Dr Chrysanthi Leon and Maggie Buckridge are interviewing formerly incarcerated folks about their re-entry experiences with religious communities. They are especially interested in learning about what religious communities provide for people on the sex offender registry. In addition to speaking with those who found a church or another place of worship to join, they are also interviewing people who wanted to join a place of worship but did not because of various barriers. The purpose of this study is to examine what re-entry practices for religious communities people find beneficial, and what practices they find stigmatizing and harmful. What are re-entering persons hoping to find in religious participation and community after incarceration? What is it like to join or re-join a religious community after incarceration? What practices deter re-entering persons from attending or partaking in certain religious communities?
Participants will receive a $20 gift card as a token of appreciation. Interviews typically last around 60-90 minutes. Please pass this along to anyone you know who may be interested in participating. If you have any questions, or are interested in participating, please reach out to Maggie Buckridge: [email protected] and Dr. Chrysanthi Leon: [email protected]. Their study consent form is here.
My church restricted me from attending there for a victimless offense after a decade of safe fellowship, after which I found a new more tolerant church home. I do not advertise my past, though key persons know. I restrict myself from gatherings I think might be considered dubious by some. I do not like the fact that our laws made by those that do not follow academia or those that want to appear “tough on crime,” have followed me into my life after serving my punishment. Read how Germany is handling its sex offender citizens as a model. We should be ashamed.
I have a bitter sense about church & I see the hypocrisy. No educated person who also loves the Constitution can choose draconian rejection of believers seeking a relationship with church & God. We have technology, laws, hosts, greeters, & restrict access to areas in the church in order to protect the masses. McDonalds & others can do it. Churches should not hide behind the fear of sin, but take precautions for the safety of all members. The Registry is inclusive of mostly those guilty of lesser crimes like selfies, public urination in parks or construction sites, nudity in semi-public areas like the woods, beach, or after hours motel pools, viewing illegal images, underage consensual sex, prostitution, none represent any more a risk than others who are facing demons in their minds, stimulated by pornography or other immoral behavior. Most are not traffickers, rapists, & those guilty of violent behavior. You need to cleanse the Registry from those demonstrating intent to violence from those guilty of offenses of low risk before we begin denying faith based attendance. Luke 15 talks about finding a lost sheep. Sheep get lost because they are hungry and are looking for grass. They go farther and higher until eventually they get stuck, & they need someone to either rescue them or they will fall to their (spiritual) death. Humans are looking for something to feed their souls, & all see in varying degrees sin in the privacy of their minds. It may have been foolish for the shepherd to leave 99 sheep to go after just one, but he knew that each sheep was of high value. Each sinner is of high value. There is more joy in heaven over the one lost sinner who repents & returns to God than over the 99 others who are righteous & haven’t strayed away.
I think I will chime in here since all the other postings are centered around Christianity. I am not a Christian. I practiced my faith while incarcerated and when I was released, I went to my rabbi (the same one as when I entered prison) and was frank with my situation and asked if there was any problem continuing to attend there. Even went so far as to say I was “Ok with someone being assigned to me”.
He said that I was welcome. He said that there are cameras all over the place and who was he to deny a Jew the right to worship G-d. Not only did I nearly break down and cry in his office, but nearly wept when, for the first time in a decade, I could worship as I wanted to.
I stay quiet and mind my own business. But, have been called up to the bema and read from the Torah just like any synagogue member. Yes, was allowed to join the synagogue membership. I have donated items to the after-service meal and have become known as “the donut guy”. (another story)
All in all, I have found the Jewish community as a whole to be rather acceptive of ANY Jew who wishes to worship. Unlike the stories I hear of the Christian community.
Mark – it depends on the congregation. Even among the Jewish religion there’s the full spectrum. There are religious groups (such as the Aleph Institute which is affiliated with the Shul of Bal Harbor) who are dedicated to serving the prison and reentry population, and there are some congregations who expressly excluded people from their own children’s bnai’ mitzvot because there was a junior congregation on campus. There is no group “as a whole” that is more accepting than another.
Also there may be differences between Reform and Orthodox in how they handle this situation. Typically in an Orthodox shul (such as Bal Harbor and others), the rabbi calls the shots. If he feels that you present a manageable (or negligible) safety risk then you can expect your spiritual needs to be accommodated, regardless of what certain other worshippers may think. You can get an assessment quickly without the issue hanging over your head, and with a minimum of lashon hara. And it helps if you accept responsibility.
But in a Reform synagogue, the rabbi is answerable to a lay board, who may have difficulty reaching consensus and may not well understand the concepts of lashon hara or teshuvah. Just one uncomfortable or uninformed board member can potentially have veto power over a registrant’s involvement.
This is based on personal observation (and that of podcaster/activist Jason), not more statistical study as Drs Leon and Buckridge are doing. But I will share these details with them if they feel they are relevant.
I, too, often find myself called to the Torah and treated as an equal, despite my poor past life choices, and it is my hope that registrants of other faiths can undergo similar experiences.
