Angola Prison: Churches Behind Bars

Louisiana State Penitentiary, also known as Angola, is the largest maximum-security prison in the United States. The prison is located on 18,000 acres of a working prison farm and houses over 6,300 inmates in five separate complexes. Angola is unique in that it is the only prison in America that allows inmates to run their own churches. This practice has its roots in the prison's history as a plantation, where slaves were assigned to various work camps and organised their own churches. Today, inmates lead their own congregations and serve in lay-ministry capacities in hospice, cell block visitation, and death row.

The history of the Angola Prison Seminary

The Angola Prison Seminary, located inside the Louisiana State Penitentiary, is a satellite campus of the New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary. It was established in 1995 by Warden Burl Cain as a cornerstone of his philosophy of "moral rehabilitation". The seminary is a faith-based ministry aimed at reforming individuals by instilling morality through religious programming.

Prior to the establishment of the seminary, the Angola prison was one of the most violent and dangerous prisons in the country. In 1992, the prison experienced 1,346 assaults, both inmate-on-inmate and inmate-on-staff. However, after the implementation of the seminary and other religious programs, the violence significantly decreased. By 2012, there were only 55 assaults on staff and 316 among inmates, despite the prison's large population of over 6,300 inmates.

The idea for the seminary came about due to funding cuts in the 1990s that affected prisoner education. Warden Cain reached out to the New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary to explore the possibility of providing collegiate-level coursework to the prisoners. The seminary agreed to the collaboration, covering the costs with outside donations. This partnership resulted in the creation of the Angola Prison Seminary, a four-year rigorous course that includes the study of Greek and Hebrew, as well as techniques for "sidewalk ministry".

The program has produced hundreds of graduates, many of whom have become inmate ministers. These inmate ministers serve throughout the prison in various roles such as leading churches, working in hospice, visiting those on death row, delivering death notifications, conducting funerals, and counselling the bereaved. They also serve as seminary tutors and literacy coaches. The inmate ministers are governed by a "relationship theology", focusing on interpersonal relationships and serving the prison community.

The impact of the seminary on the prison has been significant. It has contributed to a culture change within the prison, providing inmates with a sense of purpose and a new way to address their past. Religious practice at Angola offers an alternative to destructive aspects of prison life and has been described by inmates as "cathartic", "liberating", "healing", and "precious". It gives them the spiritual strength to endure their sentences and deal with their past traumas.

The Angola Prison Seminary has also gained attention from scholars and corrections officials, with some arguing that it is a successful model for prison rehabilitation. It showcases how faith-based efforts can bring positive change to the lives of prisoners, helping them find meaning, identity, and redemption. The program has been studied and analysed by researchers, who have found that it has led to deep-level changes in self-identity and reduced criminal involvement among the inmates.

The impact of faith-based initiatives on inmate rehabilitation

The Louisiana State Penitentiary, also known as Angola, is America's largest maximum-security prison, with 6,300 inmates. Angola is a potent reminder of the connection between slavery, Jim Crow, and mass incarceration. With few options for early release and little incentive for self-improvement, 90% of those incarcerated at Angola die within its walls.

In this context, faith-based initiatives have been shown to have a positive impact on inmate rehabilitation. Angola is the only prison in America that allows inmates to run their own churches—a practice with roots in the prison's history as a plantation, where slaves organised their own religious services. These religious communities were formalised following a 1974 federal consent decree, which found that conditions at the prison were appalling.

In 1994, the federal government revoked Pell Grant eligibility for convicted felons, denying college funding to millions of prisoners. In response, the warden of Angola, Burl Cain, reached out to the New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary (NOBTS) to explore the possibility of providing collegiate-level coursework to inmates. This led to the creation of the Angola Prison Seminary, a faith-based program for mental healthcare and inmate rehabilitation.

The Angola Prison Seminary focuses on introducing inmates to faith and helping them find value and purpose through it. Inmates are trained to offer counselling to their fellow prisoners, deliver sermons, officiate funerals, and deliver care packages to the ill. This model has been particularly effective at Angola, especially with its "sidewalk counselling" component, where the counselling inmate asks leading questions to guide the other inmate to an answer. This approach has been shown to positively impact both parties, as the counsellor feels an increased sense of self-worth, and the advisee feels heard and seen.

In addition to the Angola Prison Seminary, there are several other faith-based programs that have been shown to reduce recidivism and promote rehabilitation. For example, the InnerChange Freedom Initiative, a faith-based prisoner re-entry program that has operated in Minnesota since 2002, has been shown to reduce recidivism and save taxpayer money. Another example is the Life Connections Program (LCP), a formal faith-based program with a multi-faith approach that explicitly accommodates any faith choice, including atheism.

Faith-based programs have been shown to promote feelings of hope and self-worth, which can play a major role in reducing recidivism. They provide an environment of support and companionship through a social community, and they can help to develop prosocial skills and behaviours that emphasise concern for the welfare of others. These programs can also assist in identity transformation, guiding individuals in constructing new identities centred around qualities such as compassion, non-violence, and patience.

