Ministry to the Incarcerated: Responding to the Challenge

The aim of this course is to examine the historical and theological constructs of incarceration in America. We will be examining addiction in depth, which is the underlying reason for incarceration of 80-90% of inmates.  We will also look at the costs of incarceration to the offender and their family, the victims and their family and to our communities. Then we will be exploring the “minefields” of professional boundaries both for the professional correctional chaplain and the prison ministry volunteer. The policies and procedures of the Religious Services Department of the CT DOC will also be presented.

Students will gain a familiarity with the development of the prison industrial complex, an awareness of the complexity of the personal, social and spiritual issues underlying incarceration, particularly addiction and an awareness of the need for and benefit of professional ethical boundaries.

Note: To participate in the Friday visit to the Osborn Correctional Institution, each student must fill out a form for security clearance before the start date of the class.  Late registrations can be accompanied, but let me know as soon as possible.  A form will be emailed to each student the week before class.  The Friday class includes a forum with the Catholic, Muslim, Native American, Jewish and Protestant Chaplains ay Osborn CI.

Objectives

• Develop empathy for the incarcerated, as well as those who work with them
• Develop a well-balanced understanding of the complexities of the correctional system
• Understand what resources our own faith tradition offers to the incarcerated both in the prison and in the community
• Become familiar with the problem of addiction and how prevalent it is within the incarcerated population
• Learn more about our own preconceptions and assumption about the incarcerated
   

Procedure

This course will meet January14 through January 19, from 9:00 AM until 5:00 PM.  Because we meet only six days together, our time will be enhanced by student participation, which is expected.  The class sessions depend on the students having read the assigned books for each day’s lesson.  A reflection paper is due Tuesday through Friday that shows your engagement with the reading materials.  Each student will give a short presentation on Saturday. The final paper will be a research paper and grading will follow the guidelines for Hartford Seminary Research Papers.  Please refer to this online document before writing your final paper: http://hartsem.edu/sites/default/files/forms_center/GeneralGuidelinesforResearchPaper.pdf

Required Texts

Along with participation in the class discussions and exercises, students will be expected to read the following in the order listed below:

Read before first class:

Tonry, Michael and Joan Petersilia. Prisons. University of Chicago Press, Chicago and London, 1999; pp 1-16, 427-478, 479-529;

Covert, Henry G.  Ministry to the Incarcerated.  Chicago, Loyola Press, 1995

During the week of class:

Lamb, Wally. Couldn’t Keep It To Myself. Regan Books, 2003; pp 210-243

(Copies of the pages provided first day of class)

Lamb, Wally. I’ll Fly Away. Harper Collins, 2007; pp 182-188; 213-240

(Copies of the pages provided first day of class)

O’Connor, Thomas P. and Nathaniel Pallone. Religion, the Community, and the Rehabilitation of Criminal Offenders. The Haworth Press, Inc., New York, 2002; pp 1-33, 59-86, 87-107, 127-159 (Plan ahead because this is a lot of pages to read)

McNeill, Fergus, Peter Raynor and Chris Trotter. Offender Supervision: New directions in theory, research and practice. Willan Publishing, 2010; pp 301-322 (Copies of the pages provided first day of class)

Written assignments:
A 2-page reflection paper will be required Tuesday, Thursday & Saturday, incorporating the readings and personal reflections.  I recommend you write the first two papers before class starts so you have time at night to complete your readings.

A 10 to 15 minute presentation about incarceration and what resource your faith tradition can play in this ministry.  Include a reflection about your experience at Osborn C.I. 

A 10-page research paper and/or ministry project on what you have learned will be due February 28.  This paper will develop the students thought process on Ministry to the Incarcerated and include, at a minimum, three of the required textbooks.  Incorporating some of the recommended texts will enhance the paper.  An effective paper will include:

• A clear statement of your topic, including a brief review of your own spiritual tradition and why this topic is significant to you and relevant to the class subject. 
• Specific evidence that supports your understanding and analysis of the information by citing examples from the assigned and recommended textbooks as well as your own faith tradition and teachings.
• Reflection on the theological and spiritual dimensions of your topic, as well as alternative views and why you may not agree with these alternative views.