Also Orthodox shuls tend to be far more involved in prisoner support (Aleph being just one example) and as a result of those experiences are better equipped to make realistic risk assessments. Whereas, a Reform rabbi admitted to me that those in his movement have a tendency to forget individuals once they are incarcerated.
Just a personal observation, not a knock on this or that movement of this relatively small religion.
In response to both of the persons who commented on my post, I will agree that there is a difference between Orthodox and Reform. I am a member of an Orthodox shul. And am very familiar with Aleph and their ministry in prison. Most of my experience is with Orthodoxy. However, I do have a friend or two in the Reform shuls and even the Messianic ones and the ones that I am aware of have been accepted. That doesn’t mean there isn’t room for improvement or other situations where things don’t go so well.
And, after I posted this, I had some second thoughts about what I said. In no wise was I trying to dis the Christian religion. There are many groups out there (like Kairos) which does many things for prisoners in prison. And my hat is off to them for their work.
And I have heard of churches who will accept registrants as worshippers. So, my apologies if any of what I had said was offensive to anyone. Such was not my intention.
My personal experience–including second hand knowledge–is it seems that POST-prison acceptance seems to be an issue of one level or another among nearly every faith. To one degree or another. Maybe I am just lucky. If so, I thank G-d for that. Having that spiritual balance is important to me.
I emailed them, no reply yet.
Large response, hang in there they will get to you
Most 9f the ” religious” groups don’t want any sex offenders in their programs. In the te entry office on Orient Rd in Tampa there is a huge poster for ABE Ministries. They offer classes, a place to sleep, food, counseling,etc. But not for any sex crimes. We are the lowest form of life to most people. Even if you never touched anyone and are caught in the stings and scams law enforcement pulls. Most of us were arrested for being lonely. But being lonely isn’t in the Constitution. But you can open carry a gun in most states. Abortion was reversed because they say it wasn’t in the Constitution. Sex offenses aren’t in the original Constitution either.
I know, right? Its like saying a murderer or a drug dealer can be forgiven, but not someone who commits a sex crime. Where in the Bible does it say that? Last time I read the Bible it said God hates all sin, and there is no sin worse than another, because if we break just one commandment, we’ve broken them all. Also the last time I looked, the only sin that won’t be forgiven is blasphemy against the Holy Spirit.
It matters not how minor we think a sin is. In God’s eyes, someone who steals a pack of bubble gum is just as bad as someone who commits genocide and unless he repents, will be thrown into the lake of fire along with the mass murderer.
Any preacher who turns away someone who committed a sex crime but accepts a former shoplifter will have to answer for that one day.
So much for “Come all, love all, accept all.”
I decided while down that I wanted to return to my religious roots of Catholicism. It’s been a mixed bag. We attend Mass every week and most folks are friendly but I was informed by the parish administrator that I was welcome to worship there but I cannot volunteer for service anywhere. So I don’t, period. And when they make appeals for volunteers I just console myself with the fact that they cut their nose off despite their face. Also, initially we contributed to the church but no more and haven’t ever since. I donate to a lot of other charities and causes but I will not support the local parish or diocese because for an entity that still has so many problems with clergy sexual abuse they have nothing in place that helps registrants. The fact is that most all of us can walk in and attend Mass anywhere without saying squat to anybody about who we are or our past and…really, that’s enough for me. The good that I could do for and among them is squandered and all my good works and my money go to people like FAC and others who care about helping us. “Christians” tend to forget two very important verses from the New Testament. Matthew 7:12 says, “So whatever you wish that men would do to you, do so to them; for this is the law and the prophets.” and Luke 15:2 And the Pharisees and the scribes murmured, saying, “This man receives sinners and eats with them.”
My own faith is strong but don’t expect much from churches so see to your own souls my friends. Christ still receives sinners and eats with them.
You are not alone there. I didn’t mind not being able to volunteer so much, but the inability to help or participate did not make my faith grow. I found more help, comfort and faith in a twelve step group than I ever did in my parish.
Luckily i was not incarcerated. That being said i was a member of Christ fellowship for 10 years before i caught my charge. After my sentencing i tried to attend and was told that i had to attend online for the safety of the children. because of my sentence i was not able to use my computer for at least 6 months. What i got from all of that was these big churches are in it solely for the money. they praise compassion and love of God but when it comes to helping those that need it they are complete hypocrites. i tried 2 other larger churches and got the same response as long as your on the registry its a no go. so you can not tell them and attend a hypocritical service or you can do what i do and talk to god on a daily basis without attending service
What do religious communities provide for people on the sex offender registry? Simple answer. Most provide nothing. Most will ask a registrant to leave once its found out the person is on the registry.
I’m speaking from experience. Most churches are filled with hypocrites who think they’re better than everyone else.
We are characterizing ‘most churches’ before the study has even begun.
It happens that my religious community has helped me a lot. It helped that I was up front with its leadership.
I’ll rephrase that. When I said most churches, it was those I personally looked into. I was either not welcome or it was a church that promoted false teachings.
I know there are a lot of churches that don’t care about a person’s past, but I have yet to find one that preaches the Bible and salvation, not all this false prosperity nonsense.