Overall, faith-based initiatives have been shown to have a positive impact on inmate rehabilitation, providing a sense of purpose, improving mental health and well-being, and reducing recidivism. These programs offer a holistic approach to reducing recidivism rates, transforming prison culture, and creating a safer and more stable environment for inmates.

The role of the New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary

The New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary (NOBTS) has played a pivotal role in the Angola Prison, America's largest maximum-security prison, by providing theological education to inmates and helping to establish the Inmate Minister Program.

In 1995, the Warden of Angola Prison, Burl Cain, approached NOBTS with a unique request. Known as the "bloodiest prison in America," Angola was facing significant challenges. Warden Cain envisioned a process of moral rehabilitation for inmates through theological education, training them to become faith leaders within the prison walls. Despite limited funding, then-President of NOBTS, Dr. Chuck Kelley, agreed to this request and began offering bachelor's-level theological courses inside Angola.

The Inmate Minister Program at Angola, a collaboration between the prison and NOBTS, deploys trained graduates of the seminary in various pastoral roles. These inmate ministers lead congregations, serve in hospice care, visit those on death row, deliver family death notifications, officiate inmate funerals, and provide counselling services. They also act as social mentors, helping newly incarcerated individuals adjust to prison life and manage their emotions and behaviours.

The impact of the program has been significant. Violence within the prison has markedly reduced, and the transformation of Angola from one of the most violent prisons to a place with innovative programs has been attributed in part to the existence of the prison seminary. The inmate ministers, through their ability to connect with their peers and respond to escalating issues, have positively influenced the prison environment.

NOBTS has expanded its programs to other maximum-security prisons across the nation, and the concept has been adopted by seminaries and Christian universities beyond NOBTS. The success of the Angola Prison Seminary has also inspired similar initiatives internationally through the Global Prison Seminaries Foundation, established by former Warden Burl Cain.

The role of NOBTS in Angola Prison has been instrumental in providing educational opportunities, fostering spiritual growth, and contributing to a significant reduction in violence. It has offered inmates a chance at moral rehabilitation and personal transformation, with far-reaching implications for the American corrections system and prison reform.

The unique nature of Angola's inmate-led churches

The Louisiana State Penitentiary, also known as Angola, is the largest maximum-security prison in the United States. It is located on the site of a former slave plantation and is nicknamed the "Alcatraz of the South".

Angola is unique in that it is the only penitentiary in the US where inmates are allowed to independently run their own churches. This practice is rooted in the prison's history as a plantation, where slaves were allowed to organise their own churches.

The inmate-led churches at Angola include Baptist, Pentecostal, Catholic, Methodist, and other Christian worship communities, collectively referred to as the "Angola Church". The religious demographics of the Angola Church mirror those of the surrounding state of Louisiana. Adherents of other faiths, including a small group of Muslim inmates, also openly practice their religions at the prison.

The Angola Prison Seminary, launched in 1995, is a faith-based programme that offers inmates the opportunity to train as ministers and provide religious counselling and support to their fellow inmates. The programme is affiliated with the New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary and deploys trained graduates in pastoral service roles throughout the prison.

The impact of the Angola Prison Seminary has been significant. Inmates who participate in the programme lead congregations, work in hospice care, visit those on death row, deliver death notifications to inmates, conduct funerals, and provide counselling. They also serve as tutors and literacy coaches.

The programme has been credited with reducing violence and fostering positive change and rehabilitation among inmates. It provides a sense of purpose and meaning, particularly for those serving life sentences, and helps to address core issues such as loneliness and isolation. The focus on "relationship theology" and "right behaviour for the right reasons" offers a counterculture to the oppressive and punitive nature of the prison system.

However, it is important to note that the role of religion at Angola is complex and has been the subject of criticism. Some have argued that the prison is run on fear rather than the prospects of redemption, and that religious conversion may be used as a means of gaining privileges or avoiding punishment. Additionally, there are concerns about the exclusion of other religious groups and the prevention of prison ministers from supporting parole applications or communicating privately with inmates.

The relationship between religion and recidivism rates

Religion has been shown to have a positive impact on recidivism rates, with studies finding that inmates who participate in faith-based programs are less likely to reoffend. Religious programs have been found to help inmates develop a sense of self-worth and identity, which can lead to better behaviour and lower recidivism rates.

One study found that inmates who participated in Bible studies were significantly less likely to be rearrested during a one-year follow-up period. Another study found that inmates who took part in faith-based programs were less likely to be rearrested, re-convicted, or re-incarcerated.

However, the impact of religion on recidivism rates is complex and multifaceted. The effectiveness of religious programs depends on a variety of factors, including the intensity of an inmate's participation, the type of religious program, and the individual characteristics of the inmates themselves.

Furthermore, the impact of religion on recidivism rates may vary depending on the type of crime committed. For example, one study found that religious programs were effective in reducing substance use among inmates, but had no significant effect on criminal offending.

Overall, while religion and faith-based programs can play a positive role in reducing recidivism rates, more research is needed to fully understand the complex relationship between religion and recidivism.

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