David Scott“God’s messengers behind bars: an ethnographic study of therole and perception of the prison chaplain in the North East

of England”Justice Reflections, Volume 32

The purpose of this article is to provide an ethnographic

analysis of the role, perception and contribution of the

Christian prison chaplain to the prison community. In Britain

today the ultimate sanction of the state is imprisonment, yet

life inside the prison is cloaked in mystery. The penalties

imposed on illegal wrongdoers by the governing authorities

should be the concern of everyone in society. Yet members of

the public and academics alike have only limited access to

these punitive institutions. Therefore it is difficult to

ascertain an accurate picture of the prison unless employed or

confined within its walls. The paucity of research outlining

the role of the Christian prison chaplain prevents the

articulation of possible advantages or disadvantages of this

function. Thus the chaplain remains part of the mystery of

prison. This article focuses on the testimonies of twelve

prison chaplains serving in six prisons in the North East of

England in 19961. Additionally, these opinions have been

combined with those of a number of prisoners and prison staff

from these penal establishments and the Assistant Chaplain

General so that a comprehensive analysis of the chaplain's

position in the prison can be attained.

1 For a critical analysis of the historical and contemporary role and perception of the prison chaplain see Scott (2012a) “Priests, prophets and pastors: the historical and contemporary role of the prison chaplain” in Justice Reflections, Volume 31

The ethnographic research was conducted between the 12th March

and 17th June 1996 at six penal institutions in the North East

of England: Frankland Prison, Durham (a dispersal prison for

Category A male prisoners); Durham Prison (a local prison for

male prisoners, incorporating 'H Wing' for Category A women

prisoners); Acklington Prison, Northumberland (Category C male

prisoners); Castington Young Offender Institution (YOI),

Northumberland and Deerbolt Young Offender Institution (YOI),

County Durham (both for young male prisoners); Askham Grange

Open Prison, Yorkshire (for Category D women prisoners). Allof the chaplains, prisoners and prison officers questioned

participated in semi-structured interviews, unless otherwise

stated. Ten ministers represent the Anglican denomination, of

which, seven are full-time and three are part-time. The other

ministers, from the Methodist and Roman Catholic

denominations, each are part-time. The Roman Catholic

Chaplain, Father Peter Chappel, works part-time at Frankland

Prison, Durham Prison and Low Newton Remand Centre. Some of

the other part-time chaplains interviewed also work at other

penal institutions in the North East of England. Further, the

Assistant Chaplain General, John Hargreaves, who has

operational responsibility for all chaplains in the North of

England, was interviewed at the Chaplaincy Headquarters in

Stafford. Prison staff and prisoners were interviewed or

completed questionnaires from the above penal establishments,

as were Christian volunteers and members of Prison Fellowship.

Their opinions are integrated with those of the chaplains in

this article.

The Role of the Prison Chaplain

All chaplains interviewed considered that their primary duty

in prison was to preach the gospel to prisoners and staff,

demonstrating that God "loves everybody". The chaplains

perceived their presence as fulfilling a dual role,

representing not only God in prison, but also their respective

church. These were not their only functions however. John

Ernest Buglass (Methodist minister of Acklington Prison)

stated that the chaplain was there "to help the prisoner cope

with life", while Peter Chappel (Roman Catholic chaplain to

both Frankland Prison and Durham Prison) aimed to "bring God

into a pagan society, bringing principles, values and

standards of Christianity". Canon Truman (Anglican chaplain of

Acklington Prison) suggested that this could be achieved by

"being a friend to those who need a friend and to do this from

a fairly powerless position" because in prison "you only have

the authority which the person you are talking to gives you"

(Stan Bindoff, Anglican chaplain at Frankland Prison). Stan

Bindoff, whose opinions reflected many of his colleagues,

asserted that:

first and foremost we are people of God. Ithink that means that we celebrate all thesacraments to proclaim the holy God and toevangelise the best we can. But then Ithink the role is extended. It is my

responsibility to make sure everydenomination and faith is represented ...The chaplain must also raise the humanityof the institution, by trying to humanisewhat is a dehumanising place and gettingalongside people and attempting toencourage a different view of things.

Stan Bindoff added “I am seen as the chaplain, and although I

never sign up to that , I usually put down that I am the

Church of England Chaplain, I am here full-time, and so

administration tends to come to me anyway.” Ron Attley

(Anglican chaplain of Deerbolt Young Offender Institution)

succinctly argued that the chaplain's duty must be to "cloak

prisoners in prayer and service". The way to achieve this

must be determined however, in the words of Ian Galletley

(Anglican substitute chaplain at Durham Prison), by whether

the ministers decide "to spend a small amount of time with a

great many people, or spend a lot of time with a few people".

The execution of chaplains' duties can also "to large extent

depend on the personality and outlook of the chaplain" (Canon

Truman), while Canon Truman stated "I would not like to

produce a blueprint of the role of the chaplain". But what

are the perfect characteristics of a chaplain? Roger Clegg

(Anglican chaplain of Askham Grange Prison) asserted that the

"ideal" chaplain should be "approachable and empathetic",

while Fiona Eltringham (Anglican chaplain of Castington Young

Offender Institution) believed "you must be caring, involved

with people and be prepared to listen: you must have big ears

and a small mouth". In a similar vein Steve Mann (Anglican

substitute chaplain at Durham Prison) believed that the ideal

chaplain "is a good listener, motivated by compassion and

concern, and a thinker who knows and understands one's own

faith". Most of the chaplains interviewed believed that being

cheerful and having a sense of humour were essential

attributes, as a "smile and a joke can break down barriers and

get you out of difficult situations" (Ian Galletley).

Ann Tarper (Deputy Anglican chaplain at Durham Prison) stated

that in the daily running of the establishment the chaplain

was there to "meet, talk to, counsel and listen to both

prisoners and staff". Similarly, Ian Galletley emphasised the

importance of listening and showing a genuine interest in the

prisoners' lives, arguing that "prison officers don't often

ask prisoners what they think because it is largely a kind of

'Rambo' world where people find it difficult to admit that

they have feelings". Consequently, "many chaplains know many

prisoners better than prison officers, but then they have a

different job to do" (Ibid). Ian Galletley maintained "closed

environments tend to have very fixed roles within them and

anyone who has a different role faces particular stresses and

certain irritations, which are built into that exceptional

role automatically". Fiona Eltringham believed that it was

important to:

be involved in as much of the prison lifeas you can be by living alongside the

prisoners and staff. Whilst there arespecifically Christian aspects to the job,chaplains are part of the system, and so Iam involved in various committees ...Sometimes it can be frustrating. Theregime is limiting, and sometimes youcannot see prisoners when you want.

