U.S. Department of Justice Federal Bureau of Prisons OPI: CPD Technical NUMBER: T5360.01 DATE: 3/27/2002 SUBJECT: Practical Guidelines Reference for Administration of Inmate Religious Beliefs and Practices Inmate Religious Beliefs and Practices Religious Beliefs and Practices TRM T5360.01 3/27/2002 Introduction, Page i PRACTICAL GUIDELINES FOR ADMINISTRATION OF INMATE BELIEFS AND PRACTICES INTRODUCTION This Technical Reference Manual (TRM) on Practical Guidelines for Administration of Inmate Beliefs and Practices has been written to assist chaplains and administrative personnel to appropriately facilitate the religious beliefs and practices of inmates within a correctional environment. With the complexity of religious issues faced by Bureau chaplains today and the large number of religions represented in the inmate population, this Technical Reference Manual will assist chaplains in implementing the mission of the Chaplaincy Services Branch in the institutions they serve. The mission is as follows: The mission of the Chaplaincy Services Branch is to accommodate the free exercise of religion by providing pastoral care to all Federal inmates and facilitate the opportunity to pursue individual religious beliefs and practices in accordance with the law, Federal regulations and Bureau of Prisons policy. The staff chaplain will provide religious worship, education, counseling, spiritual direction, support and crisis intervention to accommodate the diverse religious needs of inmates. When appropriate, pastoral care and subject matter expertise may be extended to staff. The purposes of this Technical Reference Manual are: 1. To accommodate the provision of religious worship services and programs for the faith groups represented in the inmate population of the Bureau of Prisons. 2. To provide guidance to institution chaplains and administrators in making informed decisions concerning religious issues which surface regularly so that the needs of both the correctional environment and the “free exercise” clause of the First Amendment are met. 3. To encourage consistency of practice Bureau-wide given the mission and level of security of the institutions. 4. To provide enough information about each religion for the readers to receive a general understanding of its basic tenets. The Technical Reference Manual must be read in conjunction with the latest version of P.S. 5360, “Religious Beliefs and Practices,” other applicable Program Statements, Operations Memoranda and specific directives which may be issued as needed. The suggested recommendations to issues raised in each chapter Religious Beliefs and Practices TRM T5360.01 3/27/2002 Introduction, Page ii follow a “best practices” guide which takes the correctional environment and the “free exercise” clause of the First Amendment into account. Final program decisions rest with the Warden. The Technical Reference Manual follows the same outline for each chapter. The information is divided into two sections, Tab A and Tab B. The practical issues of each religion are placed in the front of the chapter and are placed behind Tab A. Tab B includes the history, theology and recommended resources. If necessary, glossary and appendices are attached to the chapters. The format for each chapter is as follows: Tab (A) 1. Religious Practices a. Required Daily Observances b. Required Weekly Observances c. Required Occasional Observances d. Religious Holy Days 2. Religious Items a. Personal Religious Items b. Congregate Religious Items 3. Requirements for Membership a. Requirements b. Total Membership 4. Medical Prohibitions 5. Dietary Standards 6. Burial Rituals 7. Sacred Writings 8. Organizational Structure a. Location of Headquarters b. Contact Office/Person Tab (B) 9. History and Theology a. Basic History b. Theology 10. Resources a. Periodicals b. Bibliography c. Resources/Supplies 11. Glossary (if warranted) 12. Appendices (if warranted) Religious Beliefs and Practices TRM T5360.01 3/27/2002 Introduction, Page iii The Tab on Personal and Congregate Religious Items is a compilation of the lists of personal and congregate religious items found in each chapter. The Tab on Religious Diets are excerpted from the chapters and compiled for ready reference. As additional chapters on the faith traditions are completed, they will be added to this Technical Reference Manual. These chapters will be published periodically until all the religions which have been approved for practice by inmates in the Bureau of Prisons are included. Religious Beliefs and Practices TRM T5360.01 3/27/2002 Introduction, Page iv ACKNOWLEDGMENTS This Technical Reference Manual includes the work of many of the chaplains in the Bureau of Prisons. They have given generously of their time and efforts in researching, writing