Prison contemplative programs
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Prison contemplative programs are classes or practices (which includes
meditation Meditation is a practice in which an individual uses a technique to train attention and awareness and detach from reflexive, "discursive thinking", achieving a mentally clear and emotionally calm and stable state, while not judging the meditat ...
,
yoga Yoga (UK: , US: ; 'yoga' ; ) is a group of physical, mental, and spiritual practices or disciplines that originated with its own philosophy in ancient India, aimed at controlling body and mind to attain various salvation goals, as pra ...
,
contemplative prayer Christian mysticism is the tradition of mysticism, mystical practices and mystical theology within Christianity which "concerns the preparation f the personfor, the consciousness of, and the effect of ..a direct and transformative pr ...
or similar) that are offered at correctional institutions for inmates and prison staff. There are measured or anecdotally reported benefits from studies of these programs such a stress relief for inmates and staff.Bartollas (1985) p.141 These programs are gaining in acceptance in North America and Europe but are not mainstream. These rehabilitation programs may be part of prison religious offerings and ministry or may be wholly secular. Of those sponsored by religious organizations some are presented in non-sectarian or in non-religious formats. They have had increasing interest in North American and European
prisons A prison, also known as a jail, gaol, penitentiary, detention center, correction center, correctional facility, or remand center, is a facility where people are imprisoned under the authority of the state, usually as punishment for various cr ...
since the early 1970s. Contemplative practices in prison however date back at least to Pennsylvania prison reforms in the late 18th centuryPennsylvania Prison Society history
and may have analogs in older correctional history. In North America, they have been sponsored by Eastern religious traditions, Christian groups, new spiritual movements such as the
Scientology Scientology is a set of beliefs and practices invented by the American author L. Ron Hubbard, and an associated movement. It is variously defined as a scam, a Scientology as a business, business, a cult, or a religion. Hubbard initially develo ...
-related Criminon prison program, as well as interfaith groups.


History

Early Pennsylvania prisons, based on
Quaker Quakers are people who belong to the Religious Society of Friends, a historically Protestant Christian set of denominations. Members refer to each other as Friends after in the Bible, and originally, others referred to them as Quakers ...
ideas, used meditation upon one's crimes as a core component of rehabilitation. When combined with isolation this became known as the Pennsylvania System. James Mease in the early 19th century described this approach involving isolation and meditation and the logic behind it:
epentance of crime is produced by: (1) a tiresome state of mind from idle seclusion; (2) self-condemnation arising from deep, long-continued and poignant reflections upon a guilty life. All our endeavors, therefore, ought to be directed to the production of that state of mind, which will cause a convict to concentrate his thoughts upon his forlorn condition, to abstract himself from the world, and to think of nothing except that suffering and the privations he endures, the result of his crimes. Such a state of mind is totally incompatible with the least mechanical operation, but is only to be brought about, if ever, by complete mental and bodily insulation.''Sutherland, Cressey, and Luckenbill (1992) pp.579-580''
This approach was critiqued in-between the late 19th and early 20th century, specifically with research showing the isolation it incorporated was causing more harm than benefit. Modern contemplative programs are voluntary and generally in groups instead of in isolation.