Mike Dixon (Anglican chaplain of Durham Prison), known

affectionately as 'Mick the Vic', believed the chaplain and

religion played a crucial role in prison life. Mike Dixon

highlighted the Sunday Service particularly, arguing that

"everyone in the chapel is on an equal basis, whether

prisoners, ministers or visitors, which doesn't happen

elsewhere in the prison". In an increasingly multi-faith and

atheistical society, however, it is inevitable that this will

be reflected in the prison community. Yet, John Hargreaves

argued that the prison chaplaincy is a "Christian chaplaincy,

I think that is the first thing that you have to grasp". The

Assistant Chaplain General continued, "some people would like

to see it an all faith chaplaincy, but it is not, although it

is an ecumenical chaplaincy". Peter Chappel believed that "we

need to be a united church to have our voice heard in prison",

while Stan Bindoff had "more problems with Christian sects

such as Mormons or Jehovah's Witnesses than with Muslims,

Hindus or Buddhists". Canon Truman believed that "as chaplain

I have to defend all faiths and I have learnt a lot from my

Buddhist, Muslim and Jewish colleagues and I value their

friendship". However, Ron Attley argued that "we talk about

team work in the chaplaincy among the Christian denominations,

but I don't think it works as well as we would like to think

it does".

Fiona Eltringham believed that "some chaplains are not happy

about women priests" and this could be a barrier to ecumenism.

Fiona Eltringham claimed that there were positive and negative

elements to being a woman chaplain. Although it "might make it

easier, as most of the lads are more courteous to a woman ...

it is a very harsh and a very male dominated society and that

can feel very isolating and lonely at times" (Ibid).

It is difficult to assess if chaplains gain job satisfaction

from their ministry. Stan Bindoff pointed out that "so much of

our work is unproductive, viewed negatively and it is

constantly an uphill struggle", while Fiona Eltringham argued

that "sometimes you think it is all a waste of time (but) ...

you can be the one stable element in the prisoners' lives".

Stan Bindoff wished "people would take more notice of what we

had to say". He continues:

most of the week I am alone doing thingswhich are misunderstood or misinterpreted.I often feel a sense of hopelessness in theprison ... The loneliness and isolation isone of the most difficult things to copewith.

Peter Chappel however reflected that overall being a chaplain

can be very rewarding as "to help someone with depression or

the loss of a loved one, or having a grown man cry on your

shoulder, which he probably couldn't do with anybody else in

the prison, shows that you are meant to be here for that

person at this time".

The chaplain's status in the Prison Service was "quite poor on

the whole" (Steve Mann). According to Steve Mann:

the No 1 Governor and senior managementusually relate well to the chaplain,although among the staff generally thereis not such status. I think it is becausethere is not a clear understanding of whatchaplains are about. Because they don'tunderstand where we fit in the hierarchyof functions they can't ascribe status.

Sharon Jones (Anglican chaplain at Acklington Prison) asserted

that "one of the biggest problems is defining the lines of

authority, and where we stand in relation to the

establishment". Another predicament confronting all

chaplains, especially those who had served for a number of

years, was "institutionalisation" (Mike Dixon):

The chaplain can become identified totallywith the institution and never questionit. Not responding to prisoner needs.Always taking the institution's point ofview and not admitting that innocentpeople are in prison, and by becomingdefensive about the system instead ofcritical. (Ibid)

Roger Clegg (part-time chaplain at Askham Grange) pointed out

some of the difficulties that face a chaplain in an open

prison:

It isn't easy. We don't have a captiveaudience, so it's not a matter of unlockingcells. We rely very much on chanceencounters. Because they are not in cellshere and are doing useful things, it's notso easy to get hold of them in the daytime.In the evenings, apart from Wednesday, thechaplains tend not to be here.

The Chaplains' Relationship with Other Staff

A major cause of concern for chaplains was hostility from

other members of staff. Ian Galletley stated "I am sure you

have been told already that prison ministry would be fine if

it wasn't for the prison officers". Peter Chappel argued that

he would like to "be recognised as part of the team by

everybody and not just as a do-gooder or plonker, as is the

attitude by some in here". Stan Bindoff asserted:

we are often seen as bumbling amateurs whoare jolly nice people but don't have muchto offer. We have the right to go anywhereat any time or see anybody we wish to seeat any time. It would be lovely to beable to operate like that but it isdifficult to do because we meet so oftenwith barriers because staff don't accordto us the position we actually have.Education, probation, psychology andchaplaincy are the four areas that areseen as the "do-gooders", which officersand governors often want to suppressbecause we can be a thorn in the flesh.

Mike Dixon similarly argued, "you have to form networks of

like minded people, you have to look for allies. Our natural

allies are education and probation. You can't do things on

your own. You also have to have links with the church". Mike

Dixon continued that "all the things that we have stood for

are being questioned, and security, security and security is

the only thing". Perhaps one explanation for this is that the

chaplains are "seen as a security threat" (Ibid). Ian

Galletley also wanted:

to see more respect for God's messengers,there are a minority of officers inparticular who think that we are a wasteof space, and a few who are rude and makelife difficult. The difficulties arerarely with the prisoners, but between

officers and other chaplains because ofhow things are done. Governors tend tolook at the chaplain in terms of cost andwhat good you do in keeping the prisonershappy and quiet. They realise thatchaplains are quite good counsellors andwe do often have a good relationship withdifficult prisoners as they see us asdifferent from the screws ... So in manyrespects we keep the lid on the prison...Many officers regard us as amiableirrelevances, and some of them think weare naive idiots who believe everythingthat prisoners tell us, but they are theones who don't know anything about what weactually do because they never sit in anyof our conversations. One thing which hasalways struck me is that the male officerswho are easily embarrassed, a lot of themost 'Rambo', weight lifting types haveconformist attitudes. They find the factthat we are prepared to sit in a cell andpray with someone rather disturbingbecause they couldn't do it. Generally, Ifeel we get on better, and are held inhigher regard by officers with moreintelligence, who can see, whether theyhave faith or not, it is a basic humanright to be able to talk to people inconfidence.

Ian Galletley believed that the chaplains should not however

be naïve:

The chaplain has to be realistic. You haveto be tough in the sense of not being aneasy touch. You've got to know the world.You have to understand the men, who can be

very difficult and cynical, and what theirlife is like outside ... You must not letyourself be bullied in here, but if you domake a mistake, it is very important toapologise for it. Nobody apologises inprison.

Peter Chappel made a similar point when he argued:

there is a lot of negativity, this placeis not Christian. I feel it when I amsnubbed and when officers deliberatelyignore me. They will do anything not totalk to you, such as look the other way orlook at the floor ... Although notaccepted on the whole, when we are neededwe are there and are used.

