Insert Your Text

ACCA MISSION STATEMENT IF THEY’RE It shall be the purpose of the American Correctional Chaplains Association [ACCA}, an affiliate of the American Correctional SO RELIGIOUS Association [ACA], to:

 serve as a professional organization for pastoral care personnel in the corrections field, President Anthony Bruno  provide a network for sharing of 24 Wolcott Hill Rd. information and resources amongst its Wethersfield, CT 06109 members and with corrections TEL: 860.692.7577 administrators, [email protected]  formulate standards for chaplaincy and religious programming in correctional facilities, Membership Secretary  develop and implement certification for Stephen Hall correctional chaplains, 302 W. Washington St., E334  advance the role of correctional Indianapolis, IN 46204 chaplains, and TEL: 317.233.5236  communicate the religious and spiritual [email protected] aspects of corrections to the larger community. Communications Gary Friedman P.O. Box 85840 HOW COME Seattle, WA 98145-1840 TEL: 206.985.0577 FAX: 206.526.7113 THEY’RE IN [email protected] JAIL? Photos by Serge J-F. Levy (except as noted) A message from the

We proudly dedicate this brochure to ACCA member extraordinaire Sister Margaret For membership and more information, AMERICAN CORRECTIONAL Granziano of Lane County Adult Corrections in visit the ACCA website at Eugene, Oregon, seen here as she becomes the www.correctionalchaplains.org CHAPLAINS ASSOCIATION first chaplain to ever receive the E.R. Cass or contact your regional ACCA Award, the corrections industry’s highest honor, www.correctionalchaplains.org at the 133rd Congress of Correction in 2003. representative. Photo: ACA Archives www.correctionalchaplains.org and corrections systems to dialogue openly Of course, most inmates about their concerns. This often includes weren’t all that ethically, morally or religiously observant before they notification of death or other tragedy and were jailed and afforded AN OVERVIEW OF CHAPLAIN DUTIES grief counseling in such situations – the opportunities of particularly difficult tasks that require special correctional programs. Many correctional agencies employ staff sensitivity. Fortunately, however, in- chaplains who serve as religious custody and post-release programs managers, insuring that all Chaplains perform liturgical duties for their religious programs are available to help prisoners are able to access and practice own faith offenders turn their lives around, to open the the faiths of their choice. This requires groups/ doors to them becoming productive, law- extensive knowledge of the standards and denominations. abiding citizens. practices of a diverse range of faiths and denominations therein, as well as policies Chaplains Members of the American Correctional and procedures that govern all aspects of contribute Chaplains Association [ACCA] are the jail system. Some agencies also utilize considerably to privileged to serve as messengers in faith-specific chaplains who only minister to the orderly operation of jails by providing furthering this objective. those of their own denominational groups. positive reinforcement and diffusing frustration, anger and stress amongst THE ROLE OF THE PROFESSIONAL Staff chaplains are usually responsible for prisoners and staff, thereby lessening CORRECTIONAL CHAPLAIN religious volunteer threats, assaults and other negative recruitment, training, behaviors. They positively impact agency Much like our colleagues in the military and coordination and finances by resolving disputes, averting at hospitals, supervision, working harm to individuals and damage to facilities correctional closely with and the lawsuits that may result from such chaplains representatives of the occurrences and issues of religious rights. provide pastoral various faith communities care to those to encourage community Chaplains represent correctional agencies, who are participation and insuring particularly in matters of community liaison, disconnected that volunteer activities advising other clergy and laypersons of jail- from the general community by certain are conducted in a diverse, yet secure related matters and thereby raising the circumstances – in this case, to those who manner. awareness of the larger religious and are incarcerated. We also minister to facility secular communities to the uniqueness of staff members, their families and/or families Chaplains are the primary advisors on and corrections issues. of prisoners (as permitted by agency policy). implementers of religious program policy, clarifying issues involving various faith Professional correctional chaplains – such practices, religious articles, religious diets as those qualified by ACCA’s certification and other religious standards, insuring that process – are credentialed in Clinical these are permitted to fullest extent possible Pastoral Education and other specialized within usually restrictive jail environs. training that enables them to effectively deal with the unique dynamics of corrections. As Chaplains provide pastoral counseling, they also represent their individual faith thereby communities, they are properly endorsed by affording bona fide religious adjudicatory bodies. opportunities ACCA is a multi-faith organization that for prisoners was established in 1885. and others affected by Our Code of Ethics has been adopted by the justice numerous correctional agencies as the official standard for their chaplaincies.