based on up to three
volunteered responses.
PEW RESEARCH CENTER’S FORUM ON RELIGION & PUBLIC LIFE

www.pewforum.org

41

PEW FORUM ON RELIGION & PUBLIC LIFE

Job Satisfaction
Despite some concerns about paperwork and some mismatch
between what they think is most important and how they spend
their time on the job, the chaplains surveyed report high levels
of job satisfaction. Six-in-ten say they are very satisfied (64%)
and three-in-ten (30%) are somewhat satisfied, while just 6%
say they are very or somewhat dissatisfied.

Job Satisfaction
%
Very satisfied

64

Somewhat satisfied

30

Somewhat dissatisfied

5

Very dissatisfied

1

No answer

0
100

Q1. Figures may not add to 100% due
to rounding.
PEW RESEARCH CENTER’S
FORUM ON RELIGION & PUBLIC LIFE

www.pewforum.org

42

Religion in Prisons: A 50-State Survey of Prison Chaplains

THIS PAGE INTENTIONALLY BLANK

www.pewforum.org

43

PEW FORUM ON RELIGION & PUBLIC LIFE

III. The Role of Religious Volunteers
Many state prisons make extensive use of volunteers from houses of worship or other religious
organizations to help meet the spiritual needs of inmates. A majority of chaplains say that
more volunteers are needed, particularly for inmates who belong to minority faiths such as
Islam, Wicca and Native American spirituality. About a third of the chaplains surveyed also say
that volunteers from some religious groups are overabundant. In particular, they tend to cite
Protestant groups as providing more volunteers than necessary to meet the religious needs of
inmates. Generally speaking, the prison chaplains give religious volunteers high marks for the
way they lead worship services, education classes and prayer groups but somewhat lower
marks for mentoring inmates and their children.
Supply of Volunteers: Too Few or Too Many?
Most prison chaplains say there are too few religious volunteers
to meet the needs of all inmates. About seven-in-ten prison
chaplains surveyed (69%) say there are some religious groups for
which there are too few volunteers in the prisons where they work.

Are More Religious
Volunteers Needed?
%
Yes

69

No

29

No answer

2
100

Among those expressing this view, 55% say that more Muslim
volunteers are needed. (This figure includes 7% specifically
mentioning the Moorish Science Temple of America and 6%
mentioning the Nation of Islam.) Other commonly named
groups for which more volunteers are needed include pagan or
earth-based religions, such as Wicca, Odinism, Asatru and
Druidism (35%), and Native American spirituality (32%).
(Note that percentages do not add to 100% because multiple
responses were allowed. See Glossary on page 101 for brief
definitions of some smaller religious groups.)

Which groups need more
volunteers?
NET Muslim
Moorish Science Temple
Nation of Islam
Pagan (e.g., Wicca,
Odinism, Asatru, Druid)
Native American
spirituality
NET Christian
Catholic
Jewish
Buddhist

%
55
7
6
35
32
22
10
22
14

Q19. “Which groups need more
volunteers” based on all answering
open-end. Responses add to more
than 100% because multiple
responses were allowed. See topline
for other responses.
PEW RESEARCH CENTER’S
FORUM ON RELIGION & PUBLIC LIFE

www.pewforum.org

44

Religion in Prisons: A 50-State Survey of Prison Chaplains

At the same time, about a third of prison chaplains (32%) say
some religious groups provide more volunteers than necessary
to meet the religious needs of inmates. Among the chaplains
who say this, Protestants are the most commonly named group
(net of 52%); an additional 26% mentioned “Christians” with
no further specification. A total of 7% mentioned Catholics.
No other religion was named by more than 10% of the
chaplains responding.

%
Yes

32

No

66

No answer

2
100

Which groups have more
volunteers than
necessary?

How are Religious Volunteers Performing?
The Pew Forum survey asked chaplains to rate the performance
of religious volunteers at six specific tasks. Respondents also
had the option of saying that volunteers did not perform some
of those tasks in the prisons where they work. For example,
two-thirds of the chaplains (68%) report that religious
volunteers do not mentor the children of inmates, and about
half (46%) say that volunteers do not provide food, clothing or
holiday gifts for the families of inmates.
Among the chaplains who
express an opinion on the
performance of volunteers,
most favorably assess how
volunteers lead worship
services or other religious
rituals; 42% rate volunteers
as excellent leaders of
worship services, 50% say
volunteers do a good job at
this and only 7% rate
volunteers as fair or poor at
leading worship services. A
majority of those with an
opinion also say that
religious volunteers do an
excellent job (35%) or a good
job (50%) leading religious

Are There More
Religious Volunteers
Than Necessary?

NET Christian

83

NET Protestant

52

Catholic

7

Christian (general)

26

Q20. “Which groups have more
volunteers than necessary” based on
those answering open-end. Figures
may add to more than 100% because
multiple responses were allowed. See
topline for other responses.
PEW RESEARCH CENTER’S
FORUM ON RELIGION & PUBLIC LIFE

Chaplains’ Assessment of Religious Volunteers
Rate the performance of religious volunteers in providing each of the
following services
Excellent

Good

Fair

Poor

%

%

%

%

N

Leading worship
services or religious
rituals

42

50

7

* = 100

698

Leading religious
education classes

35

50

13

2 = 100

685

Leading prayer groups
or meditation

33

52

13

2 = 100

619

Mentoring inmates

23

43

26

8 = 100

545

Providing food, clothing
or holiday gifts for
inmates’ families

22

42

24

12 = 100

374

Mentoring the children
of inmates

11

21

38

30 = 100

197

Q18a-f. Based on all answering. Excludes those who responded that this service was
not done by religious volunteers or who did not answer. Figures may not add to
100% due to rounding.
PEW RESEARCH CENTER’S FORUM ON RELIGION & PUBLIC LIFE

www.pewforum.org

45

PEW FORUM ON RELIGION & PUBLIC LIFE

education classes. A similar proportion say volunteers are excellent (33%) or good (52%) at
running prayer or meditation groups.
Volunteers receive more mixed reviews for their efforts at mentoring inmates. Of the chaplains
offering an opinion, two-thirds say volunteers make excellent (23%) or good (43%) mentors for
inmates, but a third rate them as only fair (26%) or poor (8%). In recent years, federal and
state authorities also have encouraged mentoring programs for the children of inmates. But, as
previously noted, many chaplains say that in the prisons where they work, religious volunteers
are not involved in mentoring inmates’ children. And of the chaplains who offer an opinion,
only about a third say that religious volunteers do an excellent job (11%) or a good job (21%) of
mentoring inmates’ children, while about two-thirds say they do either a fair (38%) or poor job
(30%).

www.pewforum.org

46

Religion in Prisons: A 50-State Survey of Prison Chaplains

THIS PAGE INTENTIONALLY BLANK

www.pewforum.org

47

PEW FORUM ON RELIGION & PUBLIC LIFE

IV. Chaplains’ Perspectives on the Religious Lives of
Inmates
Little is known about the religious makeup of the state prison population. Government
agencies routinely report on the gender, racial and ethnic composition of inmates in state and
federal prisons (see Appendix C) but not on their religious affiliation. One of the central goals
of the Pew Forum survey is to offer a glimpse into the religious lives of prisoners through the
observations of prison chaplains. The chaplains’ views inevitably are colored by their own
attitudes and experiences, so their assessments should be viewed as impressions rather than as
facts. Still, their responses to the survey provide some sense of the environment in which they
work and of the changes they see occurring.
The chaplains’ estimates of the religious affiliation of inmates are, at best, a very rough
indicator. But the estimates suggest that most inmates in state prisons are Christians, albeit
with substantial numbers of Muslims, followers of pagan or earth-based religions,
practitioners of Native American spirituality and inmates not affiliated with a religion.
About three-quarters of chaplains say that attempts by inmates
to proselytize or convert fellow inmates are “very” or “somewhat” common (73%), and a similar portion (77%) say that
either “a lot” or “some” religious conversion takes place behind
bars. Fewer chaplains say that expressions of extreme religious
views are common in state prison; less than half of the
chaplains surveyed (41%) say that religious extremism is very
or somewhat common in the prison where they work.

Is Inmate Religion
Documented?
% saying there is a formal system
for …
%
Documenting religious
preferences of inmates

84

Q24. Those saying no or no answer
not shown.

When asked to explain in their own words the kinds of extreme
PEW RESEARCH CENTER’S
FORUM ON RELIGION & PUBLIC LIFE
religious views they encounter, the chaplains frequently cite
two themes: “racial supremacy disguised as religious views”
(in the words of one chaplain) and religious exclusivity or intolerance toward other faiths.
A Window into Inmate Religious Preference
The Pew Forum survey asked chaplains whether or not the prisons where they work keep track
of inmates’ religious affiliations. An overwhelming majority of chaplains (84%) report that
formal tracking systems exist at their facilities. (Such data, however, are not generally publicly
available.)

www.pewforum.org

48

Religion in Prisons: A 50-State Survey of Prison Chaplains

The Pew Forum survey also asked each chaplain
to estimate the approximate percentage of
inmates in the prison(s) where he or she works
that identify with each of 12 religious groups.
Of course, some chaplains may have quite a bit of
knowledge and others rather little knowledge
about the religious preferences of inmates. And,
even if chaplains had perfect information about
the relative distribution of religious groups
among inmates, these findings are not weighted
in proportion to the size of each prison’s
population and thus cannot provide an accurate
estimate of religious affiliation among the U.S.
prison population. Nonetheless, these findings
offer an impressionistic picture of the religious
context in which chaplains work.

Inmate Religious Affiliation
Approximately what percentage of inmates identify
with the following religious groups?
Mean Median
%
%
Christian
Protestant

50.6

50

Catholic

14.5

10

Mormon

0.8

0

Orthodox Christian

0.4

0

Muslim+

9.4

5

Native American spirituality

2.7

1

Pagan/earth-based practitioner

1.7

1

Jewish

1.7

1

Other religions

Other non-Christian religions

++

1.5

0

Buddhist

0.9

1

Hindu

0.2

0

10.6

5

No religious preference

The findings suggest that the majority of
Proportion of inmates whose religious
preference not known
5.0
0
inmates encountered by most chaplains are
Q22a-m. Responses could range from 0 to 100 for the set of
Christians. On average, the chaplains surveyed
12 groups. Mean response based on all answering. Those
who gave no response to the question are excluded.
say that Christian groups make up about two+
Includes followers of the Nation of Islam and the Moorish
thirds of the inmate population, with
Science Temple of America.
++
The question listed the following examples: “Baha’is,
Protestants, on average, estimated to comprise
Rastafarians, practitioners of Santeria, Sikhs and others.”
51% of the inmate population, Catholics 15%
PEW RESEARCH CENTER’S FORUM ON RELIGION & PUBLIC LIFE
and other Christian groups less than 2%. The
median estimate by the chaplains of the
portion of Protestants is 50%, meaning that half of the chaplains estimate that Protestants
comprise more than 50% of the inmate population where they work, and half of the chaplains
estimate the figure to be below that. There is a wide range of estimates for most of the 12
religious groups, including Protestants and Catholics.
Compared with Christians, other religious groups are seen by the chaplains as considerably
smaller in size. Altogether, non-Christian religious groups are seen as comprising about 18% of
the state prison population. On average, the chaplains surveyed say that Muslims make up
about 9% of the inmate population in the prisons where they work, with half of the chaplains
saying that Muslims comprise 5% or less of the population and half saying Muslim inmates
make up more than 5% of the inmate population. Other non-Christian groups are perceived as
considerably smaller in size (0 to 1% for about half of the chaplains responding).

www.pewforum.org

49

PEW FORUM ON RELIGION & PUBLIC LIFE

Further, according to the chaplains surveyed, inmates with no religious preference appear to
be a small minority. On average, chaplains say that about 11% of the inmate population is
atheist, agnostic or has no particular religious affiliation. The median estimate of inmates with
no religious preference is 5%.
By comparison, in the U.S. public as a whole,
half (50%) of adults identify as Protestants and
about a quarter (23%) are Catholics. About
one-in-five adults (19%) are religiously
unaffiliated (describing their religion as
atheist, agnostic or “nothing in particular”).
Smaller numbers describe themselves as
Mormon (2%), Jewish (2%), Muslim (1%),
Orthodox (1%) or another faith (3%).18

Evangelical Protestant Inmates
Thinking only of Protestant inmates, what
percentage do you think consider themselves bornagain or evangelical Christians?
%
Three-quarters to all

27

Half to three-quarters

23

One quarter to half

18

None to one quarter

21

No answer

11

In a separate survey question, chaplains
100
50.4
estimated the percentage of Protestant inmates Mean estimate
Q23. Based on open-end responses, grouped in categories
who consider themselves born-again or
above. Figures may not add to 100% due to rounding.
evangelical Christians. On average, the
PEW RESEARCH CENTER’S FORUM ON RELIGION & PUBLIC LIFE
chaplains surveyed say that about 50% of
Protestant inmates are evangelicals. But their
estimates run the gamut, with some chaplains estimating that evangelical Protestants comprise
a minority of Protestant inmates and others estimating that a majority of Protestant inmates
consider themselves to be born-again or evangelical Christians.

18

Figures for the general public in the U.S. are based on aggregated surveys conducted by the Pew Research Center for the
People & the Press between January and December 2011.

www.pewforum.org

50

Religion in Prisons: A 50-State Survey of Prison Chaplains

Religious Switching and Proselytizing
How much religious conversion takes place in state prisons?
About three-quarters (76%) of the chaplains surveyed say that
the prisons where they work maintain formal systems for
tracking religious switching among inmates. About threequarters of chaplains also say that conversion or proselytizing
attempts among inmates are either very common (31%) or
somewhat common (43%) while about a quarter say such
attempts are not too common (22%) or not at all common (4%).
How successful are these attempts? About three-quarters of the
chaplains surveyed estimate that religious switching occurs
some (51%) or a lot (26%). Fewer say that either not much
switching (20%) or none at all (2%) occurs in the prisons where
they work.
Chaplains working in maximum security facilities (31%) are
more likely than those in medium (25%) or minimum (18%)
security facilities to say that “a lot” of switching occurs.