Similarly, Canon Truman thought "one of the worst problems is

the attitude of some of the members of staff, who are

sometimes very difficult, rude and insensitive". This has far

reaching consequences as "these attitudes of the officers are

taken out on the lads who come to chapel" (Ibid).

The credibility of the chaplains among their colleagues seemed

to vary. Stan Bindoff highlighted the crucial distinction

between the chaplain's relationship with the staff and the

chaplain's credibility:

A lot of staff will stand around and havea talk or joke with me, but that doesn'tmean I have credibility. I am accepted asa person in the prison, but whether I amaccepted as a professional is anotherthing. People think "Stan is a nice chap,but doesn't have a clue about life". Ithink staff see chaplains and their workas largely irrelevant, preaching medievalmumbo jumbo.

Peter Chappel believed that such criticism was unfounded as

"we have time for people, and we have experience of life and

dealing with people in varied situations", claiming that

"disruptive prisoners will talk to us who won't talk to the

officers". Mike Dixon maintained that "credibility with the

staff has got to be won these days ... the problem is

challenging ... they don't like to be challenged of course".

The relationship and credibility between chaplains and staff

was further complicated as "staff are always individuals,

there is no such thing as 'chaplains' or 'staff, we all have a

different approach" (Ibid). Ron Attley asserted that the

chaplain was only called "when people don't know what to do

with someone, such as in a bereavement". For Stan Bindoff

credibility "depends on what we are doing":

I was in the hospital yesterday talking toa prisoner with only weeks to live and Iknow that earned some credibility from thestaff I was working with because of the

time I spent and what I said to him.Everybody thought I was going to say "let'spray", and that will come, but we talkedabout hard things like "you are alive untilyou die".

Ian Galletley claimed that some staff "act like children,

being naughty in front of the vicar", believing that:

most officers only have two ways ofassessing your credibility. One is whatthey make of the way you are around theplace and how you deal with thempersonally, and the other is whatprisoners say about you. The best way togain credibility with staff is to offersome counselling to officers who arefacing problems. If you can help them cometo terms with the death of a child or theend of a marriage, then you gain it there.

Problems between staff and the chaplains are not however

universal. Although in HMP Frankland, HMP Durham and HMP

Acklington, most chaplains faced hostility from some prison

officers, the chaplains from Castington Y.O.I., Askham Grange

Open Prison and Deerbolt Y.O.I., appeared to have good

relationships with staff. A similar comparison could also be

made between the male and female chaplains. Ann Tarper argued

that she was "accepted by each member of the staff simply as a

colleague, my relationship with the staff is good and I find

that encouraging". Ron Attley believed "I am generally well

received", while Fiona Eltringham likewise argued that "the

Governor is very supportive ... there are certainly no no-go

areas for the chaplaincy":

I think I have a good banteringrelationship with most staff. I get quitea lot of teasing and that is usually agood sign that you get on with people. Thechaplain needs to be seen as someone whois part of the place, not an optionalextra thrown in. It is important to maketime for staff as well as prisoners.

Most of the chaplains held weekly or monthly meetings for the

staff and most were poorly attended. Fiona Eltringham stated

"I run a staff Eucharist once a month ... there were two of us

at the last meeting". Maintaining a focus on the positive,

Roger Clegg stipulated that:

all the staff are very friendly to me andI have only found them helpful. That hasbeen my experience. I try to know theirnames and encourage them to call me by myname. I try to have meals with the staffas often as I can ... a number of them docome and chat to me about their problems.

Ann Tarper argued that "you have to keep a balance between

being friendly with the prisoners and friendly with the staff"

as you "have to make sure you are not seen to be taking

sides". Steve Mann likewise stated "some chaplains are

perceived as friends of prisoners, but not of staff. Other

chaplains are perceived as being friends of staff and not

prisoners. Both of these are a failure." Ron Attley argued

that "recently I have had more pastoral chatting with the

staff because morale is low", while John Hargreaves claimed

"chaplains are almost universally on the staff care team, and

in many establishments they are chairman". This view was

supported by Canon Truman who stated that chaplains had a

crucial role to play in helping staff:

We have a privilege of confidentiality. Weare the only officers in the prison whodon't have to report conversations with aprisoner or member of staff. Whoever comesto us knows that what they discuss willnever be disclosed to another person. Alot of members of staff are stressed dueto budget cuts and are quite prepared tosee a chaplain where they are not preparedto talk to anyone else. (Ibid)

This was not their only difference with other prison officers.

Stan Bindoff believed that:

we are here to offer people hope. We havea unique responsibility to do this. If youasked most staff who they dealt with inthe prison they would say prisoners. Iwould hope the chaplain would say

people ... Prisons are here to constrainpeople, chaplains are here to set themfree. We want to help people live in theconstraints of prison.

Mike Dixon pointed out that "other staff have a disciplinary

role". The prison officer's main duties were concerned

primarily with security and they must "see that the prisoners

are fed, watered and exercised ... we are independent of that"

(Ibid). John Hargreaves stated that the chaplain walks:

a tightrope as a chaplain between staff andprisoners. If you are too much on one sideor the other, you find yourself in troubleand marginalised ... It is important thatchaplains call prisoners by their names andnot their prisoner number. The chaplainmust remind people that they are humanbeings sharing a common humanity.

To appreciate fully the perception of the chaplain it was also

necessary to analyse the views of prison officers. John (a

Health Care Officer from Durham Prison) stated that "on the

whole the chaplains do a good job, although some are better

than others":

They quite often dilute situationsalthough a lot of the old hat staff tendnot to give them much credit ... Many

staff have not got time for chaplains. Wehave to be security conscious twenty fourhours a day ... they do a worthwhilejob ... (and) it would be a sad day ifthey withdrew from prison. (Ibid)

Monica Brown (an officer at Durham Prison Hospital) believed

"they serve a good function, especially when breaking bad

news" although "we stumble across the chaplain in the

hospital, they should give us warning of when they are

coming". Margaret Anderson (administrative assistant to the

chaplains at Frankland Prison) believed that "as people they

are OK, they are very friendly":

I think the chaplaincy get ignored in theprison to a certain extent. The staff ingeneral don't really know what thechaplain does. Many view them as ahindrance or a nuisance or even as a bitof a joke, although there are a lot ofsituations believe me, where the ministercan calm people down ... I think they areseen as a nuisance quite honestly.

David (a prison officer from Frankland Prison) stated that the

"chapel is just another place to meet which could be turned

into a nice big tea room for the officers", rating the

chaplain's contribution "on about par with the library"

(Ibid). T. G. Bowden (a Health Care Officer at HMP Frankland)

believed:

the chaplaincy are a good resource butstaff don't have time to talk. Chaplainsare people who mainly talk to inmates(read prisoners), especially during theday when we are busy, they have time tolisten. I like the chaplain, but somedon't, maybe it's a personality clash.

