Corrections_Today_March_April_2020_Volume 82, Number 2

nEWS & vIEWS

role is no longer that of preacher or teacher. This is a major shift for basic students: it is not the chaplain’s words that matter most but rather what words the care-receiver finds for themselves and uses to construct meaning in the midst of pain and/or injustice. Thus paradoxically, in care- giving conversations the chaplain becomes the follower, facilitating others’ exploration of hope, meaning, comfort and connection. Correctional chaplains’ non-pros- elytizing role is also non-negotiable because of the power dynamics at play between themselves and in- carcerated people. Whereas this boundary is important in healthcare due to the imbalance of power be- tween patient and clinician, it is far more important in the correctional environment, in which chaplains’ audiences are literally captive, not to mention isolated from so many of the things in life that give dignity to in- dividuals. This is one of the primary challenges for correctional chaplains and a major reason training in the form of clinical supervision is more — not less — necessary in correc- tions than in hospitals or the military. Examples of increased chaplain involvement Correctional chaplains who are skillful advocates of human dignity and are meaningfully integrated with all staff (custody, treatment, administration) are uniquely poised to increase institutional safety and security, decrease recidivism, and increase staff wellness. Custody For example, in working along- side custody staff, correctional

chaplains who are comfortable with their authority and power to dignify all people are able to build rapport with all incarcerated people in times of need and vulnerability (like at family members’ deaths, or even just a bad day). This prior rapport allows them at critical times of stress or conflict to intervene at a moment’s notice to stop a fight or avoid a forced cell extraction. This kind of intervention increases the safety of a facility because it decreases violence directly, and therefore also staff use of force. CPE uses peer groups that offers opportunities to notice and work with chaplains’ own reactions of fight/flight/freeze. Correctional chaplains who have done that work themselves are better able to under- stand and interrupt others’ reactivity before it is too late. Interpersonal connections between chaplains and those they serve built through empa- thy and respect empower and enable staff and incarcerated people to imagine and activate for themselves productive responses and coping mechanisms. Staff wellness, in turn is supported through a less violent environment, fewer injuries, stress, Chaplains who are integrated into the various treatment teams are active participants in staff rounds and are able to contribute to critical cases and ensure quality care. CPE is practical group-based learning that can train chaplains to lead conver- sations and programs that are not limited to specific religious designa- tions (e.g. grief support, spirituality and addiction, practicing emotional intelligence, parenting classes, and trauma. Treatment

relational resilience, and groups for special needs populations: inpatient psych, PC, SRG, AS, etc.). Well run groups channel peoples’ relational and emotional energy in a pro-social direction. These groups have the ability to support cultural values of engagement and respect, which de- crease intimidation and coercion that lead to violence. Chaplains work- ing alongside custody and treatment staff provide assistance by reducing stress, burnout, resentment and by sharing the responsibility of running programs. Administration Chaplains also can work with administrators in significant ways. Chaplains are on the units and in- teract with all staff in facilities and thus, if they are pro-active, often have a good sense of the pulse of an institution, and they should also have the ear of top administrators. CPE brings a diversity of students together and helps them deal with differences of all kinds (cultural, personality, religious, etc.). Chap- lains learned to anticipate potential conflicts and miscommunications in CPE so they are poised to improve communication between the many silos inside correctional institutions and departments. Through Inter-Per- sonal Communication (IPC) skills and their role as empathetic listen- ers, skilled chaplains can serve as mediators between different groups. Also, by virtue of their experience in public speaking, chaplains can also represent their DOC effectively to the public and express the DOC’s mission in protecting human dignity. In summary, highly-trained correctional chaplains improve

12 — March/April 2020 Corrections Today