Prisoner Proselytizing
%
Have formal system
documenting when
inmates change religious
preferences

76

How common are inmate
proselytizing attempts?
Very common

31

Somewhat common

43

Not too common

22

Not at all common
No answer

4
1
100

How much religious
switching occurs among
inmates?
A lot

26

Some

51

Not much

20

None at all

2

No answer

1

The Pew Forum survey also asked chaplains to estimate
100
whether the ranks of 12 religious groups are swelling, shrinking
Q28,25, 26. Those saying no system
or stable in the prison population. Among chaplains who report for tracking change or no answer not
shown. Figures may not add to 100%
due to rounding.
that religious switching occurs in the prison where they work,
RESEARCH CENTER’S
Muslims and Protestants were the groups most likely to be seen PEW
FORUM ON RELIGION & PUBLIC LIFE
as growing in followers. About half of chaplains answering
these questions (51%) report that Muslims are growing in
number due to switching; 47% say the same about Protestants in the facilities where they work.

www.pewforum.org

51

PEW FORUM ON RELIGION & PUBLIC LIFE

A sizable minority of the
chaplains say that followers
of pagan or earth-based
religions are growing (34%)
as are those practicing Native
American spirituality (24%)
and Judaism (19%).
For nine of the 12 religious
groups considered, a solid
majority of chaplains
answering the question
report that the size of each
religious group is stable.

Which Groups Are Growing and Shrinking?
% saying each group is growing, shrinking or staying the same size among
those who report that religious switching occurs a lot, some or not much
Religious group

Growing

Staying the
same
Shrinking

No answer

%

%

%

%

Muslims+

51

37

7

5 = 100

Protestants

47

42

6

4 = 100

Pagan/earth-based
practitioners

34

49

8

9 = 100

Native American
spirituality

24

61

6

9 = 100

Jews

19

61

8

12 = 100

Catholics

14

61

20

4 = 100

No religious
preference

12

63

17

9 = 100

Other nonChristians++

13

65

8

14 = 100

For some religious groups,
Buddhists
12
67
8
13 = 100
the chaplains answering are
Mormons
3
68
11
18 = 100
Orthodox Christians
3
68
10
20 = 100
more likely to say the group’s
Hindus
1
73
8
18 = 100
followers are shrinking than
Q27a-l. Based on all asked, N=710. Those who responded that there was no
growing in size due to
switching or that they didn’t know if switching occurred are excluded.
+
switching. For example, a
Includes followers of the Nation of Islam and the Moorish Science Temple of
America.
fifth (20%) of chaplains
++
The question listed the following examples: “Baha’is, Rastafarians, practitioners
answering say Catholics are
of Santeria, Sikhs and others.”
PEW RESEARCH CENTER’S FORUM ON RELIGION & PUBLIC LIFE
shrinking in number, while
14% say the ranks of
Catholics behind bars are
growing. Similarly, 17% of chaplains answering say the number of inmates with no religious
preference is shrinking, and 12% say the ranks of the unaffiliated are growing.
In response to open-ended questions on the survey, several chaplains mentioned that inmates
may switch to particular religious groups solely to obtain certain privileges or benefits, such as
kosher food. Some “inmates adopt Judaism because of the food benefits,” one chaplain wrote.
Commenting on religious switching in general, another chaplain said: “You cannot draw any
valid conclusions regarding religion in prisons by examining religion changes of offenders.
These decisions are primarily privilege based and not religiously based in my experience.”
Other chaplains indicated that they see both half-hearted switching and sincere conversions.
“Inmates often return to faith of childhood upbringing,” one chaplain noted, adding: “Some

www.pewforum.org

52

Religion in Prisons: A 50-State Survey of Prison Chaplains

‘try on’ various faiths. Only a small percentage of inmates seem to take it seriously and stick
with it….”

Requests for Accommodation
The Pew Forum survey asked
chaplains to estimate how
often each of five kinds of
requests for religious
accommodation are approved
or denied. The questions also
allowed chaplains to indicate
whether or not each kind of
request has occurred in the
prisons where they work.

Religious Accommodation
How often are the following requests from inmates for religious
accommodation approved or denied, if they have come up at all?
Sometimes
approved/
Usually sometimes
approved
denied

Usually
denied

N

Requests for…

%

%

%

Religious books or texts

82

17

* = 100

715

Meetings with leaders from
inmates’ faith

71

26

3 = 100

673

Special religious diet

53

40

7 = 100

711

Religious items or clothing

51

46

3 = 100

711

Among those answering, an
Special hairstyle or grooming
28
36
36 = 100
559
overwhelming majority
Q29. Based on all answering. Excludes those who responded that the request had
not come up or who did not give an answer. Figures may not add to 100% due to
(82%) say prisons usually
rounding.
approve inmates’ requests
PEW RESEARCH CENTER’S FORUM ON RELIGION & PUBLIC LIFE
for religious books. Seven–
in-ten (71%) chaplains
answering say requests for visits by religious leaders are usually approved. About half say
requests for a special religious diet (53%) and requests for permission to have religious items
or clothing (51%) are usually approved.
However, only about three-in-ten (28%) chaplains answering say that requests for special
accommodations related to hair or grooming are usually approved. More than a third (36%)
say such requests are usually denied.
Some chaplains expressed frustration at the volume of requests for religious accommodation,
including requests they view as “using religion to play the system,” in the words of one chaplain.
“Too much of my time is spent on accommodating those ‘using’ religion to get additional
privileges, such as better food, religious items, additional packages, gangs trying to meet as
religious groups, etc.,” another chaplain wrote in response to an open-ended question on the
survey. “I do little ministry but facilitate perpetual changing of religious declarations for the

www.pewforum.org

53

PEW FORUM ON RELIGION & PUBLIC LIFE

next ‘food’ event or whatever gives the inmate the best gang option or ability to gain personal
items,” yet another wrote.

Religious Extremism in the Prisons
The survey asked a number of questions about how often
chaplains encounter “extreme religious views” within the
prison population. About four-in-ten chaplains say that groups
expressing extreme religious views are very common (12%) or
somewhat common (29%); a majority says such views are not
too common (42%) or not at all common (16%) in the prisons
where they work.

How Common Are
Extreme Religious
Views (Overall)?
%
Very common

12

Somewhat common

29

Not too common

42

Not at all common

16

No answer

Perceptions of the prevalence of extreme religious views tend
to vary with the security level of the facility where the chaplains
work.
Chaplains in maximum or medium security
facilities are more likely than those in minimum
security facilities to say that religious extremism
is very or somewhat common. About four-in-ten
chaplains in maximum security (44%) and
medium security prisons (42%) say religious
extremism is very or somewhat common,
compared with 32% of chaplains who work in
minimum security facilities.

1
100

Q30a. Figures may not add to 100%
due to rounding.
PEW RESEARCH CENTER’S
FORUM ON RELIGION & PUBLIC LIFE

How Common Are Extreme
Religious Views (by Security
Level)?
% of chaplains saying that extreme religious views
among inmates are …
Very/
Not too/
No
As rated by somewhat Not at all
common
common answer
chaplains
working in…
%
%
%

N

Maximum
security

44

56

*=100

241

Medium
security

42

57

1=100

357

Minimum
security

32

68

0=100

96

Q30a. Figures may not add to 100% due to rounding.
Figures may not sum to 100%, and combined categories
may not sum from their component parts, due to rounding.
PEW RESEARCH CENTER’S FORUM ON RELIGION & PUBLIC LIFE

www.pewforum.org

54

Religion in Prisons: A 50-State Survey of Prison Chaplains

These findings are, of course, colored by the
perceptual lens of the chaplains responding. For
example, assessments of the prevalence of religious
extremism among inmates tend to vary with the
religious affiliation and race of the chaplains
surveyed. Protestant chaplains are more likely than
those of the Catholic or Muslim faith to say that
religious extremism in the prisons is either very or
somewhat common. This tendency is a bit stronger
among white evangelical chaplains than it is among
white mainline Protestants.

How Common Are Extreme
Religious Views (by Chaplains’
Religion)?
% of chaplains saying extreme religious views among
inmates are …

As rated by
chaplains
who are…
Protestant
White
evangelical
White
mainline

Very/
somewhat
common

Not too/
Not
at all
No
common answer

%

%

%

43

56

1=100

44

55

N
519

* = 100 264

34
65
1 = 100 94
Analysis of these differences is constrained by the
Black
modest number of chaplains from some of these
Protestant
39
60
1 = 100 95
Catholic
32
68
0 = 100
98
faith traditions who are in the survey. For example,
Muslim
23
75
2 = 100
53
98 respondents are Catholic, and only 53 are
Q30a. Figures may not sum to 100%, and combined
Muslim. However, those who are Muslim appear
categories may not sum from their component parts, due to
rounding.
less likely than other chaplains to perceive a lot of
PEW RESEARCH CENTER’S FORUM ON RELIGION & PUBLIC LIFE
religious extremism among inmates. Just 23% of
the Muslim chaplains say religious extremism is
either very common or somewhat common in the prisons where they work, while 43% of
Protestant chaplains take that view. Catholic chaplains fall in between, with 32% saying
religious extremism is very or somewhat common in the facilities where they work.

www.pewforum.org

55

PEW FORUM ON RELIGION & PUBLIC LIFE

The survey also asked chaplains to estimate how
often extreme views occur among inmates in each
of 12 religious groups. Respondents were able to
indicate if no inmates belonged to a particular
group.
Of the chaplains expressing an opinion on these
questions, a majority say it is very common (22%)
or somewhat common (36%) for Muslim inmates to
express extreme views. This includes inmates who
belong to such groups as the Nation of Islam and
the Moorish Science Temple of America, which
traditional Muslims may view as unorthodox or
heretical. (See Glossary on page 101.)
A sizable minority (39%) of chaplains also say
religious extremism is very or somewhat common
among inmates who practice pagan and earthbased religions (such as Asatru, Odinism and
Wicca). Roughly one-fifth to one-quarter of
chaplains with an opinion say religious extremism
is very or somewhat common among Protestant
inmates (24%), inmates who follow other nonChristian religions, such as Rastafarians and
practitioners of Santeria and Voodoo (21%), and
those practicing Native American spirituality (19%).
(See Glossary on page 101.)

How Common is Extremism
Among Various Religious Groups?
% of chaplains saying extreme religious views are …
Very/
somewhat
common

Not too/
not at all
common

N

Among inmates who
are…

%

%

Muslims+

57

43 = 100

677

Pagan/earth-based
religions

39

61 = 100

614

Protestants

24

76 = 100

665

Other non-Christian
religions++

21

79 = 100

502

Native American
spirituality

19

81 = 100

592

Jews

17

83 = 100

575

No religious
preference

14

86 = 100

594

Catholics

8

92 = 100

657

Mormons

8

92 = 100

454

Orthodox Christians

6

94 = 100

420

Buddhists

7

93 = 100

529

Hindus

6

94 = 100

381

Q31a-l.Based on all answering. Those who responded that
no inmates belong to the group or did not give an answer
are excluded. Figures may not sum to 100%, and combined
categories may not sum from their component parts, due to
rounding.
+

Includes followers of the Nation of Islam and the Moorish
Science Temple of America.
++

The question listed the following examples: “Baha’is,
Rastafarians, practitioners of Santeria, Sikhs and others.”
PEW RESEARCH CENTER’S FORUM ON RELIGION & PUBLIC LIFE

www.pewforum.org

56

Religion in Prisons: A 50-State Survey of Prison Chaplains

Interestingly, perceptions of religious
extremism vary strongly with the security level
of the chaplains’ facility for only one of the 12
religious groups – Muslims. Chaplains in
maximum security facilities are more likely
than those in either medium- or minimumsecurity facilities to say that extremism among
Muslim inmates is very or somewhat common.
Perceptions of the prevalence of religious
extremism among inmates from other faith
groups is not related, or only modestly related,
to the facility security level.
The relative rankings of the top two inmate
groups most associated with extremism are the
same for chaplains working in each security
level. Regardless of security level, the chaplains
answering are most likely to say that
extremism is very or somewhat common
among Muslim inmates, followed by adherents
of pagan or earth-based religions.

How Common is Religious
Extremism (by Security Level and
Religious Group)?
% of chaplains saying extreme religious views are
very or somewhat common
Chaplains working in…
Maximum Medium Minimum
security security security
Among inmates who
are…

%

%

%

Muslims+

62

57

49

Pagan/earth-based
religions

40

38

38

Protestants

23

25

26

Native American
spirituality

18

20

24

8

8

10

Catholics

Q31a,b,f,g,h. Based on all answering. Those who responded
that no inmates belong to the group or did not give an
answer are excluded.
+

Includes followers of the Nation of Islam and the Moorish
Science Temple of America.
++

The question listed the following examples: “Baha’is,
Rastafarians, practitioners of Santeria, Sikhs and others.”
PEW RESEARCH CENTER’S FORUM ON RELIGION & PUBLIC LIFE

www.pewforum.org

57

PEW FORUM ON RELIGION & PUBLIC LIFE

To better understand what is meant by religious extremism, the survey also asked chaplains to
explain in their own words the kinds of extreme religious views that they encounter in state
prisons. Overall, 62% of chaplains provided some response. Not surprisingly, those who say
that encountering extreme religious views among inmates is very or somewhat common were
more likely to respond to the question (82% answering) than were those who say that such
views are not too or not at all common (47% answering).
Chaplains offered a wide range of comments to
this open-ended question. Their responses
were categorized according to the ideas or
themes they suggested and, separately,
according to the specific religious groups they
named as espousing extreme views. Many
chaplains mentioned multiple ideas or
religious groups.
Among the chaplains responding, two themes
are common. A net of 41% of those responding
mention racial intolerance or prejudice against
specific social groups. This figure includes
references to views of black or white racial
superiority and racial supremacy (36%) as well
as hostility toward gays and lesbians, negative
views of women (particularly in religious
leadership roles) and intolerance toward sex
offenders or other inmates based on the nature
of their criminal offense. “Racially based
beliefs are held by Odinist/Wotanist inmates
and members of the Nation of Islam,” one
chaplain noted. Another cited “demands that
some inmates cannot be a part of the religious
group because of sexual identity and/or sexual
crimes.”