Please use Times Roman 12 point font, double-spaced, with one inch margins and page numbers, and include your name on each page of the document.  Please submit your final paper to me through email as a Word Document attachment, with you last name and first initial as the document name.

Attendance Policy

Attendance in class is required. If you know you will be unable to attend a class session please inform the professor in advance. Missing two sessions will preclude successful completion of the class.

Office hours

Available by Appointment or after class

Recommended texts:
George, Erin. A Woman Doing Life. Oxford University Press, 2010

Hoffman, John and Susan Froemke, eds. Addiction: Why Can’t They Just Stop? Rodale Books Inc., 2007.

Kerman, Piper. Orange is the New Black. Spiegal & Grau, New York, 2010

Lamb, Wally. Couldn’t Keep It To Myself. Regan Books, 2003

Lamb, Wally. I’ll Fly Away. Harper Collins, 2007

Magnani, Laura and Wray, Harmon. Beyond Prisons: A New Interfaith Paradigm for Our Failed Prison System. Augsburg Fortress, 2006

Nelson, James B.  Thirst: God and the Alcoholic Experience.  Westminster John Knox Press, 2004

O’Connor, Thomas P. and Nathaniel Pallone.  Religion, the Community, and the Rehabilitation of Criminal Offenders. The Haworth Press, Inc., New York, 2002

Paget, Naomi and Janet McCormack. The Work of the Chaplain. Judson Press, 2006

Rathbone, Cristina. A World Apart; Women, Prison, and Life Behind Bars. Random House, 2005

Overview of class:

Monday - Introduction of topic; Presentation on Incarceration in Connecticut, Discussion of Prisons from the assigned readings

Tuesday – Ministry to the Incarcerated lecture and discussion, Discussion of Ministry to the Incarcerated in the assigned readings, 2-page paper on Prisons

Wednesday – Addiction and Recovery in Prison, Continue discussion of Ministry to the Incarcerated in the assigned readings, no paper due today

Thursday – Presentation on Connecticut Prison Directives and Chaplaincy, Discuss the Wally Lamb book, 2-page paper on Covert

Friday – Visit Osborn Correctional Institution, Forum with Osborn Chaplains, Discuss the Religion, the Community, and the Rehabilitation of Criminal Offenders Book

Saturday – Discuss Offender Supervision: New directions in theory, research and practice, Discuss Friday experience at Osborn C.I., Class presentations, questions, issues, etc., 2-page paper on Lamb

Class Participation                                                                                    25% of Grade

Attendance and participation in every class session is expected of all students.  The participation grade includes active familiarity with the readings and completion of all writing assignments as well as active participation in our discussions and presentations.

Reflection Papers                                                                                      25% of Grade

A 2-page reflection paper will be required Tuesday, Thursday & Saturday, incorporating the readings and personal reflections.  I recommend you write the first two papers before class starts so you have time at night to complete your readings.

Class Presentations                                                                                  25% of Grade

Each presentation should be well organized and show a clear understanding of the points you are making and demonstrate why you believe your faith tradition has something to offer to someone in recovery.  You can use notes, but should speak clearly and logically in your presentation.  You are speaking with expertise and have something valuable to offer.

Final Paper                                                                                                   25% of Grade

See the description above.  This paper integrates the central insights and readings of the semester. 

Course Extensions

All assignments should be handed in when due.  Completion of this course in a successful manner is dependant on all assignments beings completed on time.  Late writing assignments are strongly discouraged and course extensions are not permitted. 

Plagiarism Warning

Plagiarism is the failure to give proper credit for the words or ideas of another person, whether published or unpublished, and is strictly prohibited.  Credit will not be given for written work in this course containing plagiarism, and plagiarism may result in a failing grade for the entire course.  Please consult the plagiarism policy on pp. 57-58 of the Hartford Seminary Catalogue 2012– 2013, and/or contact the instructor with questions in this regard.