Prison chaplains
Medhina reflects on the positive work of Quaker prison chaplains
My first attendance at the Quaker Prison Chaplains Conference towards the end of 2017 was full of valuable information, friendly folk, encouragement, sparkling presentations and startling statistics.
There were three presentations on the Saturday and three participatory events during our weekend. Thirty-four participants were clustered in smaller, geographically-based, ‘home groups’ so that we could share our experience of prisons and their multi-faith chaplaincy teams in our region. The committee did us proud with the smooth organisation of this imaginative programme.
Katie Fraser, northern services manager for Women in Prison, had me bolt upright in my seat with some statistics concerning the number of women imprisoned: for a first offence (far more than men); for minor offences, including theft; the minuscule number who are sentenced for violent crime (most not be a danger to the public then!); the high number suffering from mental illness and/or substance misuse (higher than the proportion of men); and, finally, the effects of their prison sentence on their children (approximately 18,000 children currently).
The conclusion seems obvious: that the sentencing of women, and their treatment in prison, should have some significant differences to that of men. These differences were highlighted in the forty-three recommendations of the Corston Report in 2007 – but ten years later we still await its implementation.
Jonathan Green, development director for the Welcome Directory, highlighted the need for systems of continuing care on release from prison to reduce the rate of recidivism. As faith communities we have a major role to play in supporting those people that have accessed chaplaincy during their sentence and seen the light at the end of the tunnel.
Without the boundaries set in prison the temptation to walk into an off-licence or seek the company of old friends must be enormous. Can we support ex-prisoners’ efforts at turning over a new leaf? There are some support systems, but often a prisoner has been incarcerated far from home and lost links with family. Jonathan Green’s effort to create a directory, available not only on paper but as a phone app, will enable those released to find faith group support no matter what part of the country they find themselves in. It depends on Meetings creating a welcome, with safeguarding in place, and registering with the organisation. There is the ‘Call to Action’ for all Friends to pursue this with their Meeting.
‘Changing Tunes’ visited in the evening to inspire and entertain us. This small charity takes music into prisons, and offers workshops with instruments and voice. One of their participants said: ‘When we are making music is the only time that I don’t feel as if I’m in prison.’ They have been based mainly in the South West, where they go into twelve prisons, but are developing work in the Midlands. One ex-prisoner participant, sentenced to eight years, has completed his parole and is embarking on a career as a professional musician. How good is that! The group treated us to original songs, guitar and ‘singing bowl’ playing that moved me to the core.
The most impressive part of the presentations was meeting the ex-prisoners who led or participated in them. They were confident, expert and forward looking – and great encouragement for us. And what of the short participatory events? We had a Death Cafe. In 2016 204 prisoners died from natural causes within the confines of a prison. Facing death affects us all, and with an extra barb for them. Maybe Death Cafes could be taken inside the walls?
During epilogue, as well as delightful songs and a ‘monologue of the transported’, we walked the labyrinth as a group meditation – and staying at Woodbrooke was amazing. Animated conversations over the mealtime and coffee break are every bit a part of the event. The quality, friendliness and comfort of the hospitality are unsurpassed.