Kinds of Religious Extremism
Encountered
Themes mentioned when asked about the kinds of
extreme religious views encountered
%
NET Intolerance of specific racial or social
groups
Racial separatism/supremacists

41
36

NET Religious exclusivity/inflexibility of faith

40

NET Specific requests for accommodation

28

NET Other view mentioned

22

Groups mentioned when asked about the kinds of
extreme religious views encountered
NET Muslim
Muslim/Islamic radicalism/Salafi teaching
Nation of Islam
NET Christian
NET Protestant
Christian (general)
Jewish
NET Other religions

54
33
21
34
13
7
6
43

Pagan/earth-based e.g., Wicca

16

Satanism/Demonic

12

Q30b. Open-end. Based on those answering. Most common
responses are shown. See topline for more responses.
Figures add to more than 100% because multiple responses
were allowed.
PEW RESEARCH CENTER’S FORUM ON RELIGION & PUBLIC LIFE

A nearly equal percentage (40%) of those responding mention religious intolerance. This figure
includes references to views of exclusivity of faith and “religious bigotry” (32%) as well as
references to those seeing only the King James Bible as authentic, espousing “militant” faiths,
or attempting to intimidate or coerce others into belief.

www.pewforum.org

58

Religion in Prisons: A 50-State Survey of Prison Chaplains

A little more than a quarter (28%) of the chaplains responding cite specific requests for food,
clothing or rituals in their descriptions of extremism. And some (22%) describe religious
extremism in other ways, such as prisoners using religious groups as a cover for non-religious
activities, espousing views that promote violence or rape, and creating new religions. (Note
that percentages do not add to 100% because multiple responses were allowed.)
A wide range of groups are mentioned in connection with extreme religious views. Among
chaplains responding, the most commonly mentioned group is Muslims (54%, including 21%
who specifically cite the Nation of Islam). In addition, 34% mention Christians, including 7%
who specifically cite evangelical or fundamentalist Protestants, 6% who mention Hebrew
Israelites and 4% who cite followers of the so-called Christian Identity movement.19 Many
chaplains also refer to other religions (net of 43%) in connection with religious extremism,
including pagan or earth-based religions (16%) and Satanism or devil worship (12%).
To better understand what chaplains have in mind, the Pew Forum looked at the subset of
respondents who cited the two most commonly mentioned religious groups (Muslims and
Christians) in addition to some kind of thematic explanation of extremism. Among chaplains
who mention Muslims and also provide some kind of thematic explanation (83 chaplains or
18% of those responding), about half (51%) mentioned Muslims in connection with the idea of
racial and social group intolerance and about four-in-ten (41%) mentioned Muslims in
connection with the idea of religious exclusivity. As an example of extremism, one chaplain
cited “racism from the [I]slamic groups,” while another listed “Muslims who think their view of
Islam is the only way.”
Among chaplains who mentioned Christians and also provided some kind of thematic
explanation of extremism (52 chaplains or 12% of those responding), about two-thirds (67%)
mentioned Christians in connection with the idea of religious exclusivity while 37% mentioned
Christians in connection with the idea of racial and social group intolerance. One chaplain
commented, for example, that “… some fundamentalist Christian organizations have found it
difficult to respect the religious boundaries of others.” “On my unit there is a struggle between
the Arminians (conditional salvation) and Calvinist (once saved always saved),” another noted.
“We have had issues with white supremacy groups trying to start ‘Christian Identity’ services
that [are] hate filled…,” a third chaplain wrote. These are just a few of such responses.

19

As previously noted, Hebrew Israelites are categorized in this report as a Christian group because they historically come out of
Christian denominations, but members of the group may view themselves as Jews and some chaplains may consider them to be
Jews as well.

www.pewforum.org

59

PEW FORUM ON RELIGION & PUBLIC LIFE

Thus, both kinds of extremism (racial
intolerance and religious exclusivity) are
perceived to exist among Muslim and Christian
inmates, but religious exclusivity appears to be
more strongly associated with Christian
inmates, while racial and social group
intolerance appears to be more strongly
associated with Muslim inmates.
Does religious extremism threaten the safety
and security of the prison environment? About
three-quarters (76%) of chaplains say that
religious extremism poses a security threat
either “not too often” or “rarely or almost
never.” About a quarter (23%) of chaplains say
extremism “almost always” or “sometimes”
poses a threat to security.

Frequency Extremism Poses
Threat by Security Level
How often does extremism pose a threat to security?
Almost
always/ Not Rarely/
sometoo
almost
No
times
often
never answer

N

%

%

%

23

26

50

Maximum
security

29

25

45

1=100

241

Medium
security

19

28

52

*=100

357

Minimum
security

18

21

61

0=100

96

All

%
1 = 100 730

Chaplains
working
in…

Q32. Figures may not add to 100% due to rounding.
PEW RESEARCH CENTER’S FORUM ON RELIGION & PUBLIC LIFE

Those working in maximum security facilities are more likely
than those working in other kinds of facilities to say that
religious extremism poses a threat to security at least
sometimes. About three-in-ten (29%) chaplains from
maximum security facilities say that extremism is almost
always or sometimes a threat to prison security; this compares
with about a fifth of chaplains in medium security (19%) or
minimum security facilities (18%) who say the same. However,
upwards of seven-in-ten chaplains from any of these facility
types say that religious extremism rarely, almost never, or “not
too often” poses a threat to facility security.
What kinds of measures have state prisons taken to reduce the
possibility of security threats stemming from religious
extremism? The survey asked about four kinds of possible
measures. A sizable minority of chaplains say the prisons where
they work have consulted with experts in dealing with religious
groups in which extremism is suspected (45%) or have

www.pewforum.org

Actions to Reduce
Security Threat
% saying each measure has been
taken to address extreme
religious views among inmates
%
Consult experts for
advice on handling

45

Provide additional
supervision at religious
gatherings

44

Limit number of
gatherings by religious
groups

35

Isolate certain inmates

33

Q33a-d.Those saying measure not
taken or giving no answer not shown.
PEW RESEARCH CENTER’S
FORUM ON RELIGION & PUBLIC LIFE

60

Religion in Prisons: A 50-State Survey of Prison Chaplains

provided additional supervision for religious gatherings (44%). In addition, about a third of
chaplains say the prisons where they work have limited the number of gatherings held by
religious groups (35%) or isolated particular inmates (33%) to address religious extremism.

www.pewforum.org

61

PEW FORUM ON RELIGION & PUBLIC LIFE

V. Chaplains’ Views on the Correctional System
Prison chaplains are, on balance, positive about the correctional
system. A majority says the system where they are employed
“works pretty well,” and strong majorities rate the correctional
system as excellent or good when it comes to maintaining order
and meeting the religious needs of inmates. Evaluations of
rehabilitation and re-entry efforts are less positive, however, with
about half calling those efforts only fair or poor. About six-in-ten
chaplains (62%) say that religion-related programs for
rehabilitation and re-entry are available in the prisons where they
work. Most chaplains consider these religion-related programs to
be thriving both in terms of usage and quality.

Evaluating the
System
Thinking about the correctional
system where you work …
%
Works pretty well, only
minor changes needed

61

Needs major changes

34

Needs to be completely
rebuilt

5

No answer

1
100

Q2. Figures may not add to 100% due
to rounding.

How’s the System Working?

PEW RESEARCH CENTER’S
FORUM ON RELIGION & PUBLIC LIFE

Most chaplains are upbeat about the correctional system where
they work. About six-in-ten (61%) of those surveyed say their state’s system “works pretty well”
and needs only minor changes, while a third (34%) say the system needs major changes and
5% say it needs to be completely re-built.
When it comes to specific aspects of the state
correctional system’s performance, chaplains
are most sanguine about the ability to maintain
discipline and order in prison, and they are
least positive about the efficacy of efforts to
rehabilitate inmates and prepare them for reentry into the community. Four-in-ten (40%)
chaplains say the correctional system where
they work is doing an excellent job at
maintaining order and discipline among
inmates, 54% say it is doing a good job, and
just 6% say it is doing either fair or poor.
The correctional system is also seen as
excellent (29%) or good (50%) at meeting the
religious needs of inmates. Just a fifth of

How’s the Prison System Doing?
Rate the job the correctional system where you work
is doing in each area

Excellent Good

Only
fair/
poor

No
answer

%

%

%

%

Maintaining
order

40

54

6

0=100

Meeting
religious needs

29

50

20

1=100

Providing selfimprovement
programs

14

41

45

1=100

8

37

54

1=100

Helping prepare
for re-entry

Q3a-d. Figures may not sum to 100%, and combined
categories may not sum from their component parts, due to
rounding.
PEW RESEARCH CENTER’S FORUM ON RELIGION & PUBLIC LIFE

www.pewforum.org

62

Religion in Prisons: A 50-State Survey of Prison Chaplains

chaplains consider performance in this area to be only fair (17%) or poor (3%). A majority also
says the system is excellent (14%) or good (41%) at providing self-improvement programs for
inmates. But a majority of chaplains also say services to help inmates prepare to return to the
community are only fair (37%) or poor (17%) in the system where they work; 37% say such
services are good and 8% say they are excellent.
Financial pressures are
widespread across many
Opinion About Cost-Saving Proposals
state-funded programs,
% who favor or oppose each as a way to cut costs in correctional systems
including prison systems.
Strongly
Strongly
No
There is near consensus
favor
Favor Oppose oppose answer
%
%
%
%
%
among chaplains on several
Non-prison sentences for
possible ways to cut costs.
non-violent, first-time
offenders
46
46
7
1
1=100
Nearly all chaplains either
Early release for good
favor (46%) or strongly favor
behavior
35
57
7
*
1=100
(46%) dealing with nonShorten sentences for nonviolent crimes
33
53
11
1
2=100
violent, first-time offenders
Cut correctional staff and
programs
1
4
32
62
1=100
through other kinds of
Q4a-d. Figures may not add to 100% due to rounding.
sentences (such as
PEW RESEARCH CENTER’S FORUM ON RELIGION & PUBLIC LIFE
community service or
mandatory substance-abuse
counseling) rather than
prison terms. Just 8% of the chaplains surveyed oppose this idea. Nearly all the chaplains also
favor (57%) or strongly favor (35%) allowing inmates to earn early release based on good
behavior and completion of rehabilitation programs, while 7% are opposed. And most favor
(53%) or strongly favor (33%) shortening prison sentences for non-violent crimes; 12% oppose
this idea.
On the other hand, there is near-unanimity among chaplains against one idea: 94% oppose
cutting correctional staff and programs in order to reduce costs in correctional systems (62%
strongly oppose and 32% oppose this idea).

www.pewforum.org

63

PEW FORUM ON RELIGION & PUBLIC LIFE

Rehabilitation and Re-entry
In the minds of the chaplains, successful
rehabilitation and reintegration of inmates into What Is Important for Successful
Rehabilitation?
society requires efforts both in prison and after
% saying each is absolutely critical
release. Fully eight-in-ten (81%) chaplains say
%
that treatment for substance abuse or mental
Treatment for substance abuse or mental
health problems while serving time is
health problems in prison
81
“absolutely critical” for rehabilitation; 14% call
Support from religious groups after
release
78
this very important but not critical, and the
Access to quality religion-related
remainder consider it either somewhat
programs in prison
73
Help with things such as job, housing
71
important or not important (or give no
Access to quality programs such as
response). Chaplains, perhaps not surprisingly, education, job-training in prison
69
are also likely to see religious programs as
Q5a-e. Other response options not shown: very important
but not critical, somewhat important, not important and no
vital. More than three-quarters say that
answer.
support from religious groups after release is
PEW RESEARCH CENTER’S FORUM ON RELIGION & PUBLIC LIFE
absolutely critical for successful rehabilitation
(78%); 19% say this is very important but not
critical. And 73% of the chaplains surveyed consider access to high-quality religion-related
programs while in prison absolutely critical to rehabilitation. A substantial majority (71%) of
chaplains also say “help with things like getting a job and finding affordable housing upon
release” is absolutely critical. And 69% say the same about inmates’ access to high-quality
rehabilitation programs of a secular nature, such as continuing education and job training.
Access to some kind of rehabilitation program while in prison
appears common; 85% of chaplains say the prisons where they
work offer secular rehabilitation and re-entry programs. About
six-in-ten chaplains (62%) say that religion-related programs
are available in the prisons where they work.
Most chaplains consider the religion-related rehabilitation
programs to be thriving both in usage and in quality. Among
those working in a prison with a religion-related rehabilitation
program, about six-in-ten (61%) say usage has increased over
the past three years, 31% say usage has stayed the same and
just 6% say usage has gone down. A majority of those working
in a prison with a program of this sort also say that the quality
of the religion-related rehabilitation programs has improved

www.pewforum.org

Access to Rehab
Programs?
In the prison where you work …
%
Have secular
rehabilitation and reentry programs

85

Have religion-related
rehabilitation and reentry programs

62

Q13, 10. Those saying no or no
answer responses not shown.
PEW RESEARCH CENTER’S
FORUM ON RELIGION & PUBLIC LIFE

64

Religion in Prisons: A 50-State Survey of Prison Chaplains

(57%), while 36% say the quality is about the
same and 7% say the program’s quality has
declined over the past three years.
Perceptions of secular rehabilitation programs
over the same period are a bit less sanguine.
Among those with secular programs in the
prisons where they work, about four-in-ten
(38%) say usage has gone up over the past
three years, 44% say usage is about the same
and 14% say usage has gone down.
Assessments of the quality of secular
rehabilitation programs is similarly divided,
with 36% saying the programs have gotten
better, 43% saying the quality is about the
same and 18% saying the programs have
declined in quality.