R. Shepherd (a Buddhist prison officer at HMP Frankland)

argued for a "religious coordinator who is not a minister of a

particular religion":

Stan (Bindoff) will go out of his way tohelp staff, he will even go to their home.They play an important role but thatdepends on the individual chaplain. A lotof them would not want to be disturbed atmidnight to go and tell a prisonersomebody has died. (Ibid)

The Chaplain and the Prisoner

Stan Bindoff believed that chaplains "don't have much

credibility with prisoners". He believed that there is very

little interest in religion in dispersal prisons, stating

"chaplains only impact on the lives of prisoners in dealing

with marriage or in dealing with death". Stan Bindoff

continued:

They probably assume that we have "sold"out because we're employed by the state. Ifind it very hurtful when people accuse meof hypocrisy, as I know I am not ahypocrite. I try to tell them that keysopen doors as well as lock them.

Stan Bindoff went on to say "many are a joy to be with and

over the years there are many prisoners who I view as

friends", while Ian Galletley asserted:

the majority of prisoners are pleased tosee you although if they are in a largegroup on the wing they will often try totease and taunt and mock you to see whatyou are made of, but very few deny yourright to be there and many of them enjoythe therapy of sharing a trouble.

Ann Tarper believed that "prisoners are grateful for someone

who is not there to do nasty things to them ... we don't have

a disciplinary role". Peter Chappel highlighted some of the

problems facing chaplains:

There is a lot of ignorance, apathy andantagonism towards us, but many peoplewould treat ministers outside the same asGod is not part of their lives anyway.

After prisoners have talked to us on thewing there is an interrogation by others,such as "what did he want?" or "what didyou tell him?", even though it may beconfidential to that man ... Prisonersalso associate bad news with the chaplainas we have to inform prisoners of a death.(Ibid)

The amount of genuine interest in religion among prisoners

seemed slight when examining the number of prisoners who

attend the chapel services. At Frankland Prison the chapel

service attendances for non-vulnerable prisoners were normally

in single figures. However, at other institutions, such as

Deerbolt Y.O.I, and Castington Y.O.I., attendances were quite

high, although the motivation behind the prisoner's decision

to attend the chapel service may have more to do with seeing

their friends or as an opportunity just to get out of their

'pad' for a while rather than with spiritual matters. Ann

Tarper did not think this "such a bad thing" as "at least it

proves that they consider chapel a preferable option to being

in their cells". Mike Dixon claimed that those prisoners who

were interested in religion normally turn their backs on

Christianity, preferring "bizarre things like the occult",

though "coming to prison is a bit like a bereavement and

people normally think about faith when they are bereaved. It

makes them think where am I at, where have I come from and

where am I going to" (Ibid). Steve Mann argued:

it is important that prisoners don't thinkthat the chaplain is a messenger boy herejust to make their lives easier. We arehere to help those who are genuine and wehave to use our experience to differentiatewhere help is necessary, but not taking onboard responsibilities which belong to theprisoner.

Steve Mann believed that only a "very small number indeed" of

prisoners actually have "real faith". Surprisingly, this may

not be such a bad thing as "there are very serious risks in

evangelising":

The whole dimension of the psychology ofthe individual and the power that achaplain has in terms of the way peoplethink present very serious dangers forchaplains, who can over influenceprisoners, vulnerable into ways ofbelieving. You can almost guarantee thatif I was talking to a distressed prisonerand worded what I am saying in such a wayas to imply that he needs to agree withwhat I believe about God for his life toimprove, then he will agree with me and Iwill have a convert. But this gives theimpression that this is going to solve allof their problems, and then they willdiscover this is not the case, and becausethe prisoner's faith was based upon that,it will collapse. The prisoner will beworse off and I will not have helped that

person. You do hear claims of hundreds ofprisoners becoming Christians and itcauses me concern. The faith the prisonersgained in prison has done them no goodoutside back in their old life. They areworse off because of it. They have triedGod and it has failed. I do not think weare about the business of building morefailure into people's lives. This is whatwe have the power to do if we are notcareful. (Ibid)

Mike Dixon also highlighted the "vulnerability" of prisoners,

for there was "the temptation for the chaplain to hit people

with God when they are down, and the other temptation is to

confuse bringing prisoners to chapel with bringing prisoners

to God". For Roger Clegg the impact of the chaplain in open

prison was largely negligible "for most of the people who come

through the doors, we have largely no effect".

Stan Bindoff argued that prisoners sometimes used the chaplain

to pass on information to the authorities. "Sometimes we are

told things that need to go elsewhere. Sometimes prisoners

tell us things knowing that it has to go elsewhere and that is

why they have told us" (Ibid). Peter Chappel stated:

... if a prisoner asks if they can speak toyou confidentially, we say yes on thecondition it doesn't concern your own

safety, the safety of somebody else or theprison itself.

John (a Health Care Officer at Durham Prison) supported this,

stating that chaplains:

on the whole get on well with inmates[read prisoners], providing that is whatthe inmates [read prisoners] want. Theyhave the sense not to encroach on theinmates' [read prisoners’] space. Themajority will confide in the chaplain,they need to talk to a neutral. Thechaplain is no threat to them and they usethe chaplain as a middle person.

Steve Mann reiterated this perception, maintaining that "the

chaplain is the only person who will shake the hand of the

prisoner, whoever it is, or whatever they have done".

When discussing ‘Christian prisoners’, Peter Chappel made the

important point that:

you are dealing with men with a very lowfaith level ... (however) it is not easybeing a Christian. It is normally easierto do wrong than to do right.

Fiona Eltringham also highlighted some of the

difficulties facing Christian prisoners:

To be able to survive you have to present ahard man image, and even though some of thelads are prepared to say they go to chapel,and would be quite prepared to say publiclythat they pray and read the Bible, theystill have to be able to live on the wing.For youngsters in particular it is not easyto be different.

Virtually all 36 prisoners interviewed claimed they had some

belief in God and spent considerable time with the chaplain

and this must be taken into consideration when analysing their

comments. Francis Hammond (Chapel Orderly at Durham Prison)

highlighted a crucial distinction in the perception of the

chaplain by prisoners:

If I had a genuine problem, like if my mamdied, I'd like him to come and check on meto see if I'm alright until I'm over thatperiod and back to normal. If you've got aproblem, then the chaplain is anindispensable person, but if you haven'tgot a problem, the chaplain is classed asa member of staff because they have a setof keys. (Ibid)2

2 All quotations and comments from prisoners are highlighted in bold in this chapter to emphasise the differences in consent between prison and staff respondents in the study.

