RELIGION IN PRISON. SOME RESULTS FROM RESEARCH IN A ROMANIAN MAXIMUM SAFETY PENITENTIARY

Authors

  • Marina APOSTOL
  • Adrian NETEDU

Keywords:

prison, religious practices, level of religiosity, counselling

Abstract

The prisoners’ religious practices have become an important study topic to the extent that they can have consequences for personal change or social integration of those in a prison environment. Various research has identified for example the increase of the prosocial behaviours of those imprisoned in direct connection with religious belief or even the religious conversion. A significant influence can have religious services in prisons as well as the constant presence of priests among detainees. In this article, we present a series of data observed in exploratory research carried out in a maximum safety penitentiary from Romania. The research aimed to identify the practices and level of religiosity of detainees according to the gravity of the acts committed and to what extent they are appealing to the services of priests and psychologists.

Author Biographies

Marina APOSTOL

License graduate in sociology, “Alexandru Ioan Cuza” University of Iaşi

Adrian NETEDU

ProfessorPhD, UAIC ProfessorPhD, Department of Sociology and Social Work, Faculty of Philosophyand Social-Political Sciences, “Alexandru Ioan Cuza” University of Iaşi

References

Allport G. W. (1950). The individual and his Religion: A Psychological Interpretation. New York: Collier-Macmillan.

Becci I., Dubler J. (2017). Religion and Religions in Prisons: Observations from the United States and Europe. Journal for the Scientific Study of Religion, 56(2):241–247.

Clear T.R., Hardyman P.L., Stout B., Lucken K., Dammer H. R. (2000). The Value of Religion in Prison. Journal of Contemporary Criminal Justice, vol. 16, no. 1, pp. 53-74.

Clear T.R., Stout B., Hardyman P.L., Dammer H. R., Kelly L., Hardyman P. L., Shapiro C. (1992). Does Involvement in Religion Help Prisoners Adjust to Prison? N.C.C.D. Focus, November.

Cooke D. J., Baldwin, P. J. Howinson J. (1993). Psychology in Prisons. London and New York: Rutledge.

IRES (2015). Faithful Romania. Perceptions And Religious Behavior. Research on the site http://www.ires.com.ro/articol/302/romania-credincioasa--percep%C8%9Bii-%C8%99i-comportament-religios, accessed Oct. 2019.

Kerley K. R. (2014). Religious Faith in Correctional Contexts. First Forum Press.

Kerley K. R., Matthews T. L., Blanchard T. C. (2005). Religiosity, Religious Participation, and Negative Prison Behaviours, in Journal for the Scientific Study of Religion, Vol. 44, No. 4.

Tărle, R. (2002). Capelanul în slujba comunității. București: Pleroma.

Surugiu, M. (2005). Preotul de penitenciar, între tradiție și actualitate. București: Tradiție.

Additional Files

Published

20-12-2019