Usage of Rehab Programs
Among those who work in prisons with rehabilitation
and re-entry programs, % who say participation
over past three years has …
Gone Gone
No
up
down Same answer

N

%

%

%

%

Religion-related
programs

61

6

31

2=100

449

Secular
programs

38

14

44

3=100

622

Q12, 15. Figures may not add to 100% due to rounding.
PEW RESEARCH CENTER’S FORUM ON RELIGION & PUBLIC LIFE

Assessing Rehab Programs
Among those who work in prisons with rehabilitation
and re-entry programs, % who say program quality
today compared with past three years is …
No
Better Worse Same answer

N

%

%

%

%

Religion-related
programs

57

7

36

1=100

449

Secular
programs

36

18

43

2=100

622

Q11, 14. Figures may not add to 100% due to rounding.
PEW RESEARCH CENTER’SFORUM ON RELIGION & PUBLIC LIFE

www.pewforum.org

65

PEW FORUM ON RELIGION & PUBLIC LIFE

Assessment of the Second Chance Act
In 2007, Congress introduced and later passed the Second
Chance Act, which provides federal funding for re-entry
services in state prisons and local jails and juvenile facilities.
About half of the chaplains surveyed report having heard either
a lot or a little about the legislation (49%) while about half
(51%) say they have heard nothing at all.

Views about the
Second Chance Act
Heard about Second
Chance Act?

%

A lot

11

A little

37

Nothing at all

51

No answer

0
100

Among those who are aware of the Second Chance Act, 57%
say it has been either very (8%) or somewhat effective (50%)
in improving re-entry services and promoting the successful
return of inmates to their communities; a third (33%) say it has
been not too or not at all effective.

Among those who
have heard a lot/a
little
How effective is it?
Very/somewhat
effective

57

Not too/not at all
effective

33

No answer

10
100

Q16, 17. Figures may not add to
100% due to rounding.
PEW RESEARCH CENTER’S
FORUM ON RELIGION & PUBLIC LIFE

www.pewforum.org

66

Religion in Prisons: A 50-State Survey of Prison Chaplains

In Their Own Words:
Thoughts about Rehabilitation and the Prison System
Chaplains surveyed by the Pew Forum expressed a range of opinions about the state prison
system and what they consider important for successful re-integration into the community.
Here are a few of the verbatim comments provided in response to an open-ended request for
other thoughts on issues raised in the survey.
Transformational Change
 “Chaplains play a key role in helping inmates transform their understanding of
responsibility, choices and possibilities. Behavior only changes when hearts change.”


“Without a spiritual-based transformation there is little hope for sincere, lasting change in
any of us. Without a faith-based after-care living situation an ex-offender has little chance
of succeeding on the street.”



“Personal contact is crucial. You minister through relationship. Being accepting, nonjudgmental, working toward self esteem issues is important.”



“Change what a man believes inside, you will change what you see outside. Social services
are great, but they work on the symptoms instead of the problem.”



“I believe the usefulness of the gospel message and Christian ministries in the prisoner
rehabilitation and re-entry processes [are] underrated. These ministries are as effective as
educational programs in the prison yet receive an extremely small fraction of the funding
and manpower.”

Re-Entry Support
 “There are very few ministries [that] volunteer their services to our institution that have
follow-up care with inmates and their families when they parole. The ideal would be a
sponsorship of six months prior to release with the family and the inmate, and six months
after release.”


“[Rehabilitation], in general, is inadequate at the prisons in which I work. Religious
services should be allowed to help inmates transition into churches and participate with
mentors prior to discharge who will follow them upon discharge. This does not yet
happen...”

www.pewforum.org

67

PEW FORUM ON RELIGION & PUBLIC LIFE



“More faith-based formal programs [are] needed which can help inmates with [the]
transition back into community living, such as ‘faith dorms’.”

On what it means to be a prison chaplain


“The term ‘chaplain’ to those outside corrections usually has people thinking of military or
hospital chaplaincy. The prison chaplaincy is an entirely different model, as prison
chaplains are, in essence, religious programs providers. My main task is to ensure [that]
the religious beliefs of offenders [are] met…. I, as a prison chaplain, am not to convert
persons [but] to ensure their religious rights…”

www.pewforum.org

68

Religion in Prisons: A 50-State Survey of Prison Chaplains

THIS PAGE INTENTIONALLY BLANK

www.pewforum.org

69

PEW FORUM ON RELIGION & PUBLIC LIFE

Appendix A: Survey Methodology
This survey of prison chaplains was conducted from Sept. 21 through Dec. 23, 2011, among
professional prison chaplains or religious services coordinators (the two titles are used
interchangeably for the purposes of this report) working in prisons in all 50 states.20
Correctional authorities in each of the 50 states granted permission for the Pew Research
Center’s Forum on Religion & Public Life to contact state prison chaplains and request their
voluntary participation in the survey. The survey was also endorsed by the American
Correctional Chaplains Association. A total of 730 interviews were completed by Web and
paper questionnaire, a response rate of nearly 50%.
Sampling and Interviewing
The target population for the survey was all paid prison chaplains in the 50 state prison
systems across the United States. The Pew Forum contacted officials in each state’s
department of corrections to request permission to conduct the survey and to obtain contact
information for all professional chaplains currently employed in state prisons.21 Based on
communications with each state’s board of corrections, the Pew Forum compiled a database of
chaplains thought to be eligible for the study. The process of obtaining permission to conduct
the study and assembling the list of eligible chaplains was facilitated by the American
Correctional Chaplains Association and by some chaplains with access to the National
Correctional Chaplains Administrators Directory. A total of 1,474 state prison chaplains and
religious services coordinators from the 50 state correctional systems comprised the total
target population of interest.
Survey Administration
The administration and data coding of the survey was handled by Social Science Research
Solutions (SSRS). Attempts were made to contact all 1,474 state prison chaplains to request
participation in the survey. In keeping with best practices for survey research, the target
sample was contacted multiple times to request participation. The schedule of contacts was as
follows:
 Invitation letter explaining the purpose of the study was sent by mail to the entire
sample, with the exception of chaplains from New York,22 on Sept. 21, 2011.
20

In South Dakota, religious programs are administered by a “cultural activities coordinator.”
The Pew Forum also sought permission to include federal prison chaplains in the survey, but the Federal Bureau of Prisons
decided not to allow its approximately 200 chaplains to participate.
22
Permission to contact New York state chaplains was not received until mid-November. As a result, the 162 chaplains from New
York state were contacted with an initial letter of invitation on Nov. 18, 2011, and a postcard reminder sent three days after the
21

www.pewforum.org

70

Religion in Prisons: A 50-State Survey of Prison Chaplains










Email invitation with a direct link to the Web survey was sent to those with email
address information23 about eight days after the initial mailing.
Postcard reminder was mailed to all who had not yet completed the survey about one
week after initial mailing.
A cover letter and paper copy of the questionnaire was sent by mail to those who had
not yet completed the survey about two weeks after the initial mailing.
A second postcard reminder was mailed to those who had not yet completed the survey
about three weeks after the initial mailing.
A second email reminder was sent to those with email address information who had not
yet completed the survey about five days after the second postcard reminder.
A cover letter and second paper copy of the questionnaire was sent by mail to those
who had not yet completed the survey on Oct. 24, 2011, about one month after the
initial mailing.
A final email reminder was sent to those with an email address who had not yet
completed the survey on Nov. 11, 2011.

A number of chaplains had queries or comments about the survey, including technical
questions about accessing the Web survey. There also were questions about the survey sponsor
and the confidentiality of responses, as well as other comments about the survey or the state
prison system in which they worked. These questions and comments were addressed either by
staff at SSRS or by the principal investigator on the study, Stephanie Boddie.
Questionnaire Design
The questionnaire was designed by the Pew Forum with the counsel of the staff at SSRS and
the panel of 17 external advisers with expertise in the criminal corrections field and a working
group of nine prison chaplains. A draft survey was pretested with a group of retired prison
chaplains, many of whom offered suggestions on the questionnaire design. The department of
corrections in some states includes a formal process for review of all study materials, called an
institutional review board; feedback from several state institutional review boards also
informed the questionnaire design. A draft questionnaire and study protocol was also
submitted to the institutional review board for the Federal Bureau of Prisons. While the
Federal Bureau of Prisons did not, in the end, grant permission to conduct the study among
federal prison chaplains, their feedback and suggestions for the study informed the
questionnaire design.
initial mailing. A cover letter and paper copy of the questionnaire were sent on Dec. 1, 2011. No email addresses were available
for New York state chaplains. Fewer attempts were made to reach chaplains from New York state compared with other states due
to the late permission to conduct the study among this group.
23
An email address was available for 857 of the 1,474 chaplains eligible to participate in the survey.

www.pewforum.org

71

PEW FORUM ON RELIGION & PUBLIC LIFE

Several of the questions asked chaplains to provide information about specific religious groups
among the inmate population. Advisers from some correctional systems reported that up to 50
religious groups exist among the prison population. To reduce respondent burden, the Pew
Forum survey asked about 12 religious groups, combining some religious traditions together
under broader categories. The Pew Forum was guided in these choices by the major religious
groups identified by the Federal Bureau of Prisons, by the panel of external advisers and by the
working group of prison chaplains. However, it is important to note that the selection of 12
religious groups involves a trade-off between the precision of gathering distinct information
about each religious tradition and the practicality of asking about a more limited number of
groups.
The layout and design of the questionnaire sought to maximize comparability across the mixed
modes of Web and paper questionnaires while following the best practices of visual survey
design.24 The Web survey included programming for all skip patterns and follow up prompts
on questions 8, 9 and 22 if the initial responses did not appear to match the question
instructions.
Question order and response order was fixed for all questions in order to increase the
comparability of the online and paper survey modes. This departs from typical practice in Web
surveys (and telephone surveys) where the order of response options and questions (especially
in serial lists of questions) is sometimes randomized. The purpose of randomizing order is to
control for potential primacy and recency effects in response option order and for serial item
position effects in question order. Those sorts of randomization are not practical for paper
questionnaires, however. The fixed question order should be kept in mind when interpreting
the survey results.
The Pew Forum had final authority and responsibility for the design of the questionnaire and
retains sole responsibility for the analysis and interpretation of survey findings.

24

See Don A. Dillman, Jolene D. Smyth and Leah Melani Christian, “Internet, Mail, and Mixed-Mode Surveys: The Tailored Design
Method,” Wiley, 2009.

www.pewforum.org

72

Religion in Prisons: A 50-State Survey of Prison Chaplains

Response Rate and Margin of Error
The total response rate was 49.6%.25 The table
provides the full disposition of the target
sample for the survey.

Sample Disposition
N
Total sample

We attempted to ask all eligible state prison
chaplains to complete this survey. Based
on a comparison of chaplains who responded
promptly to the survey and those who were
more difficult to interview, as well as an
analysis of response by region, we are
assuming that the responses constitute a
probability sample of the population.

1,474

Eligible, interview (category 1)
Complete
Partials treated as complete

723
7

Eligible, non-interview (category 2)
Refusal
Web suspends (partially completed)
No response

6
62
645

Unknown eligibility, non-interview
Mail undeliverable
Not eligible
Response rate RR4

29
2
49.6%

Response rate calculations using AAPOR’s standard
Based on that assumption, the margin of error
definitions for final dispositions of case codes and outcome
rates for surveys, 2011.
for the full sample of 730 respondents from a
PEW RESEARCH CENTER’S FORUM ON RELIGION & PUBLIC LIFE
population of 1,474 professional prison
chaplains is plus or minus 2.6 percentage
points. In addition to sampling error, one should bear in mind that question wording and
practical difficulties in conducting surveys can introduce error or bias in the findings of
opinion polls.

This is a survey of individual prison chaplains, as opposed to correctional facilities.26 Some
larger facilities have more than one prison chaplain represented in the survey. Questions about
the characteristics of correctional facilities are intended to measure the work context of the
chaplains responding to this survey. The survey findings reported here are not weighted.

25

Response rate based on AAPOR’s RR4 formula. See Standard definitions: Final dispositions of case codes and outcome rates for
surveys, revised 2011 at
http://www.aapor.org/AM/Template.cfm?Section=Standard_Definitions2&Template=/CM/ContentDisplay.cfm&ContentID=3156.
26
Other kinds of surveys can be designed to represent organizations or institutions such as correctional facilities in proportion to
their size in the population. Such surveys provide estimates about characteristics of the organizations, themselves, such as the
prevalence of facilities at each security level or the number of facilities serving particular kinds of inmates.

www.pewforum.org

73

Appendix B: Topline
Pew Forum on Religion & Public Life
National Survey of Prison Chaplains
September-December 2011
N=730
Notes:
 For exact question wording and layout, please see questionnaire.
 “No answer” was not offered as a response option, but is used to indicate cases in which a respondent did not provide
an answer to a question. Those responding to a paper questionnaire sometimes volunteered a “don’t know” response.
 All numbers are percentages unless otherwise noted. Percentages greater than zero but less than 0.5% are indicated
by an asterisk (*). Columns or rows may not total to 100% due to rounding.