Hosni (a Muslim prisoner at Frankland) attended the chaplain's

mid-week groups, stating that the chapel "is a nice place to

come, we get plenty coffee, plenty tea". Charlie went to

Frankland Chapel three times a week and explained that there

were a number of reasons why he did this:

... I might feel like an easy afternoon,or I might feel like a compelling debate.I might feel like dodging work to get tothe gym ... so it can be for bothreligious reasons and leisure. Mypersonality relates to the chaplain. Theyare approachable, the chaplains listen,unlike the screws. (Ibid)

Albert similarly attended Frankland Chapel three times a week.

"It gets us off the wing, the coffee in the chapel is better

than on the wing ... we have a laugh". Jimmy believed the

Frankland chaplain was good at "talking to you, helping you

with faith, cheering you up and also gives you belief in

yourself.” Graham (a Christian prisoner in Frankland)

believed:

... some laugh and some sneer, a lot ofpeople come to get out of workshops. Somepeople don't want to embrace it becausethey are afraid, so they hit out at it. Itis easier not to be a Christian in prison.

Andy (also a prisoner in Frankland) stated "I used to be a

violent person but now I keep myself to myself":

I keep control of my anger ... I came tochapel and it changed my life ... it's nowthe new me. If I have a problem I go tosee the chaplain ... He can pray, or Ican pray myself in the pad ... (Ibid)

Mo Langti (a disabled prisoner) mainly confined to Frankland

Prison Hospital stated, under the watchful eye and ear of a

prison officer, "there is not much a chaplain can do although

it is nice to know that they are there, you see the chapel is

one part of prison which doesn't seem like prison".

'Lightning' (a prisoner at Frankland) had only encouragement

for the chaplaincy until he realised that the researcher was

not a chaplain. Lightning stated "there are things I can tell

the chaplain I can't even tell my mam and dad":

I like a little tiff, I like to deny God'sexistence, but I'm only looking for Him toshow me that He is there. It's a littlegame I play. (Ibid)

However, Lightning later claimed "when I was a Rastafarian

they didn't talk to me ... I'm not saying they are racist, it

may be just be me ... (but) chaplains only talk to

Christians". Phil (a Christian prisoner at Acklington)

believed the chaplains were:

a lot better than prison officers. Theywant power, and are very macho. There area few good officers around but they don'ttrust prisoners. Chaplains treat us likeindividuals ...

Phil continued that "in large groups prisoners are quite

hostile" and there "could be more presence on the wing, the

only time the chaplain is on the wing is for bad news". Sean

(the Orderly of Acklington prison) claimed that:

... chaplains are better than staff, someof the staff aren't keen to help anybody.Staff also tend to go behind thechaplain's back and make things awkwardfor the chaplain. (Ibid)

Noleen (Durham Prison Questionnaire), from Durham Prison 'H

Wing', maintained that "at the end of the day the chaplains

work for the prison so their first loyalty is to the prison

and not the prisoners". Sue May (Durham Prison Questionnaire),

also in the 'H Wing' at Durham Prison, stated that:

Mick the Vic is very easy to talk to. Iwould always feel if it was necessary, Icould speak to him about any matter. Hehelps whenever I need advice orassistance. If you ask him to speak toanyone needing advice, he will do so.

However, Shiyanbola (Durham Prison Questionnaire) asserted

that "towards me, the chaplain's behaviour is worse" than

other prison staff. Shiyanbola goes to the "service on every

Sunday, but he doesn't know anything about me". David (Durham

Prison Questionnaire), a male prisoner in Durham Prison,

believed that the "chaplain's attitude seems better than the

prison staff, but there are really good prison staff'. Paul

Thompson (Durham Prison Questionnaire) stated that the

chaplain "is a very nice person, comical, funny and easy to

get on with", while Sean (Durham Prison Questionnaire)

maintained that "he is a very caring person and I think that

some of the prisoners should take him more seriously". Kurt,

(a male prisoner at Durham Prison) argued that "staff think

chaplains are black and white penguins, they think they are

interfering".

In the Young Offender Institutions the chaplains' perception

amongst those prisoners questioned was also favourable, such

as Simon (a prisoner at Deerbolt) who stated that:

my gran died recently and they wouldn'tlet me go to the funeral, so I went to thechapel on the same day. The chaplain'sworth it just because of his help then.(Ibid)

Ben (Questionnaire, Castington Y.O.I.), a prisoner at

Castington, wrote "Fiona is a nice person to know and does a

lot to help people out and organise visitors and groups",

while Keeran (Questionnaire, Castington Y.O.I.) believed "she

is nice and understanding and she treats you for the person

you are". Thomas (Questionnaire, Castington Y.O.I.) simply

wrote "I think she is the best".

Chaplain and Volunteers

One of the other main groups of people dealt with by chaplains

are Christian and non-Christian volunteers. All the chaplains

questioned were pleased to have visitors as they "can have

more effect than the chaplaincy team" (Canon Truman). They

bring the outside world into the prison and "are appreciated

by the lads" (Peter Chappel). However, Stan Bindoff argued

that one of the "frustrations about this, is the type of

Christian we get, as they come inside and believe that

chaplains simply aren't Christians". Stan Bindoff stated that

"in one of my previous prisons I actually had to sack someone

because they were undermining everything the chaplain was

trying to do". Likewise, Mike Dixon asserted:

we have to be careful with Christianvolunteers. Some want to bring God intoprison and convert everybody, and so wesay God is already here.

Steve Mann stated that "a lot of Christian outside groups come

to prison services thinking they are coming to convert the

prisoners ... it is up to the chaplain to moderate that

influence".

Lillian (a representative of Prison Fellowship in Frankland

Prison) believed that "Mike Dixon (a former Chaplain at

Frankland) is a nice chap but he isn't a Christian, it's so

nice to have a chaplain at Frankland who is a Christian".

However, this observation probably had more to do with this

person's perception of the chaplain's role in prison than the

beliefs of the particular chaplain. Monique Smith (Field

Director of Prison Fellowship) stated that chaplains are

"absolutely vital as they are the only people prisoners can go

to and be honest". Rose (a Christian Volunteer in Frankland

Prison) felt "privileged" to work in the prison with the

chaplain. Rose believed that the chaplain performed "an

important ministry as these people who have a great need in

their life and have a lot of time to reflect". Sister Mary (a

Catechist at Durham Prison) believed that chaplains "have a

very difficult job because the prison authorities don't take

them seriously. The Durham chaplain doesn't stand on his

dignity. He'll take flak. He meets them where they are at and

he treats them like people of worth" (Ibid).

