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SALT LAKE CITY — Religious activity runs high in America's prisons, according to a new survey of prison chaplains in 50 states across the country.
The Pew Forum on Religion & Public Life published the extensive study this week.
It shows 73 percent of prison chaplains say efforts by inmates to convert others are very or somewhat common. About three-quarters of the chaplains say that a lot (26%) or some (51%) religious switching occurs among inmates in the prisons where they work, with Muslims, Protestants and pagan or earth-based religions most commonly cited as growing.
Additionally, the survey showed:
- 73% of chaplains say access to religion-related programs in prison is "absolutely critical" to successful rehabilitation
- A sizable minority say religious extremism is either very (12%) or somewhat (29%) common among inmates
- An overwhelming majority (76%) say religious extremism seldom poses a security threat
The data came from 730 chaplains working in state correctional facilities in all 50 states. Pew says the chaplains were predominately male, middle-aged, white, Christian and highly educated.
More details are available at the Deseret News, and the entire study is found here.