Welcome to the National Survey of Prison Chaplains

This survey is being conducted by the Pew Research Center’s Forum on Religion & Public Life and it has
been endorsed by The American Correctional Chaplains Association. The survey is designed to help better
understand the roles of chaplains and the place of religion in inmate rehabilitation and the community reentry process.
%
64
30
5
1
0

Q1. All in all, how satisfied or dissatisfied are you with your job
as a prison chaplain or religious services coordinator?

Very satisfied
Somewhat satisfied
Somewhat dissatisfied
Very dissatisfied
Don’t know/No answer

Q2. Thinking specifically of the correctional system for which you work, do you think it…
%
61
34
5
1

Q3.

Works pretty well and requires only minor changes
Needs major changes
Needs to be completely rebuilt
Don’t know/No answer

How would you rate the job the correctional system for which you work is doing in each of the following areas?

Excellent

Good

Only Fair

Poor

Don’t
know/
No
Answer

%

%

%

%

%

a. Maintaining order and discipline among
inmates

40

54

6

1

0

b. Meeting the religious needs of inmates

29

50

17

3

1

c. Helping inmates prepare to return to the
community

8

37

37

17

1

www.pewforum.org

74

d. Providing self-improvement programs for
inmates

14

41

33

12

1

Q4. Do you strongly favor, favor, oppose, or strongly oppose each of the following as a way to cut costs in correctional
systems?

a. Shortening prison sentences for non-violent
crimes
b. Dealing with non-violent, first-time offenders
without sending them to prison (e.g., through
community service or mandatory substanceabuse counseling)
c. Allowing prisoners to earn early release through
completion of rehabilitation programs and good
behavior
d. Cutting back on correctional staff and prison
programs

Oppose

Strongly
Oppose

Don’t
know/
No
Answer

%

%

%

%

33

53

11

1

2

46

46

7

1

1

35

57

7

*

1

1

4

32

62

1

Strongly
Favor

Favor

%

Q5. In your opinion, how important, if at all, is each of the following for inmates’ successful rehabilitation and
reintegration into society?

a. Treatment for inmates with substance
abuse or mental health problems in
prison
b. Access to high-quality rehabilitation
programs, such as continuing education
and job training, in prison
c. Access to high-quality religion-related
programs and services in prison
d. Help with things like getting a job and
finding affordable housing upon release
e. Support from religious groups or
spiritual leaders after release

Absolutely
Critical

Very
important
but not
critical

Somewhat
Important

Not
Important

Don’t
know/
No Answer

%

%

%

%

%

81

14

4

*

*

69

25

5

0

1

73

23

2

*

1

71

25

4

0

*

78

19

2

*

1

www.pewforum.org

75

Q6. Do you perform the following tasks as part of your role as chaplain or religious services coordinator, or not?
Yes

No

Don’t
know/
No Answer

%

%

%

92

7

1

93

7

*

c. Supervising or training volunteers

91

9

1

d. Advising correctional staff on religious issues and related
policies

92

8

*

e. Supervising inmates to help maintain safety and security

78

21

1

92

7

*

42

58

*

h. Facilitating interfaith dialogue among inmates or staff

74

26

*

i. Following-up with former inmates after they have been
released

33

66

1

j. Providing support and counseling for correctional staff

85

14

1

a. Personally leading worship services, religious instruction
sessions, or spiritual counseling sessions
b. Serving as an administrator helping to organize religious
programs

f. Working with external faith-based and community
organizations
g. Administering educational or other secular rehabilitation
services

Q7.

Are there any other activities on which you spend a significant amount of time in your role as chaplain or religious
services coordinator? If so, please describe them.
OPEN END—MULTIPLE RESPONSES ALLOWED
%
65
35

Answer given
Don’t know/ No answer

% of cases responding [N=472]
NOTE: MULTIPLE RESPONSES WERE ACCEPTED
%
45
NET Administrative Tasks
28
Completing paperwork (including all reports, handling of mail, correspondence and data entry)
9
Processing religious accommodation requests (including helping to access or supervise special
diets, handling request for religious items, diets, time off work, etc.)
4
Training staff
3
Serving on committees within the correctional system (for operations, grievance committee, etc.)
3
Overseeing religious diet program
3
Hiring/training/coordinating/supervising chaplains
2
Conducting inspections, audits and reviews (including checking for policy compliance)
2
Drafting and interpreting policy
2
Handling inmate requests (general)
1
Handling the chapel budget
1
Processing marriages
*
Supervising the cleaning of the chapel
*
Processing request to change faith
18
NET Connecting inmates with family
12
Informing inmates or family members of death, sickness or emergencies
7
Working with inmates’ families (including family reconciliation programs)
17
NET Pastoral care/counseling
12
Providing one-on-one counseling
www.pewforum.org

76

5
1
7
4
2
*
*
*
16
8
7
1
1
*
11
8
4
9
4
3
2
1
*
12
3
3
2
2
1
1
1
*
23
5
3
2
2
1
*
10
1

Providing Pastoral care
Running support groups
NET Facilitating religious practices/services
Performing weddings, funerals and memorial services (for inmates or staff)
Supervising religious services (including movement to and from the chapel)
Providing sacraments
Working with minority faith groups
Leading music for religious services
NET Recruiting/coordinating volunteers/donations
Recruiting and coordinating volunteer services
Securing and disseminating financial and in-kind donations (for things like televisions, books,
hygiene supplies, religious items, etc.)
Getting approval for volunteers including speakers and musicians
Supervise non-religious groups
Providing holiday gifts and cards
NET Visiting inmates
Visiting inmates
Making rounds
NET Teaching/educational activities
Teaching behavior modification and other therapy classes
Overseeing religious library including screening books and movies
Teaching bible studies, church history, etc.
Speaking to groups about prison ministry
Coordinating Bible College
NET Program management
Coordinating special projects and programs like Domestic Violence, Recovery
Supervising character development programs
Working in faith-based programs
Developing and supervising faith-based units (including programs like PLUS)
Identifying and integrating new programs
Organizing special events
Working with the music program
Assessing program outcomes
NET Other activities
Coordinating re-entry support and resources for ex-offenders and their families
Provide crisis intervention/ serve as first responder
Serving as a an expert for lawsuits and legal issues related to religious accommodation
Serving as an ombudsman
Maintaining good relationships with the religious community
Working with victims and their families (including facilitating restorative justice programs)
Other
Answer given, unclear

www.pewforum.org

77

Q8. In your role as chaplain or religious services coordinator, what are the TOP THREE activities you spend most of
your time on?
Please rank your top 3 activities by placing a 1 next to the activity you spend the MOST time on, place a 2 next to
the activity you spend the SECOND most time on, and a 3 next to the activity you spend the THIRD most time on.

+

a. Personally leading worship services, religious instruction
sessions, or spiritual counseling sessions
b. Serving as an administrator helping to organize religious
programs
c. Supervising or training volunteers
d. Advising correctional staff on religious issues and related
policies
e. Supervising inmates to help maintain safety and security
f. Working with external faith-based and community
organizations
g. Administering educational or other secular rehabilitation
services
h. Facilitating interfaith dialogue among inmates or staff
i. Following-up with former inmates after they have been
released
j. Providing support and counseling for correctional staff
k. Other (please specify)
l. Other (please specify)
m. Other (please specify)
Don’t know/No answer includes responses with unclear rankings.

www.pewforum.org

Ranked
1

Ranked
2

Ranked
3

Not
ranked
in top 3

Don’t
know/
No
+
answer

%
33

%
18

%
16

%
27

%
6

38

22

9

25

6

3
2

15
6

14
11

62
75

6
6

4
1

12
5

8
10

70
78

6
6

1

2

3

87

6

0
0

2
1

4
2

88
92

6
6

*
12
*
0

2
8
2
*

6
7
4
1

86
67
87
92

6
6
6
6

78

Q9. What activities do you, personally, see as MOST IMPORTANT for your role as chaplain or religious services
coordinator? Regardless of how you actually spend your time, what are the TOP THREE activities which you
think are MOST IMPORTANT?
Please rank your top 3 activities by placing a 1 next to the activity that you see as MOST IMPORTANT, place a 2
next to the activity that you see as SECOND most important, and a 3 next to the activity that you see as THIRD
most important.

+

a. Personally leading worship services, religious instruction
sessions, or spiritual counseling sessions
b. Serving as an administrator helping to organize religious
programs
c. Supervising or training volunteers
d. Advising correctional staff on religious issues and related
policies
e. Supervising inmates to help maintain safety and security
f. Working with external faith-based and community organizations
g. Administering educational or other secular rehabilitation
services
h. Facilitating interfaith dialogue among inmates or staff
i. Following-up with former inmates after they have been released
j. Providing support and counseling for correctional staff
k. Other (please specify)
l. Other (please specify)
m. Other (please specify)

Don’t know/No answer includes responses with unclear rankings.

www.pewforum.org

Ranked
1

Ranked
2

Ranked
3

Not
ranked
in top 3

Don’t
know/
No
+
answer

%
57

%
12

%
6

%
20

%
5

18

28

14

35

5

2
3

12
9

19
12

61
71

5
5

2
2
1

4
9
3

5
11
2

82
73
88

5
5
5

1
1
1
5
*
*

3
3
5
5
1
0

5
5
9
4
2
*

86
85
80
80
91
94

5
5
5
5
5
5

79

Q10. In the prison(s) where you work, do inmates have access to religion-related rehabilitation and re-entry
programs (such as faith-based job training or mentoring programs), or not?
%
62
38
1

Yes
No
Don’t know/ No answer

Q11. [ASKED IF Q10=Yes] In your opinion, during the past three years in the prison(s) where you work, would you
say the quality of the religion-related rehabilitation and re-entry programs has…
BASED ON THOSE WITH A PROGRAM [N= 449]
%
57
7
36
1

Gotten better
Gotten worse
Stayed about the same
Don’t know/No answer

Q12. [ASKED IF Q10=Yes] And during the past three years in the prison(s) where you work, would you say the
percentage of inmates who participate in religion-related rehabilitation and re-entry programs has…
BASED ON THOSE WITH A PROGRAM [N= 449]
%
61
6
31
2

Increased
Decreased
Stayed about the same
Don’t know/No answer

Q13. In the prison(s) where you work, do inmates have access to secular rehabilitation and re-entry programs (such
as continuing education and job training), or not?
%
85
14
1

Yes
No
Don’t know/No answer

Q14. [ASKED IF Q13=Yes] In your opinion, during the past three years in the prison(s) where you work, would you
say the quality of the secular rehabilitation and re-entry programs has…
BASED ON THOSE WITH A PROGRAM [N= 622]
%
36
18
43
2

Gotten better
Gotten worse
Stayed about the same
Don’t know/No answer

www.pewforum.org

80

Q15. [ASKED IF Q13=Yes] And during the past three years in the prison(s) where you work, would you say the
percentage of inmates who participate in secular rehabilitation and re-entry programs has…
BASED ON THOSE WITH A PROGRAM [N= 622]
%
38
14
44
3

Increased
Decreased
Stayed about the same
Don’t know/No answer

Q16. How much, if anything, have you heard about the Second Chance Act of 2007, which established policy and
funding to improve re-entry services and promote the successful return of inmates to their communities?
%
11
37
51
0

A lot
A little
Nothing at all
Don’t know/No answer

Q17. [ASKED IF Q16=A Lot or A little] In your opinion, how effective, if at all, has the Second Chance Act of 2007
been in improving re-entry services and promoting the successful return of inmates to their communities?
BASED ON THOSE WHO HAVE HEARD A LOT/A LITTLE [N=355]
%
8
50
29
3
10

Very effective
Somewhat effective
Not too effective
Not at all effective
Don’t know/No answer

www.pewforum.org

81

The next few questions ask about religious volunteers, that is, those who volunteer through a house of worship
(such as a church, synagogue or mosque) or a religious organization (such as The Salvation Army), or whose
primary motivation for volunteering is religious.
Q18. How would you rate the performance of religious volunteers in providing each of the following services in the
prison(s) where you work, if they do this at all?

BASED ON TOTAL

a. Leading worship services or other
religious rituals
b. Leading religious education classes
c. Leading prayer groups or meditation
groups
d. Mentoring inmates

+

e. Mentoring the children of inmates
f. Providing food, clothing, or holiday gifts
for inmates’ families

Excellent

Good

Only Fair

Poor

%

%

%

%

%

%

40

48

7

*

3

1

33

47

12

2

4

2

28

44

11

2

13

2

17

32

19

6

22

3

3

6

10

8

68

5

12

21

12

6

46

3

Don’t know/No answer includes responses with unclear evaluations.

BASED ON ALL ANSWERING

a. Leading worship services or other
religious rituals
b. Leading religious education classes
c. Leading prayer groups or meditation
groups
d. Mentoring inmates
e. Mentoring the children of inmates
f. Providing food, clothing, or holiday gifts
for inmates’ families

Don’t
know/
No
+
Answer

Not done
by
religious
volunteers

Excellent

Good

Only Fair

Poor

%

%

%

%

42

50

7

*

698

35

50

13

2

685

33

52

13

2

619

23

43

26

8

545

11

21

38

30

197

22

42

24

12

374

www.pewforum.org

N

82

Q19.