The Chaplain and Outside Links

Steve Mann believed that the chaplain "has a unique

opportunity of informing people of what happens in prison and

challenging perceptions", although the "general mood in church

is to think that everybody has an easy life and deserves to be

there ... until it happens to them". Steve Mann believed that

"church people can be very narrow minded and unaware of many

realities of life. The chaplain is in a unique position to

challenge that." Peter Chappel argued that many members of

the public were "set in their ways" and when explaining the

harsh realities of prison life "you often see them shaking

their heads negatively". Mike Dixon outlined the reaction to

giving a talk to a group outside of prison:

It's quite a lively debate. I normally sayprisoners are not working and it is a wasteof time sending people to prison becausepeople normally grow out of criminality asit's a young man's game. Everyone elsewants to send people to prison.

Canon Truman stated that "I think one of the saddest things is

the lack of interest by the churches outside in the work of

the chaplains and the punitive attitudes of some of its clergy

and congregation". Similarly, Fiona Eltringham argued that

"people need to know that there are prisons because most of us

want to forget them". John Hargreaves stated:

I think the chaplaincy has aresponsibility to keep the church incontact with the kind of people who cometo prison. It is very heavily under usedby the church as a whole. You hear clergysay that some people are un-churched, butyou will probably find that they have hada lot of contact with the church whenthey've been in prison.3

Overall, chaplains rarely remained in contact with ex-

prisoners as the prisoners regarded the chaplain as part of

their prison life. Peter Chappel explained why chaplains

rarely hear from ex-prisoners:

I occasionally get a letter, but whenpeople have done their time and walk out ofthe gate, it is all behind them. They needpeople in prison, but when they go they areout of this world and back into their ownwith their family

Mike Dixon aptly stated that the "most contact we have with

3 The Durham Prison chaplain had contact with the Meadowell Estatelocal vicar and community leaders as a number of prisoners werefrom this area of Newcastle.

ex-prisoners is when they come back in again", and even those

ex-prisoners who found faith in prison may return to their

former parish. Canon Truman stated "we know human nature is

not perfect and there are many Christians who sin" and some of

these sins may be against the law. Mike Dixon asserts "I

suppose the question is, can you be a Christian burglar, and I

suppose you can", believing, "we are all sinners, some are

illegal".

The Purpose and Legitimacy of Prison

Ann Tarper believed that there were four reasons why people

were sent to prison:

Firstly, society needs to be protectedfrom some people. Secondly, societydemands people are punished. Thirdly,putting people in prison can give somepeople the opportunity or motivation ornecessity of re-thinking their lives andwhat they are doing, and how they relateto other people. Fourthly I think someprisoners realise they have done wrong doneed to feel that they have paid a debt tosociety by being punished.

Ron Attley argued that prisons really "keep these lads off the

streets and stop them causing havoc ... (prisons) punish and

exclude, but rarely rehabilitate”. Peter Chappel argued that

"until you've experienced loss of freedom you don't know what

it means", maintaining "the dehumanising of coming to prison

is never forgotten". Mike Dixon thought "people underestimate

the pain of imprisonment". Ron Attley continued, "I don't

disapprove of that, but I just wish we would all come clean

about it and say what we are doing". Mike Dixon asserted that

"prisons are fundamentally un-Christian":

I think the whole idea of forgiveness iscentral to the theology of punishment.Forgiveness involves being aware of whatyou have done; being sorry for what youhave done; intending not to do it again,and also doing something in reparation ofwhat they have done. Then forgivenesscomes. Many people think forgiveness is asoft option, but it's not. The pain ofrealising what you have done is thebiggest punishment. (Ibid)

Mike Dixon argued:

we have a lynch mob mentality led by themedia and fuelled by a government lookingfor votes. Part of our job is to fightagainst that tide ... Punishment has to belinked to the community from where theoffender came. The offender will be made tofeel shame for the damage they have doneand therefore won't do it again ... Prisonprobably makes reconciliation more

difficult. For reconciliation to take placethere has to be dialogue. If the prisoneris locked away, the dialogue is broken forthere is no longer communication betweenthe offender and the community from whichthey have come.

When Steve Mann was asked what he viewed to be the purpose of

prison he replied:

God knows, I don't. I haven't the faintestidea. It seems to me that the prison is atotal failure. Frankly I think prisons arekeeping people out of sight and out ofmind. Prisons are such a terrible waste.Probably a minority of people need to belocked up, for the general safety of therest of society, for their families andmaybe even themselves. There are some ladsin here that I've spoken with whose soleintention is to go out and re-offend. Theydon't care about coming to prison becausetheir mates are here. The two things theymiss in prison are alcohol and sex, ifit's with a woman. Plenty of sex with men,plenty of drugs. The prisoners have nointention of changing. Why? Because inreality there is no other way to live.

The chaplains were also asked questions concerning eternal

punishment. All of the chaplains believed that it was wrong

to use the notion of eternal damnation as a means of securing

the repentance of their parishioners. Mike Dixon stated:

I don't believe in eternal punishment. Idon't believe that people should befrightened into the Kingdom of God. My mainpreaching on the Christian faith is how welive our lives here and now.

Abolitionism and the Chaplain

The majority of chaplains interviewed believed that they had a

role as a reformer and that the current system was not ideal,

although most hesitated at the thought of abolishing prisons.

Ian Galletley was "not in favour of political priests … I am

old-fashioned enough to favour a division between religion and

politics". Mike Dixon believed that "there are plenty of

chaplains who don't believe that the prison system works" but

that "we are here because that is where the people are".

Stan Bindoff stated "there are a lot of areas in the prison

that aren't good", arguing that the chaplains have to be

"bloody nuisances, bringing a Christian perspective into

jail". However Stan Bindoff asserted that "I wouldn't work in

prisons if I thought there wasn't a place for them":

I am uneasy with the government policy ofbuilding new prisons. Maybe part of thereforms would be to knock down a fewprisons or at least to design creativeregimes within the prison, or develop new

punishments in the community. I don'tthink you could ever abolish prisonsentirely because there is a need to removesome people from society for the good ofsociety. (Ibid)

Peter Chappel stated that "some people need to be in prison,

but I think for people who have committed petty crimes, prison

is not the answer". Steve Mann maintained that it was right

for chaplains to work in the prison system as it gives them

"the opportunity to do the positive things we do". If the

chaplains were not part of the prison service "we might not be

able to function at all, and that would be a great loss ... it

is right for the chaplain to work for reform or abolition

where appropriate" (Ibid). Ann Tarper stated that "I would

certainly like to see as many people as possible kept out of

jail" and although Fiona Eltringham "can't see a way of not

having prisons at all ... too many people are in prison for

too long". Ron Attley held similar views:

You look at a lot of prisons and you seein them a lot of violent people who needto be locked up, and I think that is fairenough, we should do that, but rather thanopening more prisons we should be reducingthem in number.

Sharon Jones thought:

there has to be found a different way. I donot think locking men up for great lengthsof time serves any useful service for them.I think the issues of why they are here inthe first place need addressing, and theyare not being addressed.

