Doing God's Work Behind Bars: Chaplains' Reactions to Employment in Prison

Abstract

Although the importance of religion to the philosophy, experience, and practice of imprisonment is widely recognized, little scholarly attention has been given to prison chaplains. The current study addresses this oversight by exploring how a national sample of chaplains experiences their work. Despite persistent cultural and legal doubts about the appropriate role of religion in American prisons and shifting occupational expectations, chaplains are remarkably happy employees who appear to cope well with the demands of their work. Like other prison employees, chaplains' reactions to work were related to job characteristics, most notably role conflict and job dangerousness.

Key Words:

• Prison chaplains
• correctional workers
• job satisfaction
• work stress