Are there any religious groups from which there are too few volunteers to meet the religious needs of inmates
in the prison(s) where you work, or not?
%
69
29
2

Yes (please specify groups)
No
Don’t know/No answer

% of cases responding Yes, there are religious groups with too few volunteers… [N=503]
NOTE: MULTIPLE RESPONSES WERE ACCEPTED; MOST COMMON RESPONSES SHOWN
NET Christian
NET Protestant
Protestant (not specified)
Pentecostal (Assemblies of God, Four-Square Gospel, Church of God)
Catholic
Mormon/Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints (LDS)/Community of
Christ
Jehovah’s Witness
Messianic Jews
Hebrew Israelites/ Black Hebrew Israelites
House of Yahweh
Christian (not specified)

%
22
4
2
1
10
3
2
2
2
1
1

Jewish

22

NET Muslim
Muslim (includes Islam, Sunni, Shia)
Moorish Science Temple of America (MSTA)
Nation of Islam (NOI)

55
51
7
6

NET Other religions
Pagan/Earth-based (includes Wicca, Odinism, Asatru, Druid, Thelema)
Native American spirituality
Buddhist
Rastafarian
Hindu (includes Hare Krishna)
Satanism/Left Hand Way

55
35
32
14
6
1
1

Other responses
All of them
Non-Christian (not specified)
Prison Ministry groups/Yoke Fellowship/Kairos
Spanish-speaking/Hispanic/Latino (no religion or multiple religions mentioned)
Other
No religious group specified

3
3
2
2
9
3

www.pewforum.org

83

Q20. Are there any religious groups from which there are more volunteers than necessary to meet the religious
needs of inmates in the prison(s) where you work, or not?

%
32
65
2

Yes (please specify groups)
No
Don’t know/No answer

% of cases responding Yes, there are religious groups with more volunteers than necessary… [N=234]
NOTE: MULTIPLE RESPONSES WERE ACCEPTED; MOST COMMON RESPONSES SHOWN
%
NET Christian
83
NET Protestant
52
Protestant (not specified)
36
Evangelical/Evangelical Protestants/Fundamentalist Christians
7
Baptist
3
Pentecostal (Assemblies of God, Four-Square Gospel)
3
Seventh-Day Adventist
1
Charismatic Christians
1
Mennonites
1
Catholic
7
Jehovah’s Witness
9
Mormon/Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints (LDS)/Community of Christ
3
Christian (not specified)
26
Jewish

1

Muslim

*

NET Other religions
Buddhist
Native American spirituality
Pagan/Earth-based (includes Wicca, Odinism, Asatru, Druid, Thelema)

2
1
1
1

Other responses
Prison Ministry groups/Yoke Fellowship/Kairos
Spanish-speaking/Hispanic/Latino (no religion or multiple religions mentioned)
Other
No religious group specified

1
1
8
6

www.pewforum.org

84

The next several questions focus on the religious preferences of the inmates in the prison(s) where you work.
Q21. See Q37b for table
Q22. Thinking of all the inmates in the prison(s) where you work, approximately what percentage of them identify with
the following religious groups?
Q22a through Q22m OPEN END: Enter percentage from 0 to 100
%
81
19

Answered Q22a-m
Don’t know/No answer+

+

Don’t know/No answer includes responses with unclear percentage allocations and those who listed item m as 100% don’t know inmate religious
preference.

BASED ON ALL ANSWERING
a. Protestant (e.g., Baptist, Methodist, non-denominational
Christian, Pentecostal, Lutheran, Presbyterian,
Episcopalian, Reformed, Church of Christ, Adventist,
Jehovah’s Witness, those who think of themselves as
“Just Christian,” and others)
b. Catholic
c. Mormon
d. Orthodox Christian (e.g., Greek Orthodox, Russian
Orthodox and others)
e. Jewish
f. Muslim (including Nation of Islam, Moorish)
g. Native American spirituality
h. Pagan/Earth-based religion (e.g., Wicca, Odinism, and
others)
i. Buddhist
j. Hindu
k. Other non-Christian religion (e.g., Baha’i, Rastafarian,
Santeria, Sikh, and others)
l. No religious preference (e.g., atheist, agnostic, no
particular religion)
m. Don’t know (if there is a percentage of inmates about
whose religious preference you are unaware, put that
percentage here)

www.pewforum.org

Mean

Median

Range

50.6

50

0-97

14.5
0.8
0.4

10
0
0

0-65
0-32
0-30

1.7
9.4
2.7
1.7

1
5
1
1

0-28
0-80
0-40
0-20

0.9
0.2
1.5

1
0
0

0-18
0-5
0-70

10.6

5

0-70

5.0

0

0-88

85

Q23. Thinking only of the Protestant inmates in the prison(s) where you work, what percentage do you think consider
themselves born-again or evangelical Christians?
OPEN END: Enter percentage from 0 to 100
%
27
23
18
21
11
50.4

75-100%
50-74%
25-49%
0-24%
Don’t know/No answer
Mean

Q24. In the prison(s) where you work, is there a formal system in place for documenting and tracking the religious
preferences of inmates, or not?
%
84
15
1

Yes
No
Don’t know/No answer

Q25. And in your opinion how common is it, if at all, for inmates to attempt to convert or proselytize other inmates?
%
31
43
22
4
1

Very common
Somewhat common
Not too common
Not at all common
Don’t know/No answer

www.pewforum.org

86

The next three questions ask about religious switching among inmates, that is, becoming religious after having
no religion, changing from one religious preference to another, or leaving religion altogether.
Q26. What’s your impression of how much religious switching, if any, occurs among inmates in the prison(s) where
you work?
%
26
51
20
2
1

A lot
Some
Not much
None at all
Don’t know/No answer

Q27. [ASKED IF Q26=A lot, Some, or Not much] For each of the following faith groups, please indicate whether it
is growing, shrinking, or staying the same size as a result of inmates switching from one religious
preference to another in the prison(s) where you work.
Don’t
know/
No
Answer

Q26
No
switching

Q26
Don’t
know

Growing

Shrinking

Staying
the
same
size

%

%

%

%

%

%

46

6

41

4

2

1

14

20

59

4

2

1

c. Mormons

3

11

66

18

2

1

d. Orthodox Christians
(e.g., Greek Orthodox, Russian Orthodox)

2

10

66

20

2

1

e. Jews

18

8

59

12

2

1

50

7

36

5

2

1

23

6

59

9

2

1

33

8

48

9

2

1

11

8

66

13

2

1

1

8

71

18

2

1

12

8

64

14

2

1

12

16

61

9

2

1

BASED ON TOTAL

a. Protestants (e.g., Baptist, Methodist,
non-denominational Christian, Pentecostal,
Lutheran, Presbyterian, Episcopalian,
Reformed, Church of Christ, Adventist,
Jehovah’s Witness, those who think of
themselves as “Just Christian,” and
others)
b. Catholics

f. Muslims (including Nation of Islam,
Moorish)
g. Practitioners of Native American
spirituality
h. Practitioners of Pagan/Earth-based
religions (e.g., Wiccans, Odinists, and
others)
i. Buddhists
j. Hindus
k. Practitioners of other non-Christian
religions (e.g., Baha’is, Rastafarians,
practitioners of Santeria, Sikhs, and
others)
l. Inmates with no religious preference
(e.g., atheists, agnostics, no particular
religion)

www.pewforum.org

87

Growing

Shrinking

Staying
the same
size

%

%

%

Don’t
know/
No
Answer
%

47

6

42

4

14

20

61

4

c. Mormons

3

11

68

18

d. Orthodox Christians
(e.g., Greek Orthodox, Russian Orthodox)

3

10

68

20

e. Jews

19

8

61

12

f. Muslims (including Nation of Islam, Moorish)

51

7

37

5

g. Practitioners of Native American spirituality

24

6

61

9

34

8

49

9

12

8

67

13

1

8

73

18

13

8

65

14

12

17

63

9

BASED ON ALL ASKED (THOSE RESPONDING A LOT,
SOME, OR NOT MUCH TO Q26) [N=710]

a. Protestants (e.g., Baptist, Methodist, nondenominational Christian, Pentecostal, Lutheran,
Presbyterian, Episcopalian, Reformed, Church of Christ,
Adventist, Jehovah’s Witness, those who think of
themselves as “Just Christian,” and others)
b. Catholics

h. Practitioners of Pagan/Earth-based religions
(e.g., Wiccans, Odinists, and others)
i. Buddhists
j. Hindus
k. Practitioners of other non-Christian religions (e.g.,
Baha’is, Rastafarians, practitioners of Santeria, Sikhs,
and others)
l. Inmates with no religious preference
(e.g., atheists, agnostics, no particular religion)

www.pewforum.org

88

Q28. In the prison(s) where you work, is there a formal system in place for documenting and tracking when inmates
change from one religious preference to another, or not?
%
76
22
1

Yes
No
Don’t know/No answer

Q29. In the prison(s) where you work, how often are the following requests from inmates for religious accommodation
approved or denied, if they have come up at all?
Usually
Approved

Sometimes
approvedsometimes
denied

Usually
Denied

This
request has
not come
up

Don’t
know/
No
Answer

%

%

%

%

%

a. Requests for religious leaders from
inmates’ own faith traditions

65

24

3

7

1

b. Requests for a special religious diet

52

39

7

2

1

22

28

28

22

1

50

44

3

2

1

81

17

*

1

1

Usually
Approved

Sometimes
approved –
sometimes
denied

Usually
Denied

N

%

%

%

a. Requests for religious leaders from
inmates’ own faith traditions

71

26

3

673

b. Requests for a special religious diet

53

40

7

711

28

36

36

559

51

46

3

711

82

17

*

715

BASED ON TOTAL

c. Requests for special accommodations
relating to hair or grooming
d. Requests for permission to have
religious items or clothing (e.g., crucifixes,
eagle feathers, turbans, etc.)
e. Requests for religious books or texts

BASED ON ALL ANSWERING

c. Requests for special accommodations
relating to hair or grooming
d. Requests for permission to have
religious items or clothing (e.g., crucifixes,
eagle feathers, turbans, etc.)
e. Requests for religious books or texts

Q30a. When managing religion-related services in the prison(s) where you work, how common is it, if at all, to
encounter religious groups that express extreme religious views?
%
12
29
42
16
1

Very common
Somewhat common
Not too common
Not at all common
Don’t know/No answer

www.pewforum.org

89

Q30b. What kinds of extreme religious views do you have in mind? Please describe the kinds of extreme religious
views that you encounter.
OPEN END—MULTIPLE RESPONSES ALLOWED
Gave a response
No answer

%
62
38

Mentioned one or more extreme
religious Views
Yes
No
Unclear if extreme view
mentioned/None/No answer to
question 30b
Mentioned specific religious
groups
Yes
No
Unclear if religious group
mentioned/None/No answer to
question 30b

%
46
15
39

34
28
38

% of cases responding with a mention of extreme views [N=338]
NOTE: MULTIPLE RESPONSES WERE ACCEPTED
EXTREME RELIGIOUS VIEWS MENTIONED

%

NET Intolerance/prejudice
Racial separatist/Racial nationalism/Racial supremacist
Anti-government/anti-authority sentiment
Anti-gays
Anti-women/anti-women in religious leadership roles
Specific types of criminal offenses not tolerated by other inmates, such as sex offenders

41
36
3
3
2
1

NET Exclusivity of faith/inflexibility
Exclusivity of faith/my faith only way to believe/”religious bigotry”/judging others because of
their views/ general “judgmental”
Inflexible/dogmatic or doctrinaire
King James only/Only the King James Bible is authentic
Militant faiths
Intimidation/trying to control others/coerce others to believe/do what they want
Christian Perfectionism

40

NET Specific Requests
Specific requests for food, clothing, rituals, ceremonies
Using specific requests for food, clothing, rituals, ceremonies as a way to get special treatment
or manipulate the system

28
23

NET Other
Using religious group or rituals as a “cover” for other beliefs
Pro violence/pro rape
Gang activity
Creation of new/own religions/religious beliefs
Jihad/Holy War
Specific mention of a role/named “position” in the religious group

22
4
3
2
2
1
1

www.pewforum.org

32
4
2
2
2
*

5

90

End of world type theologies
Other theological differences between groups
All groups have extreme views/customs
Volunteers with extreme beliefs/behaviors
Other
Unclear response

1
1
1
1
6
1

% of cases responding with a specific religious group [N=248]
NOTE: MULTIPLE RESPONSES WERE ACCEPTED; MOST COMMON RESPONSES SHOWN
RELIGIOUS GROUPS MENTIONED

%

NET Christian
NET Protestant
Fundamentalist Christians/Evangelical Christians/Born Again Christians
Protestants (general—no specifics given)
Hebrew Israelites/Black Hebrew Israelites
“Christian Identity”
Christians (general—no specifics given)

34
13
7
5
6
4
7

Jewish

6

NET Muslim
Muslims/Islamic radicalism/Salafi teachings/Fundamentalist Islam
Nation of Islam (NOI)/Radical Nation of Islam
Five Percent Nation of Gods and Earths
Moorish Science Temple of America (MSTA)

54
33
21
5
4

NET Other religions
Pagan/Earth-based/Wicca
Satanism/Demonic/Left Hand Way
Odinist
Rastafarian
Native American spirituality
Asatru

43
16
12
7
6
4
4

Other

15

www.pewforum.org

91

Q31. In your experience, how common, if at all, is religious extremism among each of the following groups of inmates
in the prison(s) where you work?
Very
common

Somewhat
common

Not too
common

Not at all
common

No inmates
belong to
this group

Don’t
know/
No
Answer

%

%

%

%

%

%

a. Protestants (e.g., Baptist,
Methodist, nondenominational Christian,
Pentecostal, Lutheran,
Presbyterian, Episcopalian,
Reformed, Church of Christ,
Adventist, Jehovah’s Witness,
those who think of themselves
as “Just Christian,” and
others)

7

16

35

33

4

5

b. Catholics

3

5

34

48

5

5

c. Mormons
d. Orthodox Christians (e.g.,
Greek Orthodox, Russian
Orthodox)