Ron Attley believed that in Deerbolt Y.O.I, there were:

... a few lads who to me should be in amental hospital and being cared for andgetting appropriate treatment. We are notdoing them any favours by keeping themhere. On the other hand, we also have youngboys in here from 15 years old, who are notreally geared up to cope with it at all.

Canon Truman took a different perspective stating:

to reform means taking apart andrebuilding, which I think is a littleunrealistic. The standpoint I'd like totake is one of evolution, allowing thegood things to grow and getting rid of thebad. The chaplain's job is to encourageand to criticise so that we can allow theprison service to evolve and become morehumane and efficient.

Canon Truman continued:

wherever possible people should be punishedby loss of facilities or by being made todo things in restitution or working towardsrehabilitation. I think this is better donein the community. Once you have taken aperson out of society, you then have to putthem back in, and all of the problems thatentails.

John Hargreaves highlighted the position of the chaplaincy

hierarchy by arguing:

we'd all like to be worked out of a job,but we must support the system in a sensethat we support the rightness of themethod of punishment. Whether it isrightly applied to everyone who is inprison is another matter. However, whenyou are working in a system you cannotwork against it, and it would be wrong todo so.

Critical Reflections: Christian Prison Chaplains as Reformers

or Abolitionists?

Before outlining the conclusions to this study it is necessary

to recognise the parameters of the research. The project

concentrated on the reflections of Anglican chaplains and

consequently the analysis primarily reproduces the views and

experiences of chaplains of the Established Church. This is

not, however, to deny the legitimate role performed by prison

ministers belonging to other Christian denominations or

chaplains representing non-Christian religions. Further, the

views of those prison staff and prisoners who detailed their

perception of the chaplain cannot necessarily be deemed as

typical of the prisons investigated or of those in the penal

system in general. The overwhelming majority of prisoners

questioned either stated their belief in God, or spent time

with the chaplain or in the chapel 'by choice', if such a

concept exists in prison. It is therefore likely that the

prisoners surveyed hold a more favourable view of the chaplain

than those prisoners who have little or no contact.

It is impossible to generalise about the relationship between

the chaplain and prison officers. It is clear from the

interviews with prison chaplains and prison officers that in

some prisons chaplains face considerable hostility from some

of their work colleagues. Overall, there is a lack of

understanding of the role of the chaplain by prison staff and,

possibly because of this, at least a significant minority of

officers view chaplains negatively. This is manifested in the

officers' behaviour towards chaplains such as ignoring them or

regarding their presence as irrelevant. This perception of the

chaplain, as a 'do-gooder', who has no valuable professional

contribution to the prison community, was found to be most

prevalent at HMP Frankland, HMP Durham and Acklington Prison;

the three prison regimes that carried the highest security of

the adult prisons investigated. In these establishments, even

where male chaplains had good personal relationships with

staff, this did not translate to acceptance or credibility.

The female chaplains in these prisons did not believe that

they had problems with other members of staff, although the

prison officers questioned were not gender specific in their

criticisms or praise of the chaplaincy. Interestingly, the

chaplains at Deerbolt YOI, Castington YOI and HMP Askham

Grange, with lower security categories, claimed to have good

relationships with their fellow officers. Unfortunately this

cannot be verified as staff from these institutions were not

interviewed.

Yet, the chaplain's privilege of confidentiality within prison

regimes is unique. Combined with the appeal of a spiritual

solution, such privacy in a world of constant surveillance

means that in times of crisis some prison officers abandon

their prejudices and turn to the chaplain for help. This

implies that the perception of the chaplain is not fixed or

definite and can either improve or decline, depending on

personal dealings and relationships with other members of

staff. What is certain is that 'respect' for the chaplaincy is

earned rather than ascribed.

The role that the chaplain performs is ultimately the reason

for their enforced isolation from other members of staff. The

conflicting interests of the chaplains' masters, church and

state separates them from their secular colleagues. The

chaplains must ensure that their functions are legitimate in

the eyes of both the state and their church, which cannot

necessarily be done without challenging colleagues or the

operation of the prison regime. The dehumanisation which

characterises the penal system contrasts sharply with the

chaplain's mission to bring love and compassion to all

confined behind the prison walls.

The research suggests that chaplains have little impact on the

lives of the majority of prisoners. On the wing, chaplains are

unpopular. Peer pressure, the lack of privacy and the 'macho'

culture of prison, combined with the association of bad news

with the chaplain, prevent many prisoners being openly

friendly. Yet, chaplains claim when they have a one-to-one

private discussion with prisoners, whether Christians or non-

Christians, their captive parishioners usually are friendly.

Which of these two scenarios most accurately reflects the true

perception of the chaplains and their credibility among

prisoners is not clear. The chaplains and the majority of

prisoners questioned claimed that at least a minority hold the

chaplain in high regard. In the prison, with the often false

relationships between prisoners and the confrontational stance

between prisoner and staff, the chaplain is often the

prisoner's only 'friend' and confidante. Although, in

quantifiable terms the presence of the chaplain is virtually

negligible, for some prisoners their faith, and contact with a

chaplain may significantly improve their quality of life.

On the surface, the reformative impact of the chaplain appears

to be insignificant. Yet, the notion that a person's belief in

a religion which promises future rewards for the suffering of

the present, may have an impact on the lives of prisoners. The

Church of England's theological interpretation of the Pauline

thesis of civil obedience can be analysed in context of the

prison regime. If prison is regarded as an unacceptable and

inappropriate form of punishment, it is possible that the

presence and teachings of the chaplain may prevent a

significant challenge. Chaplains and officers claimed that

chaplains often communicated better with difficult prisoners

than other members of staff, possibly diffusing volatile

situations. Prisoners gave accounts of how they had changed

because of their belief in God. In earlier chapters it was

suggested that the church and religions play an important part

in the maintenance of hegemony. The teachings of religion may

make the unacceptable, acceptable. In this context, the

chaplain's presence can act as an 'opiate' to disillusioned

prisoners, thus suppressing opposition to the penal system.

The analysis thus far presents the chaplain as being in a non-

influential role as it relates to the majority of staff and

prisoners. Yet, a zealous chaplain, eager for converts, could

manipulate individual prisoners, thus ultimately ministering

to a wider audience. The chaplains were however aware of the

dangers of over-influencing their captive parishioners and the

possible negative consequences of a religious conversion for

prisoners while in prison and after release. The research

also suggests that the chaplains had to contend with clergy

and Christians in the community who hold punitive views. Some

of the chaplains faced hostility when challenging these

perceptions of the prison.

