Citation

Kuryliak V, Ostashchuk I, Ovchar M. Occasional Papers on Religion in Eastern Europe 2021; 41(7).

Copyright

(Copyright © 2021)

DOI

unavailable

PMID

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Abstract

This article examines the quality of work of religious organizations in places of deprivation of liberty, as well as their interaction with the penitentiary service of Ukraine. It was revealed that the chaplaincy ministry occupies an important place in the Christian churches of Ukraine. In the early 1990s, ministry in Ukrainian prisons was allowed, but most of the churches were at the stage of survival, so they were not able to carry out active work in prisons. At the legislative level, prisoners have ensured freedom of religion, and the penitentiary service was obliged to provide access to representatives of each of the churches of Ukraine. In fact, in most cases, priests of the Orthodox Church have access to prisons. In 2012, the optimization of the legal framework of cooperation between state bodies and the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the Moscow Patriarchate was devoted to a round table whose participants were the deputies and members of the All-Ukrainian Council of Churches and Religious Organizations. The main requirements for prison chaplains are considered, following which chaplains must be prepared for irregular schedules and all kinds of unexpected difficult situations. Protestant service to convicts is carried out to create correctional institutions and local communities appropriate for the rehabilitation of convicts. The evangelical ministry of Protestant chaplains is especially distinguished for the prevention of suicides since clergymen help convicts in overcoming depression and hopelessness. It has been proven that prisoners who agree to undergo a rehabilitation program with chaplains are less likely to return to their previous lifestyle. The rehabilitation course takes place after release when the chaplain helps the person to socialize. Chaplains also pay attention to spiritual and educational work among the staff of correctional colonies. According to statistical data, 90% of convicts who have completed a rehabilitation course do not return to the colony. Thus, the service of prison chaplains can be perceived as one of the levers of state security, which contributes to the proper moral and psychological level of society and the complete rehabilitation of convicts. © 2021, George Fox University Murdock Learning Resource Center. All rights reserved.

Language: en

Keywords

chaplaincy; Christianity; Orthodox Church; prison; Protestant churches; rehabilitation; religion; Roman Catholic Church; the penitentiary system of Ukraine