and editing the chapters on the various faith traditions. Contact with some community religious leaders was made to ensure accuracy. In addition, several of the chapters were written by religious leaders of those faith traditions. The following chaplains have contributed to the writing of this Technical Reference Manual. They are: Abu Ishaq Abdul-Hafiz, Jamaal Abdul-Rahim, Jerry Bailey, Michael Brill, Brian Broome, Maryann Cantlon, Angela Church, Willie Crespo, Muktar Curtis, Joseph Deffenbaugh, Bruce Fenner, Joseph Forgue, Ronald Gonzales, Dennis Grabrian, Matthew Harness, Keith Harrison, Hans Hoch, Jacob Hoenig, John Lamsma, Nochum Laskin, Kyung Hee Lee, Michael Longanecker, Neil Milligan, Maryann Pelko, Anders Pederson, Keith Powley, Daniel Pulju, Charles Smith, Marie Stelmach, Susan Van Baalen, Hensworth Weaver, Alvin Worthley and Jimmie Wright. “I wish to thank all chaplains and community religious leaders who have contributed their time, efforts, skills and dedication to make this Technical Reference Manual available for use by all Bureau of Prisons chaplains and administrators. It has truly been a team effort.” Susan M. Van Baalen, O.P. Chaplaincy Services Administrator NOTE: This Technical Reference Manual is written for the private use of Bureau chaplains and administrators. It is not to be distributed, copied or viewed by inmates. Religious Beliefs and Practices TRM T5360.01 3/27/2002 Religious Property, Page 1 RELIGIOUS PROPERTY: PERSONAL AND CONGREGATE INTRODUCTION These lists of personal and congregate religious items are excerpted from the chapters on each religion and compiled for ready reference. The list of personal religious property items is generally transferrable to all institutions in the Bureau of Prisons. Additional personal religious property items may be approved locally by the warden. Inmates need to be aware that these additional personal religious property items may need to be sent home when transferring to another institution. Final decisions on personal property rests with the warden. BUDDHISM A. Personal Religious Items 1. Religious Medallion and chain; 2. Prayer beads (plastic), called mali consisting of 108 beads; and, 3. Small picture of the Buddha. Prayer Beads: Only plastic prayer beads are permitted in the institutions. B. Congregate Religious Items 1. Altar; 2. Image of the Buddha; 3. Bell and dorje; 4. Incense and burner; 5. Zafu (small cushion); 6. Zabuton (meditation mat); 7. Singing bowls; 8. Candles; 9. Candle holders; 10. Cup; 11. Tingshas (clappers); 12. Silver bowls; 13. Prayer wheel; and, 14. Flowers, usually made of silk as a substitute for fresh flowers. Religious Beliefs and Practices TRM T5360.01 3/27/2002 Religious Property, Page 2 EASTERN RITE CATHOLICISM A. PERSONAL RELIGIOUS ITEMS 1. Holy cards depicting popular icon images. 2. For additional personal religious items, refer to the chapter on Roman Catholicism. B. CONGREGATE RELIGIOUS ITEMS 1. Framed pictures or images of icons and wall hangings depicting icons. 2. For additional congregate religious items refer to the chapter on Roman Catholicism. HINDUISM A. PERSONAL RELIGIOUS ITEMS 1. A religious medallion and chain, often an image of the Hindu’s favorite deity; and, 3. Prayer beads (plastic), consisting of 108 beads. Prayer Beads: Only plastic prayer beads are permitted in the institutions. B. CONGREGATE RELIGIOUS ITEMS 1. A statue of the deity, usually Shiva or Vishnu; 2. Bell; 3. Conch shell; 4. Flowers, silk or artificial are acceptable substitutes; 5. A mixture of camphor and red powder; 6. Dry Rice (½ cup); 7. Containers (small) for water and a small spoon or ladle; and, 8. Incense. ISLAM A. PERSONAL RELIGIOUS ITEMS 4. Prayer rug; 5. Dhicker beads (plastic); 6. Religious medallion and chain; 7. Prayer oil; Religious Beliefs and Practices TRM T5360.01 3/27/2002 Religious Property, Page 3 8. Kufi or Hijab; 9. Holy Qur’an; 10. Hadith; 11. Miswak (wood, the length and thickness of a pencil used to clean teeth and mouth); and, 12. Kurda shirt. Prayer Beads: Only plastic prayer beads are permitted in the institutions. Kurda Shirt: The kurda shirt may be worn during services in the Chapel area only. Note: The Hadith is a multi-volume set containing more books than the Program Statement on Inmate Personal Property allows. Keep in mind that listing this item does not mean approval to go beyond the number of books allowable by policy. A one-volume summarized Hadith is available. If read in conjunction with the Chapel’s set, for example, individual inmates can still have access to a complete set of Hadith without violating policy. B. CONGREGATE RELIGIOUS ITEMS 1. Prayer Rugs, either several large ones or enough small ones to accommodate all participants in Jumu’ah prayer; and, 2. Holy Qur’an. JUDAISM A. PERSONAL