Most chaplains interviewed regarded the penal establishments

as a form of exclusion rather than a means for facilitating

the reform or rehabilitation of an offender. Without doubt,

prison is the personification of short-term sentencing

policies. Prison does little to compensate the victim and

fails to address the offender's behaviour or provide a remedy

for the irrational nature of much ‘criminality’ and other

problematic conduct. Yet ultimately, it has long-term

implications for the lives of those it contains. The Assistant

Chaplain General clearly argued that the chaplain must support

the prison as a legitimate form of punishment. This

endorsement of state punishment highlights the Established

Church's theological standpoint that the state performs

punishment on God's behalf. This understanding of the

scriptures requires the roles of church, state and punishment

to be interlocked for 'God's will' to be carried out on earth.

The mutual support between church and state throughout the

centuries has conferred legitimacy upon both institutions. The

chaplain's presence in prison reaffirms the Christian Church's

acceptance of the state's monopoly of physical repression.

However, the radical critique of liberation theologians

(Miranda, 1977) challenges the assumption that the state is

'God's agent' of retribution4. Liberation theologians call for

the abolition of laws made by 'man' (sic), arguing that

justice cannot be achieved this way. Therefore, as the prison

is made by 'man' (sic) and upholds 'man-made' (sic) laws, then

likewise, the prison should also be abolished. While all

chaplains proclaimed a prophetic role in the prison, defending

and advocating humanitarian reforms, only a minority

considered that this role should entail demand for prison

abolition.

The chaplain's role previously has been described as promoting

reconciliation with the prisoner's self, with others and with

God. However, the chaplains interviewed highlighted the

inappropriate nature of the prison as a means for

reconciliation, proposing that prison was neither helpful for

the prisoner nor the victim. They considered that prison

prevented reconciliation rather than facilitating it. It has

also been asserted that some offenders want to be imprisoned

in order to repay a debt to society. This justification does

not provide a legitimate basis for imprisonment as neither the

state, nor broader society, forgives prisoners. While this4 See Scott, D. (2012b) “Church, state and imprisonment: towards a sociological and theological critique of state punishment” in Justice Reflections, Volume 30

perspective may enable offenders to take responsibility for

their actions, other forms of punishment, providing

opportunities for reconciliation and avoiding the

stigmatisation of imprisonment, could be more preferable and

morally justifiable options.

Whatever the justifications or not of evangelism in society,

any proposition that religious conversion is a legitimate

justification for imprisonment requires critical scrutiny. The

inherent vulnerability of the prisoners and the subsequent

power of the chaplains to manipulate their captive

parishioners, combined with the brutalisation of prison

regimes, points towards the unacceptability of prison as a

'Bible College'. It is debatable whether 'repentance to God'

under such deprived and persuasive conditions is desirable.

Prison thus has dubious legitimate status as a means of

reforming offenders through Christianity. Whatever the

similarities between the cellular structure of the monastery

and the prison in the former institution, repentance is an act

of free will; this is not and never can be the case in the

prison. Religion can have no legitimate role in prison other

than guaranteeing the rights of the prisoners to practice

their faith.

Prison chaplains have a historic and prophetic role as prison

reformers. However, reform has a nasty side-effect of

protecting, supporting and providing even greater legitimation

for the prison. The chaplain who disagrees with the prison

system ultimately can only provide justice for wrongdoers and

those who have been wronged by opposing the penal

establishment instead of attempting to modify it.5 While

humanitarian reforms may improve the conditions of those

currently incarcerated, they do not contest the

appropriateness of the prison as a form of punishment.

But why should Anglican and other Christian chaplains wish to

challenge the prison? The Christian theology of punishment,

which is accepted by the Established Church, is clear:

Christians should support the State's right to punish, but are

free to challenge the methods used in its discharge.

Certainly, a number of the chaplains interviewed questioned

the legitimacy of the prison and one chaplain described it as

'unChristian'. Alternatively, responses to wrongdoing may

better serve both offender and victim if based on notions of

restitution, reconciliation and 'shalom'. Means of redress

could be located in the community rather than behind the walls

of a prison. The chaplain is ideally positioned to inform the

debate on abolitionism, especially to the Christian community

outside of prison.

5 See Mathiesen (1974) The Politics of Abolition for detailed discussionon the necessity for "unfinished" proposals on prison reform, andthe susceptibility of prison reform to strengthen theseillegitimate institutions rather than significantly improving thelives of those contained within them.

Undoubtedly, the chaplain has played an important role in the

history of the penal system and this study suggests that the

chaplain may have an important part to play in its future.

The decision whether to support the continuation of prison as

the ultimate sanction of the state, or as a crucial ally to

reformers calling for its abolition, could be decisive. What

is beyond question is that the chaplain can no longer be

ignored by academics either sociologists of historians. The

chaplains are not simply surrogate social workers or

psychologists.6 The contemporary chaplain’s role is

distinctive and cannot be compared to any other member of

staff in the ‘community of cells’.

Chaplains perform an independent function, ministering to

often ungrateful parishioners and possibly provide a social

bridge between prisoners and staff.7 The potential, however,

for improvements in the discharge of state interventions in

response to personal harms, troubles and problems are immense.

6 See Garland (1990), who believes that the chaplain's role issimilar to that of a social worker.

7 This study of the perception of the prison chaplain onlyincorporated the views of a small number of prisoners and prisonstaff. It is essential for further understanding of theperception of the chaplain that more detailed research isundertaken on the opinions of both staff and prisoners. It isalso necessary to investigate further the differences in the rolebetween the ecumenical partners in the Christian ministry; thedifferences between full and part time chaplains; and, possibleof even greater importance, the role and perception of non-Christian ministers of religion. These three areas are notadequately covered in this study.

A massive reduction in the number of prisons and their

possible replacement by community based alternatives would

require a drastic appraisal of the chaplain's role. The

chaplains could become representatives of their respective

Christian denominations or religions in the wider community,

performing a pastoral role dealing with offenders and victims

of crime. The Christian principals of restitution and

reconciliation may be better observed in the community, where

the needs of all members of society could be assessed.

Certainly, teaching offenders, victims of crime and the

Christian community the biblical lessons of love, forgiveness,

compassion and acceptance may facilitate a greater

understanding of the needs of offenders and their criminalised

behaviour. This potential role for the Christian prison

chaplain in the community could be more productive than the

current attempts to express God's love in an environment based

on depriving prisoners of their freedom.

References

Garland, D (1990) Punishment and Modern Society: A Study of Social Theory,Oxford University Press.

Mathiesen, T (1974) The Politics of Abolition, Martin Robertson.

Miranda, J P (1977) Marx and the Bible: A Critique of the Philosophy ofOppression, SCM Press Ltd.

Scott, D (2012a) “Priests, prophets and pastors: thehistorical role of the prison chaplain” in Justice Reflections,Volume 31

Scott, D (2012b) “Church, state and imprisonment: towards asociological and theological critique of state punishment”in Justice Reflections, Volume 30