2

4

20

37

25

13

1

2

17

37

30

13

e. Jews

4

9

23

43

12

10

20

33

23

16

3

4

4

12

28

38

11

8

9

23

24

28

8

7

i. Buddhists

1

4

22

46

18

10

j. Hindus

1

2

15

34

36

12

4

10

23

32

21

10

3

8

23

46

9

10

BASED ON TOTAL

f. Muslims (including Nation of
Islam, Moorish)
g. Practitioners of Native
American spirituality
h. Practitioners of
Pagan/Earth-based religions
(e.g., Wiccans, Odinists, and
others)

k. Practitioners of other nonChristian religions (e.g.,
Baha’is, Rastafarians,
practitioners of Santeria,
Sikhs, and others)
l. Inmates with no religious
preference (e.g., atheists,
agnostics, no particular
religion)

www.pewforum.org

92

Very
Common

Somewhat
Common

Not too
Common

Not
at all
Common

%

%

%

%

a. Protestants (e.g., Baptist,
Methodist, nondenominational Christian,
Pentecostal, Lutheran,
Presbyterian, Episcopalian,
Reformed, Church of Christ,
Adventist, Jehovah’s Witness,
those who think of themselves
as “Just Christian,” and
others)

7

17

39

37

665

b. Catholics

3

5

38

54

657

c. Mormons
d. Orthodox Christians (e.g.,
Greek Orthodox, Russian
Orthodox)

2

6

32

59

454

2

4

29

65

420

e. Jews

5

12

29

54

575

22

36

25

18

677

5

15

34

46

592

11

27

28

33

614

i. Buddhists

1

6

30

63

529

j. Hindus

1

5

30

65

381

6

15

33

47

502

4

10

29

57

594

BASED ON ALL ANSWERING

f. Muslims (including Nation of
Islam, Moorish)
g. Practitioners of Native
American spirituality
h. Practitioners of
Pagan/Earth-based religions
(e.g., Wiccans, Odinists, and
others)

k. Practitioners of other nonChristian religions (e.g.,
Baha’is, Rastafarians,
practitioners of Santeria,
Sikhs, and others)
l. Inmates with no religious
preference (e.g., atheists,
agnostics, no particular
religion)

www.pewforum.org

N

93

Q32. How often does religious extremism among inmates pose a threat to the security of the facility?
%
4
19
26
50
1

Almost always
Sometimes
Not too often
Rarely or almost never
Don’t know/No answer

Q33. Has the prison(s) where you work implemented the following measures to address extreme religious views
among inmates, or not?
Yes

No

Don’t
know/No
answer

%

%

%

a. Provided additional supervision for religious gatherings

44

52

5

b. Limited the number of gatherings held by religious groups
c. Consulted with experts in dealing with religious groups among
whom extremism is suspected
d. Isolated certain inmates

35

59

5

45

50

5

33

61

7

Q34. Have you ever served as a chaplain or religious services coordinator for an institution other than a prison or a
house of worship, such as the military, a hospital, or in some other institutional setting?
%
49
51
1

Yes
No
Don’t know/No answer

Q35. In total, how many years have you been employed as a prison chaplain or religious services coordinator?
If you have been employed for less than one year please enter 1 as your answer
OPEN END: Enter number of years
%
53
34
12
1
11.3

1 to 10 years
11 to 20 years
21+ years
Don’t know/No answer
Mean

Q36a. In total, how many hours per week do you work on average as a chaplain or religious services coordinator?
%
3
4
8
39
45
1

Less than 10 hours per week
10 to 19 hours
20 to 31 hours
32 to 40 hours
41 or more hours per week
Don’t know/No answer
www.pewforum.org

94

Q36b. About what percentage of inmates do you have one-on-one contact with?
%
20
12
19
39
8
2

Almost all
About three-quarters
About half
About one quarter
Almost none or few
Don’t know/No answer

Q37a. Which of these best describe you?
%
81
5
8
5
1

Employee of state correctional system
Employee of private management firm
Contractor
Staff sponsored by religious organization
Don’t know/No answer

Q37b. Do you work exclusively at one correctional facility or at more than one facility?
[ASK ALL]
Q21. First, approximately how many inmates are there, all together, in the prison(s) where you work? We are
interested in the total number of inmates (not just those who participate in religious services). If you work in
multiple prisons, please indicate the combined number of inmates in all the prisons where you work.
Q21 - OPEN END: Enter number of inmates
%
74
8
15
36
15
1
25
1
1965.2
4967.6

One facility
1 to 500
501 to 1000
1001 to 2500
2501+
No answer Q21
More than one facility
Don’t know/No answer Q37b
Mean – Single facility
Mean – Multiple facilities

Q38a. Which of these best describes the correctional facility where you work?
If you work at more than one correctional facility, respond based on the facility where you spend the most time.
%
13
49
33
5

Minimum security
Medium security
Maximum security
Don’t know/No answer

www.pewforum.org

95

Q38b. Which of these best describes the location of the correctional facility where you work?
If you work at more than one correctional facility, respond based on the facility where you spend the most time.
%
12
19
66
2

Urban
Suburban
Rural
Don’t know/No answer

Q38c. Is the correctional facility where you work for male inmates or female inmates?
If you work at more than one correctional facility, respond based on the facility where you spend the most time.
%
81
9
9
1

Male inmates
Female inmates
Both male and female inmates
Don’t know/No answer

Q39. In addition to your position as chaplain or religious services coordinator, do you also currently serve as a
minister or pastor at a church or house of worship, or not?
%
43
56
1

Yes
No
Don’t know/No answer

Q40. In general, how would you describe your views on political issues?
%
15
40
29
11
3
3

Very conservative
Conservative
Moderate
Liberal
Very liberal
Don’t know/No answer

Q41. And in general, how would you describe your views on social issues?
%
15
38
28
12
4
3

Very conservative
Conservative
Moderate
Liberal
Very liberal
Don’t know/No answer

These final questions are for statistical purposes only…
Q42. Are you…
%
85
14
1

Male
Female
Don’t know/No answer

www.pewforum.org

96

Q43. What is the highest level of education you completed?
[IF Q43=MASTER’S DEGREE OR DOCTORATE]
Q44. Do you have a master’s degree or a doctorate in a religion-related or ministry-related field from an accredited
college or university?
%
12
50
56
6
*
21
13
2
0
1

Doctorate
Master’s degree
NET Graduate degree
Religion-related degree
No religion-related degree
Don’t know/No answer Q44
Bachelor’s degree
Some college/no 4-year degree
High school or equivalent
Less than high school
Don’t know/No answer Q43

Q45. How many units of clinical pastoral education training have you completed, if any?
%
36
26
6
29
3

None
1-2 units
3 units
4 or more units
Don’t know/No answer

Q46. What is your present religion, if any?
[IF Q46=Protestant] Q47. Is your denomination part of the evangelical Protestant tradition, mainline Protestant
tradition, historically black Protestant tradition? (please select one)
%
71
44
15
7
5
13
*
3
7
1
2
2
1

Protestant (please specify)
Evangelical Protestant tradition
Mainline Protestant tradition
Historically black Protestant tradition
Don’t know/No answer Q47
Catholic
Mormon
Jewish
Muslim
Native American spirituality
Other religion (please specify)
No religious preference
Don’t know/No answer

OPEN END: Specify Protestant denomination
Among
Among
Total
Protestants
N=730
N=519
%
%
Protestant Family
21
29
Baptist Family
10
14
Pentecostal Family
6
9
Nondenominational Family
3
5
Methodist Family
3
4
Lutheran Family
3
4
Holiness Family
www.pewforum.org

97

2
2
2
1
1
*
12
5

3
3
2
2
1
1
17
7

Presbyterian Family
Restorationist Family (e.g, Church of Christ, Disciples of Christ)
Congregationalist
Episcopalian Family
Adventist Family
Reformed Family
Just a Christian/Protestant, blank (no denomination given)
Something else/Other (unclear)/mixed

[ASK IF ANY RELIGIOUS AFFILIATION]
Q48. Thinking about your religion, which of the following statements comes CLOSEST to your view?
My religious tradition should…
BASED ON TOTAL
%
60
30
2
5
2
1
Q49.

Preserve its traditional beliefs and practices
Make some adjustments to traditional beliefs and
practices in light of modern beliefs and practices
Adopt modern beliefs and practices
Don’t know/No answer
No religious preference (Q46)
Don’t know/No answer Q46

What is your current age?
OPEN END: Enter age
%
16
65
17
3
57.0

18 to 49
50 to 64
65+
Don’t know/No answer
Mean

Q50. Are you of Hispanic, Latino, or Spanish origin, such as Mexican, Puerto Rican or Cuban?
Q51. Which of the following describes your race? (White, Black or African-American, Asian or Asian-American, Other.
Please select as many as apply.)
%
70
18
5
5
2

White, non-Hispanic
Black or African-American,
non-Hispanic
Hispanic
Other
Don’t know/No answer

www.pewforum.org

98

Q52. To conclude, please share with us any additional thoughts on the issues raised in this survey, further insights
about your experiences as a chaplain or religious services coordinator, or comments about this survey.
OPEN END—MULTIPLE RESPONSES ALLOWED
%
44
14
2
5
5
10
5
5
5
56

NET Answer given
Beliefs about the system including the importance of rehab, volunteers, etc.
Views on role or value of religious services
Job satisfaction-positive
Job satisfaction-negative
Survey-related comments negative (includes difficulties answering questions, feeling that some
questions not applicable to their situation)
Survey-related comments positive (includes want to see the results)
Role of prison chaplains
Other
None/Don’t know/ No answer

www.pewforum.org

99

PEW FORUM ON RELIGION & PUBLIC LIFE

Appendix C: The State and Federal Correctional System
The U.S. prison system is composed of federal
U.S. Prison System
prisons and state prisons. State prisons hold the
bulk of the total prison population. Nearly 1.4
Estimated Estimated
No. of
no. of
no. of
million inmates, or 87% of the total U.S. prison
prisoners
facilities
chaplains
population, are under the jurisdiction of state
All U.S.
1,605,127
1,132
1,674
correctional authorities. About 200,000 prison
Federal
209,771
110
200
inmates, or 13% of the total, are under the
State
1,395,356
1,022
1,474
jurisdiction of federal authorities.27 These figures
Sources: Number of prisoners under the jurisdiction of
correctional authorities as of Dec. 31, 2010, from Bureau of
from the U.S. Bureau of Justice Statistics include
Justice Statistics. Estimated number of facilities and number
of chaplains/religious service coordinators from website for
persons held in state- and federally run prisons,
each state correctional system or private communication
with state authorities. The state systems in Alaska,
penitentiaries, correctional facilities, halfway
Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii, Rhode Island, Texas and
Vermont are integrated with local jails.
houses, boot camps, farms, training or treatment
PEW RESEARCH CENTER’S FORUM ON RELIGION & PUBLIC LIFE
centers and hospitals. They also include persons
held in privately operated facilities or local jails
under contract to state or federal correctional authorities.
In addition, county and city jails hold many people who are awaiting trial or have been
sentenced for misdemeanors to terms of one year or less. These people are not, technically, in
the prison system, as defined by the U.S. Department of Justice, though they are considered
part of the broader penal system. Counting all the men and women held in jails, the U.S. penal
system has about 2.3 million adults under incarceration.28 That figure does not include those
on probation or parole.
The U.S. prison population is quite different from the general public on a number of
demographic characteristics. For example, 93% of sentenced prisoners in the U.S. system are
men; only 7% are women. The general population in the U.S. is composed of roughly equal
numbers of men and women.
In addition, incarceration rates are higher among racial and ethnic minorities than among
whites. A majority of the U.S. prison population is made up of racial and ethnic minorities:
27

For more details on the U.S. prison system, see Paul Guerino, Paige M. Harrison and William J. Sabol, “Prisoners in 2010,” U.S.
Department of Justice, Bureau of Justice Statistics, 2011, http://www.bjs.gov/content/pub/pdf/p10.pdf.
28
This figure includes those who are in county or city jails awaiting trial or serving time for misdemeanor offenses. See “One in
100: Behind Bars in America 2008,” Pew Center on the States, Public Safety Performance Project, February 2008,
http://www.pewcenteronthestates.org/report_detail.aspx?id=35904. For more details on local jails, see Todd D. Minton, “
Jail Inmates at Midyear 2010 - Statistical Table,” U.S. Department of Justice, Bureau of Justice Statistics, 2011,
http://bjs.ojp.usdoj.gov/content/pub/pdf/jim10st.pdf.

www.pewforum.org

100

Religion in Prisons: A 50-State Survey of Prison Chaplains

38% of U.S. prisoners are black and 22% are
Hispanic. Just 32% are non-Hispanic whites,
and 8% are of other racial backgrounds.
Among the general population, 68% are nonHispanic whites, 12% are non-Hispanic blacks,
14% are Hispanic, and 7% are of some other
background.29
Most state prisons employ at least one fulltime, paid chaplain or religious services
coordinator to meet the needs of the adult
prison population.30 The job of the chaplain
typically involves serving all faith groups in
that institution. Some states also contract with
outside clergy or rely on volunteers to meet the
needs of faith groups not represented by fulltime chaplaincy staff.