Modern programs

In the 1970s organizations such as the Prison-Ashram Project and
SYDA Foundation Siddha Yoga is a spiritual path founded by Muktananda, Swami Muktananda (1908–1982). According to its literature, the Siddha Yoga tradition is "based mainly on eastern philosophies" and "draws many of its teachings from the Indian yogic texts ...
began programs to offer meditation or yoga instruction to inmates. In subsequent years more religious groups began meditation programs, such as the
Prison Dharma Network The 'Prison Mindfulness Institute'' (formerly Prison Dharma Network) is a nonprofit organization founded in 1989 dedicated to supporting prisoners in their personal transformation through meditation and contemplative spirituality. The organization ...
in 1989. In India these programs became more well known after a highly publicized set of
prison reform Prison reform is the attempt to improve conditions inside prisons, improve the effectiveness of a penal system, reduce recidivism or implement alternatives to incarceration. It also focuses on ensuring the reinstatement of those whose lives are ...
s in 1993.
Kiran Bedi Kiran Bedi (born 9 June 1949) is a former tennis player who became the first woman in India to join the officer ranks of the Indian Police Service (IPS) in 1972 and was the 24th Lieutenant Governor of Puducherry from 28 May 2016 to 16 Februa ...
assumed the role of Inspector General of Prisons which included overseeing Tihar Prisons. She introduced yoga and large scale meditation programs at that prison and these programs were filmed and released as the documentary ''
Doing Time, Doing Vipassana ''Doing Time, Doing Vipassana'' is a 1997 Cinema of Israel, Israeli Indie film, independent documentary film project by two women filmmakers from Israel: Ayelet Menahemi and Eilona Ariel. The film is about the application of the vipassana medit ...
''. Because of her reforms there she received the
Ramon Magsaysay Award The Ramon Magsaysay Award (Filipino language, Filipino: ''Gawad Ramon Magsaysay'') is an annual award established to perpetuate former Philippine President Ramon Magsaysay's example of integrity in governance, courageous service to the people, ...
in 1994. Four more religious groups have established meditation programs at the prison, and intensive retreats inside the prison are offered each year. In North America, vipassana meditation courses are regularly held at the Donaldson Correctional Facility in Alabama through the Vipassana Prison Trust. One issue with these programs is finding suitable places for meditation, since prisons might not have appropriate places that are quiet or away from activity. In spite of these challenges, in 2004 th
Ratna Peace Initiative
was founded by Margot and Cliff Neuman in Boulder, Colorado, to support their meditation work in state and federal prisons in Colorado and 47 other states. Ratna (pronounced "RAHT-na") Peace Initiative is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization offering peace of mind to prison inmates and veterans with PTSD through training and social education in meditation and other mindfulness practices. In New York City, Anneke Lucas, who has alleged that she was the victim of child sex abuse, has used her story of trauma, recovery, and skills as a yoga and meditation teacher to build a non-profit organization that brings volunteer yoga and meditation instructors into prisons and jails citywide. In Arizona State Prison in 1989 a Prison Inner Peace Program was started in the Echo Unit by Michael Todd and Richard Wirta, overseen by Thomas L. Magnuson, Psych Associate II, of the Echo Behavioral Health Unit. There was reportedly profoundly lowered recidivism amongst those who completed the program. Programs have extended outside of prisons to include prisoner re-integration into society and efforts to teach to at risk youth. Sri Sri Ravi Shankar's Prison Smart Los Angeles Youth Project teaches meditation to gangs.


Prison Animal Programs

As of 2014, prison animal programs are present in all 50 states in the United States. Other countries know to have utilized them are Canada, Scotland, England, South Africa and Australia. A wide variety of animals have been used in these programs - domesticated animals like dogs and cats, livestock like cows, and even wildlife like raccoons and rabbits. One program in Ohio even had a domesticated deer and llama.


Benefits

Generally, modern meditation programs are described as helping inmates deal with the stress of confinement. Studies of Transcendental Meditation programs specifically found reduced aggression, reduced rule infractions, and reduced
recidivism Recidivism (; from 'recurring', derived from 'again' and 'to fall') is the act of a person repeating an undesirable behavior after they have experienced negative consequences of that behavior, or have been trained to Extinction (psycholo ...
up to six years after release. Anecdotally, in a 1984 Guatemalan prison program that was studied, guards reported less violence and drug use when inmates and guards both took meditation programs. In a study published in 2004 authors Komanduri Srinivasa Murty, Angela M. Owens, and Ashwin Vyas conclude the benefits of meditation programs in prisons include: * reduced drug use, recidivism, violence, anger, and self-destructive and risk-taking behavior * enhanced employability and balanced life-style * increased self-awareness, self-confidence, and hopefulness. They further contend that those programs reduced alcohol and substance abuse.


Controversies

Prison contemplative programs attract controversy when they are seen as religious missionary work. Prisons have sometimes asked religious groups to explicitly offer non-religious programs. Not all prisons allow contemplative programs. Some inmates or organizations have used religious freedom provisions as a way to secure programs in prisons.Queen (2000) pp.355-357 In the United States prisoners are allowed to hold any religious beliefs, but the courts have decided that prisons have some latitude in deciding which religious practices occur. Prisons are allowed to consider inmate safety, security, and operations of the prison when considering a religious program. But court actions recognizing
Zen Buddhism Zen (; from Chinese: '' Chán''; in Korean: ''Sŏn'', and Vietnamese: ''Thiền'') is a Mahayana Buddhist tradition that developed in China during the Tang dynasty by blending Indian Mahayana Buddhism, particularly Yogacara and Madhyamaka ph ...
as an "acceptable religion" secured meditation programs in New York prisons. Author Christopher Queen feels that funding in the United States for prison contemplative programs was hampered in 1997 by the repeal of the
Religious Freedom Restoration Act The Religious Freedom Restoration Act of 1993, Pub. L. No. 103-141, 107 Stat. 1488 (November 16, 1993), codified at through (also known as RFRA, pronounced "rifra"), is a 1993 United States federal law that "ensures that interests in religio ...
of 1993.


