Prison religion

[1] "Prison Ministry" is a larger concept, including the support of the spiritual and religious needs of prison guards and staff, whose work in an often demanding and brutal environment often creates a special need for pastoral care, similar to the care that is extended to the military, police officers and fire fighters.

Many religious groups often supply scripture and reading material, organize programs and worship, and train chaplains for work in prisons.

[2] In the United States, early colonists originated the concept of the penitentiary as a place where inmates would demonstrate their penance and remorse for their crimes through prayer and reflection.

A 2005 Journal for the Scientific Study of Religion study suggests that the practice of religion significantly reduces the chance of prisoners to engage in verbal or physical altercations, and increases the likelihood of reform after completing prison sentence time.

[4] Prisoners may become involved with religion while incarcerated for a variety of reasons ranging from the materially pragmatic to the personal and spiritual.