Prison Population Characteristics
Sentenced
prisoners
%

General
population
%

93

49

7

51

100

100

White, non-Hispanic

32

68

Black, non-Hispanic

38

12

Hispanic

22

14

All others

8

7

100

100

Male
Female

Source: Figures represent the percentage of sentenced
prisoners under the jurisdiction of state and federal
correctional facilities. From Bureau of Justice Statistics.
Estimates as of Dec. 31, 2010. General population figures
represent the percentage of adults age 18 and older. From
U.S. Census Bureau’s 2011 Annual Social and Economic
Supplement. Figures may not add to 100% due to rounding.
PEW RESEARCH CENTER’S FORUM ON RELIGION & PUBLIC LIFE

29

General population figures represent the percentage of adults age 18 and older. See “Current Population Survey, 2011 Annual
Social and Economic Supplement,” U.S. Census Bureau, 2011, http://www.census.gov/apsd/techdoc/cps/cpsmar11.pdf.
30
One state, South Dakota, employs a “cultural activities coordinator” whose responsibilities include religious programs in
prisons.

www.pewforum.org

101

PEW FORUM ON RELIGION & PUBLIC LIFE

Appendix D: Glossary
The following list includes brief descriptions of some religious groups and other terms used in
the survey report that may be unfamiliar to readers. Descriptions have been adapted from the
website of the American Correctional Chaplains Association, Associated Press Stylebook,
ReligionFacts.com, the Religion Newswriters Association’s Religion Stylebook and
ReligiousTolerance.org.

American Correctional Chaplains Association
A professional association founded in 1885, the ACCA’s goals include providing a network for
sharing information among chaplains, formulating standards for chaplaincy and religious
programs, and communicating the religious and spiritual aspects of corrections to the larger
community.

Asatru
An Icelandic term for “faith in the gods,” Asatru is a modern attempt to recreate the
polytheistic, pre-Christian faith of the Nordic/Germanic people. Like Odinism, it is often
associated in prisons with Aryanism and other white supremacist theories.

Hebrew Israelites
Members of this group, also known as Black Hebrew Israelites and Black Hebrews, believe
themselves to be descendants of the ancient Israelites, although their theology is historically
rooted in a Christian understanding of the Old Testament. There are several denominations
within this umbrella group, including the Church of God and Saints of Christ, Church of the
Living God and African Hebrew Israelite Nation of Jerusalem.

Christian Identity Movement
A movement that asserts that white Europeans or Caucasians are God’s chosen people.
Theologically, it holds to a belief known as “Anglo-Israelism” – that the Anglo-Saxon, Celtic,
Scandinavian, Germanic and associated cultures are the true descendants of the ancient tribes
of Israel.

Moorish Science Temple of America
An American offshoot of Islam founded by Noble Drew Ali in 1913, Moorish Science draws on
elements of Buddhism, Christianity, Freemasonry, Gnosticism and Taoism and is often
distinguished from traditional Islam.

www.pewforum.org

102

Religion in Prisons: A 50-State Survey of Prison Chaplains

Nation of Islam
A movement founded by Wallace Fard Muhammad in 1930 based on principles of Islam and
black pride. It was led for more than 40 years by his disciple Elijah Muhammad, who taught
that black Americans were descended from the ancient tribe of Shabazz. Its current leader is
Louis Farrakhan.

Odinism
Like Asatru, Odinism is an attempt to recreate the indigenous, pre-Christian religion of
Northern Europe. It is named for Odin, a major god in Norse mythology, also known as Wotan
or Woden. The modern practice of Odinism is often associated in prisons with white
supremacist theories.

Pagan and earth-based religions
These spiritual movements seek to revive reverence for nature and to emulate the polytheistic
beliefs and rituals of pre-Christian religions in Europe (particularly Norse and Celtic
traditions) or the Middle East (particularly ancient Egypt). Such religions include Asatru,
Druidism, Odinism, Thelema and Wicca. They are sometimes called neo-pagan religions.

Prison Chaplains
These correctional employees often are ordained clergy but include lay people with religious
and pastoral training. Although they usually represent a particular denomination or religious
tradition, they are charged with helping to meet the religious and spiritual needs of inmates of
all faiths. Their duties may include providing pastoral care to inmates, inmates’ families and
prison staff as well as organizing religious programs for inmates, training and supervising
volunteers, advising correctional officials on religion-related policies and various
administrative functions.

Rastafarian
The Rastafari movement is a “messianic religio-political movement” that began in the
Jamaican slums in the 1920s and ’30s. The movement has no formal organization, but some
common threads include belief in Ethiopian Emperor Haile Selassie I as a divinity,
the influence of Jamaican culture and pride in African heritage.

Rehabilitation programs
These prison-based programs are intended to help inmates become law abiding citizens by
providing services such as substance abuse treatment, vocational training, education,
counseling, victim-offender mediation, faith-based support groups and prison contemplative
programs (such as meditation and yoga).

www.pewforum.org

103

PEW FORUM ON RELIGION & PUBLIC LIFE

Recidivism
A former inmate’s relapse into criminal or delinquent behavior, recidivism is measured by the
rate at which former inmates return to prison.

Re-entry
An inmate’s transition from prison back to the community is known as re-entry. Many prisons
offer programs to aid inmates in this transition. The programs typically begin with pre-release
services such as counseling, mentoring, parenting advice and religious programs, but they may
also include services delivered after release from prison through parole offices, community
organizations and transition centers.

Religious accommodation
This term refers to efforts to ensure the constitutional rights of inmates to practice their
religion while in prison. Accommodations may include making available religious services,
leaders, diets, books and other resources, as well as allowing for observance of religious
holidays and customs.

Religious diet
While in prison, accommodations are often made for inmates to receive special meals that
conform to the laws and regulations of different faith traditions, such as kosher diets for
Jewish inmates, halal diets for Muslim inmates, and vegetarian or vegan diets for Seventh-day
Adventists.

Religious service coordinators
Some states employ religious service coordinators in addition to, or instead of, chaplains. They
perform many of the same functions, including organizing religious programs and supervising
religious volunteers. Unlike chaplains, however, religious service coordinators typically do not
provide pastoral counseling or lead worship services themselves.

Religious rights of prisoners
The First Amendment of the U.S. Constitution guarantees all Americans the right to free
exercise of religion. Congress has passed two laws to help ensure that inmates’ religious rights
are reasonably protected without threatening the security of the prison: the Religious Freedom
Restoration Act of 1993 (RFRA) and the Religious Land Use and Institutionalized Persons Act
of 2000 (RLUIPA). (For more on RFRA and RLUIPA, see the Pew Forum’s 2007 legal report,
“A Delicate Balance: The Free Exercise Clause and the Supreme Court.”)

www.pewforum.org

104

Religion in Prisons: A 50-State Survey of Prison Chaplains

Salafism
Salafism is a puritanical movement in Islam that emphasizes a conservative and literalist
interpretation of scriptural sources. Literally followers of the salaf as-salih, or “pious
predecessors,” Salafis emphasize exclusive reliance on the teachings of the early Muslims
closest to the Prophet Muhammad.

Santeria
Known by several other names, including Lukumi, Santeria began as a combination of Catholic
traditions and traditional West African folk rituals practiced in the Caribbean.

Satanism
The term Satanism has many possible meanings. However, some experts distinguish between
two main types of modern Satanists: theistic Satanists, who worship the devil as a deity, and
atheistic Satanists, who do not worship or even believe in the Christian notion of the devil but
rather embrace Satan as a symbol of individualism, self-indulgence and vengeance (or “eyefor-an-eye” morality). The best-known atheistic Satanist organization is the Church of Satan,
founded by the musician and writer Anton LaVey in 1966.

Wicca
There are many forms of Wicca, but they generally involve the worship of a divine feminine, or
goddess, and a reverence for nature and its cycles, marked by seasonal festivals called Sabbats.
Wicca is traditionally believed to be based on the symbols, celebrations, beliefs and deities of
ancient Celtic peoples. Many Wiccans practice witchcraft, but they typically do not engage in
devil worship or Satanism.

www.pewforum.org

105

PEW FORUM ON RELIGION & PUBLIC LIFE

Appendix E: External Advisers and Prison Chaplain
Working Group
EXTERNAL ADVISERS
Stacey Bouchet is a co-director of Women In Fatherhood and a senior consultant at the
Lewin Group. Her work focuses on children with incarcerated parents, responsible fatherhood
and marriage.
Anthony Bruno is the chancellor and former president of the American Correctional
Chaplains Association and the director of the Religious Services at the Connecticut
Department of Correction.
Todd Clear is the dean of the School of Criminal Justice at Rutgers University. He has
authored or co-authored 12 books, including “Imprisoning Communities: How Mass
Incarceration Makes Disadvantaged Neighborhoods Worse” and “Community Justice.” He is
also the founding editor of the journal Criminology and Public Policy.
John DiIulio is the Frederic Fox Leadership Professor of Politics, Religion, and Civil Society
at the University of Pennsylvania, where he directs the Robert A. Fox Leadership Program and
the Program for Research on Religion and Urban Civil Society. He was the first director of the
White House Office of Faith-Based and Community Initiatives in 2001. He has authored or coauthored more than a dozen books, including “Godly Republic: A Centurist Blueprint for
America’s Faith-based Future.”
Beverly Frazier is an assistant professor at the John Jay College of Criminal Justice at the
City University of New York and an ordained minister. She is also a senior scholar at the
University of Pennsylvania’s Program for Research on Religion and Urban Civil Society and a
visiting scholar at the Robert A. Fox Leadership Program.
Catherine A. Gallagher is an associate professor at George Mason University’s Criminology,
Law and Society department, the founder of The Lloyd Society and member of the Campbell
Collaboration's Crime and Justice Steering Group. Her research focuses on the intersection
between health care and justice agencies. She also collaborates with federal agencies on largescale data collection projects.

www.pewforum.org

106

Religion in Prisons: A 50-State Survey of Prison Chaplains

Dale Hale is the president of the American Correctional Chaplains Association, a Salvation
Army major and the Divisional Correctional Services secretary in the Salvation Army’s
Northern Division.
Martin Horn is a distinguished lecturer at the Department of Law & Police Science at the
John Jay College of Criminal Justice at the City University of New York. He is the former
commissioner of both the Department of Correction and the Department of Probation in New
York City.
Mumina Kowalski is an independent consultant on faith-based projects and a member of
the Islamic Society of North America’s Chaplaincy Board. She was the first woman to serve as a
Muslim chaplain at Pennsylvania’s State Correctional Institution at Muncy.
James Logan is an associate professor and the director of African and African American
Studies and an associate professor of religion at Earlham College. He is the author of the book
“Good Punishment? Christian Moral Practice and U.S. Imprisonment.”
Ingrid Mattson is a professor of Islamic Studies and Christian-Muslim Relations, the
founder and director of Islamic Chaplaincy and the director of the Macdonald Center for the
Study of Islam and Christian-Muslim Relations at Hartford Seminary. She is also an associate
editor of The Muslim World, an academic journal.
Tom O’Connor is the CEO of Transforming Corrections, an adjunct professor at Western
Oregon University and represents North America on the International Prison Chaplains’
Association Worldwide’s steering committee. He also is the founder and former president of
the Center for Social Research, Inc., and previously was the research manager and
administrator of religious services for the Oregon Department of Corrections. He has degrees
in law, philosophy, theology and counseling, including a Ph.D. in Religion and Religious
Education from Catholic University.
Farid Senzai is the director of research and a fellow at the Institute for Social Policy and
Understanding whose research focuses on Muslims in the United States. He is also an assistant
professor of political science at Santa Clara University and co-editor of the book “Educating the
Muslims of America.”
Jody Sundt is an assistant professor and graduate coordinator in the Division of Criminology
and Criminal Justice at Portland University’s Hatfield School of Government. Her research

www.pewforum.org

107

PEW FORUM ON RELIGION & PUBLIC LIFE

interests include the effectiveness of correctional policy, religion in prisons and public
attitudes toward crime and punishment.
Faye Taxman is a professor in the Criminology, Law and Society department and the director
of the Center for Advancing Correctional Excellence at George Mason University. She is
recognized for developing “seamless systems of care” models that help incorporate treatment
programs into criminal justice systems. She is also the principal investigator for the
Coordinating Center for the Criminal Justice National Drug Treatment Studies (CJ-DATS),
which is funded by the National Institute on Drug Abuse.
H. Dean Trulear is an associate professor of applied theology and director of the Doctor of
Ministry program at the Howard University’s School of Divinity. He is the director of both the
Healing Communities Prison Ministry and the Prisoner Reentry Project of the Philadelphia
Leadership Foundation. He is also an ordained American Baptist minister and the founding
president of GLOBE (God Leading Our Best Efforts) Ministries of Philadelphia.
Susan Van Baalen is the executive director of the Prison Outreach Ministry and its Welcome
Home Reentry Program. Previously, she served as chief chaplain at the Federal Bureau of
Prisons for over a decade. She has a doctorate in liberal studies from Georgetown University, a
Master of Divinity degree from the Jesuit School of Theology and a master’s degree in history
from DePaul University. She is also an Adrian Dominican sister.

PRISON CHAPLAIN WORKING GROUP
Bryn Carlson formerly served as chief chaplain at the Federal Bureau of Prisons.
Gary Friedman is the communications chairman for the American Correctional Chaplains
Association and the executive director of Jewish Prisoner Services International.
Stephen Hall is first vice president of the American Correctional Chaplains Association and
the director of the Religious Services division for the Indiana Department of Correction.
Ulli Klemm is the Religion, Volunteer, and Recreational Services program administrator at
the Pennsylvania Department of Corrections’ Bureau of Treatment Services.
Michael Martin is the special activities coordinator for the Michigan Department of
Corrections.

www.pewforum.org

108

Religion in Prisons: A 50-State Survey of Prison Chaplains

J. Randy Myers is the vice president of the Chaplain Service Prison Ministry of Virginia and
a religious adviser to the Virginia Department of Corrections.
David Skaggs is the president of the Associated Chaplains in California State Service and a
chaplain for the California Department of Corrections.
Alex Taylor is the chaplaincy services administrator for the Florida Department of
Corrections.
Janice Thompson is a chaplain at the Rhode Island Department of Corrections.

www.pewforum.org