Dhanalakshmi Thirumalai, BHMS, MPH, Joanne Walker Flowers, MPH, PhD, James Anderson, MD, PhD, MPH, and Tiejian Wu, MD, PhD. Department of Public Health, East Tennessee State University, 21485, Johnson City, TN 37614, 732-596-1814, epidhana@yahoo.com

Persistent high levels of crime in this country have provided support for the need for public programs that help reduce crime rates through effective interventions. Spirituality and religion are considered to play a major part in determining an individual’s attitude towards committing a crime. This study used the 1997 Survey of Inmates in State and Federal correctional facilities (n=18326) conducted by the Bureau of Census for the Bureau of Justice Statistics and Federal Bureau of Prisons. The study analyzed whether inmates in State and Federal prisons in the U.S are involved in prison religious activities and personal prayers, in order to determine if religiosity of inmates is affected by their criminality (measured by offense type). The study showed up to 60% of inmates in both State and Federal prisons were engaged in some kind of religious activity like private prayer or meditation, religious services, or Bible reading, a week before the interview. Since admission to the prisons 31.6% of inmates in Federal prisons and 32.5% in States prisons had joined or participated in Bible study groups; 32.7% of inmates in Federal prisons and 34.2% in State prisons had participated in other religious activities. Based on logistic regression analysis, gender, race, and marital status of inmates were found to be significant predictors of inmates’ religious participation, while offense type was not. Follow up of these inmates after their incarceration period would provide additional evidence as to whether religious participation in the prisons has helped them to refrain from criminal behavior.

Learning Objectives:

• At the conclusion of this session the participants will be able to
• 1.Identify the factors that influence inmates’ participation in religious activities.
• 2.Identify future research questions for better understanding of the association between criminality and religiosity.
• 3.Recognize religious programs in the prisons as a potential method to promote peace and prevent recidivism.

Keywords: Correctional Facility, Religion

Presenting author's disclosure statement:
I do not have any significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.