Documentaries

Two documentaries depicting prison meditation programs have received significant review. ''
Doing Time, Doing Vipassana ''Doing Time, Doing Vipassana'' is a 1997 Cinema of Israel, Israeli Indie film, independent documentary film project by two women filmmakers from Israel: Ayelet Menahemi and Eilona Ariel. The film is about the application of the vipassana medit ...
'' released in 1997 documented a large scale meditation program at Tihar Prisons in India with over a thousand inmates. The results of the program, organized by the Burmese Buddhist group led by S. N. Goenka, were considered very positive. That program and film brought greater attention to prison contemplative programs. '' The Dhamma Brothers'' released in 2007 documented a smaller scale, optional meditation program implemented at Donaldson Correctional Facility in
Bessemer, Alabama Bessemer is a city in Jefferson County, Alabama, Jefferson County, Alabama, United States and a southwestern suburb of Birmingham, Alabama, Birmingham. The population was 26,019 at the 2020 United States census, 2020 census. It is within the Bi ...
. That film depicts controversy as the meditation program is perceived by residents as missionary and anti-Christian.


See also

*
Prison reform Prison reform is the attempt to improve conditions inside prisons, improve the effectiveness of a penal system, reduce recidivism or implement alternatives to incarceration. It also focuses on ensuring the reinstatement of those whose lives are ...
* Prison religion


Notes


References

* Adamson, Christopher (2001) "Evangelical Quakerism and the Early American Penitentiary Revisited: The Contributions of Thomas Eddy, Robers Vaux, John Griscom, Stephen Grellet, Elisha Bates, and Isaac Hopper". ''Quaker History'' 2001 90(2): 35-58 24p. * Alexander, Charles Nathaniel (2003) ''Transcendental Meditation in Criminal Rehabilitation and Crime Prevention'' * Bartollas, Clemens (1985) ''Correctional Treatment: Theory and Practice'' *
Beckford, James A. James Arthur Beckford (1 December 1942 – 10 May 2022) was a British sociologist of religion.Swatos, William H.; Kivisto, Peter''Encyclopedia of Religion and Society'' Rowman Altamira 1998, p. 44, . Retrieved 20 June 2010. He was professor eme ...
and Gilliat-Ray, Sophie (1998) ''Religion in Prison: Equal Rites in a Multi-faith Society'' * Brooks, Douglas Renfrew (2000) ''Meditation Revolution: A History and Theology of the Siddha Yoga Lineage'' * Carlson, Peter M. and Garrett, Judith Simon (1999) ''Prison And Jail Administration: Practice And Theory'' * Dumm, Thomas L. (1985) ''Friendly Persuasion: Quakers, Liberal Toleration, and the Birth of the Prison'' Political Theory 1985 13(3): 387-407 21p. * Knapp, Samuel Lorenzo (1834) ''The Life of Thomas Eddy'
Full version
* Murty, Komanduri and Owens, Angela and Vyas, Ashwin (2004) ''Voices from Prison: An Ethnographic Study of Black Male Prisoners'' * O'Connell, David F. and Alexander, Charles N (2004) ''Self-Recovery: Treating Addictions Using Transcendental Meditation and Maharishi Ayur-Veda'' * Smith, Peter S. (2004) "Isolation and Mental Illness in Vridsloselelle 1859-1873: a new perspective on the breakthrough of the modern penitentiary" ''Scandinavian Journal of History'' 2004 29(1): 1-25 25p. * Sutherland, Edwin H. and Cressey, Donald Ray and Luckenbill, David F. (1992) ''Principles of Criminology'' * Queen, Christopher S. (2000) ''Engaged Buddhism in the West'' {{Incarceration Prison-related organizations Prison religion