Ministering to Prisoners
by Fr. Rodney Torbic
Prepared for the Late Vocations/Holy Diaconate Program.
Orthodox Church in America, Diocese of Pittsburgh and Western Pennsylvania. May 15, 2003.
-Ministering to prisoners requires a readiness/willingness to go into a locked institution.
-Ministering to prisoners requires a willingness to go through metal dectectors and to be subject to bodily searches.
-Visitation/ministerial rules vary from institution to institution.
-The federal, state and county governments operate correctional institutions. There are also privately operated facilities.
-Different degrees of confinement exist.
-Visitation space quality will vary between institutions.
-Items that can be brought into a institution are subject to approval and examination.
-Institutions have a process for prior approval of clergy to enter an institution.
-Clergy visit rules can be distinctly different from a regular inmate visit list.
-Serving as a prison/jail chaplain can be different from being a religious advisor for a particular inmate.
-Depending on the institution, an element of personal risk may be involved in making a visit to a correctional institution.
-Institutions have rules in place which are necessary to maintain control. Clergy are expected to abide by the rules.
-The institutional chaplain can be a source of help.
-There are few Orthodox in jail.
-Services for Orthodox Christians are minimal.
-A difference exists between a sentenced and unsentenced prisoner.
-Visitors are important to prisoners.
-When you enter an institution you are subject to the control of the people running the institution.
-Be prepared for delays when you enter an institution.
-Listen carefully to what prisoner says and does not say.
-Do not get financially involved with prisoners.
-When you enter an institution as an Orthodox Christian, maintain the high standards of Orthodox Christianity.
-Do not make commitments you cannot keep.
-If a person is convicted of a crime and serving a sentence, a determination of guilt has been established. To remove that determination, court action is required.
-There are differences between parole and probation.
-Do not attempt to mail or bring anything into an institution which is not permissible.
-Do not pressure prisoners into being "religious."
-If you choose to get involved with prison ministry, prepare yourself well.
-With the rarest exceptions, prisoners with long records are not going to become good overnight.
-Prison ministry is important.
-Ministry to Orthodox Christians is important.
-Most prisoners have not been raised in homes with strong Church involvement.
-Some prisoners may have had extensive Church involvement.
-Be sensitive to victims and to understanding that victims have been harmed, sometimes to extremes.
-Maintain a certain sense of distance and objectivity.
-Maintain decorum.
-Do not get caught up in negative discussions about the institution or the staff.
-It is the rare inmate who is not guilty of the offense for which he or she is sentenced.
-Be aware that plea bargaining occurs. The crimes actually committed may have been more serious than those for which a person was convicted.
-Some prisoners have no living family members.
-Some prisoners have no visitors.
-Prisoners are subject to health and mental health problems just as other people living in the community.
-What you see on television or read about in the newspaper may not be a true representation of prison or jail operations.
-Orthodox Christian witness can make an important statement to a prisoner.
-Visits at certain times can take on greater importance. For instance at times of sentencing, at holiday times, anniversaries, times of illness.
-Prisoners have families. Imprisonment affects families.
-Family members may be mistreated without ever having contributed to the crime.
-Family members may be victims of the prisoner's crimes.
-Prisons or jails may be far from where the prisoner's actual home or family lives.
-Some agencies exist to help prisoners.
-Some prisoners have access to income.
-Jobs and/or educational programs may be available to prisoners.
-Differences exist between adult and juvenile facilities.
-Prisoners will vary in the amount of interest they have in receiving visitors.
-Religious interests vary among prisoners.
-Religious backgrounds vary among prisoners.
-Most prisoners will eventually return to the community.
-Be sensitive to you own attitudes toward prisoners.
-Be sensitive to the attitudes of parishioners.
-Victims of crimes need help just as prisoners need help.
-Parishioners may have been prisoners at one time or another.
-Parishioners may have been victims of crimes.
-Church premises may have been the site of crimes or crime-related activity.
-What you say or do can impact significantly on the person you are talking with.
-Crime, prisoners and victims can be very emotional topics.
-With Christ, prisoners can change.
-With Christ, victims can heal.
-With Christ, ministering to prisoners can take place effectively.
-Be familiar with resources for Orthodox prison ministry.
-Not all institutions permit Communion to be served to inmates in ways commonly done.
-People ministering to prisoners can become crime victims.