COMMUNITY CHAPLAINCY

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COMMUNITY CHAPLAINCY
I was in prison and you came to see me
BUT
Will you still be with me when I leave prison?
Community Chaplaincy in England Wales
The Reverend Bob Payne
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COMMUNITY CHAPLAINCY
The Current Situation in England and Wales

• High prison population nearly 80,000

• High reconviction rates 57 over 2 years
  

• Major emphasis on resettlement

• Growing emphasis on agencies working together

• Growing emphasis on community partnerships

• Faith Communities involved in this area

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COMMUNITY CHAPLAINCY
The reality for all released from prison

• Anxiety about release from prison

• Challenge to start again not to be underestimated

• Need for balance between challenge and affirmation

• Difficulty in gaining access to resources

• The value of learning from experiences elsewhere

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COMMUNITY CHAPLAINCY
A Gift from Canada through IPCA

• The concept of Community Chaplaincy came to
  England and Wales from the Correctional Service
  of Canada.

• A number of seminars were held in England and
  Wales by two of the Regional Chaplains of the
  Correctional Service of Canada

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COMMUNITY CHAPLAINCY
The Challenge in Canada
Re-entry is by far the most crucial phase in
the life of an offender. Who is there for him/her
? Will s/he be able to find a place in a
community, or is the community of crime the only
community truly interested in him/her ? Pierre
Allard Assistant Commissioner of the CSC and
President of IPCA-Worldwide
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COMMUNITY CHAPLAINCY
It obviously works in Canada
Community Chaplaincies have had an incredible
impact in Canada since the early 1980s.
Community Chaplaincies bring to bear the
resources of the faith communities in making a
significant difference in the re-entry
process Pierre Allard
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COMMUNITY CHAPLAINCY
Could it work in England and Wales ?
Five Active Community Chaplaincies in England and
Wales Swansea, Preston, Gloucester,
Hounslow London and North Staffordshire
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COMMUNITY CHAPLAINCY
Has it worked in England and Wales ?
Swansea November 2001-March 2004
Prisoners assisted 202
Number returned to prison 48
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National Reconviction Rate 57
Also a new 560,000 Housing Project funded by
Welsh Assembly
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COMMUNITY CHAPLAINCY
Are there any more Community Chaplaincies planned
in England and Wales ?
Other Projects Bristol, Dorset, Somerset,
Cardiff, Leeds, Chelmsford, Brixton,
Manchester and Durham
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COMMUNITY CHAPLAINCY
Could it work in your City or Country ?
What are the facts where you are ?
Let us look at one project in England, its needs
and its potential resources
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COMMUNITY CHAPLAINCY
The Needs in North Staffordshire
Each year approximately 930 Adults 130
Young Offenders 14 Juveniles are released
from custody to return to the area with a 57
national chance of reoffending within two years.
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COMMUNITY CHAPLAINCY
Potential Additional Resources
Faith Communities in North Staffordshire 220
Christian Churches 7 Muslim Mosques 2
Sikh Gurdwaras Plus Bahai, Buddhist, Hindu
and Jewish Communities
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COMMUNITY CHAPLAINCY
Linking Needs and Resources
Community Chaplaincy can provide a professional
focus that enables the Faith Communities to bring
their resources to become more active partners
with others to meet the needs of those being
released from custody
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COMMUNITY CHAPLAINCY
But what does Chaplaincy mean to the Community ?
Is this some form of religious mission or
campaign ?
NO, it is an offer of unconditional care and
support
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COMMUNITY CHAPLAINCY
How would it actually work ?

• Support offered in the prison through a
  Chaplain

• Prisoner asks for help before he is released

• Meeting arranged in prison with Community
  Chaplain

• Trained Mentor from local community meets
  prisoner

• If accepted, compact agreed with mentor and
  prisoner

• Regular monitored contact with mentor after
  release

• Emergency Contact also offered via mobile
  telephone

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COMMUNITY CHAPLAINCY
What is the benefit of a mentor from local
community ?

• Professional but not official support
• Independent of friends and family
• Offer of friendly ear and heart
• Help in accessing resources
• Opportunity for advocacy
• Opportunity for care to cope with
  problems
• Offer of community support in congregation

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COMMUNITY CHAPLAINCY
What do others think of Community Chaplaincy ?
A Judge
A Chief Constable
A Head of a Probation Service
A Faith Community Leader
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COMMUNITY CHAPLAINCY
I have no doubt that a Community Chaplain,
working in the heart of the community alongside
statutory and voluntary agencies, would play a
most valuable part in the continued
rehabilitation of many offenders, providing not
only sensitive and sensible support to individual
offenders, themselves but also educated and
dispassionate encouragement to the communities,
.. , in which they live. This project has the
support of a number of the local judiciary and I
commend it with unqualified enthusiasm. A Judge
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COMMUNITY CHAPLAINCY
I am pleased to support the bid for a Community
Chaplain. There is currently little such
provision and anything that helps reduce the risk
of re-offending will be most welcome in this part
of the Force area. It also brings a community
focus to an area where crime is reducing but the
fear of crime continues to be high. A Chief
Constable
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COMMUNITY CHAPLAINCY
We see this as an imaginative initiative
working in partnership with prison staff and
chaplains, faith communities and local agencies
to provide direct support to people making one of
the most difficult transitions from custody back
into the wider community. A Chief Probation
Officer
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COMMUNITY CHAPLAINCY
I believe that members of faith communities (as
well as others) could provide a nurturing and
mentoring context for some which will enable them
to start again. In supporting this project,
. I believe we can make a difference and give
hope to some who otherwise will never be able to
break out of their vicious circle. In so doing,
we will also be giving hope to communities
threatened by such crime and anti-social
behaviour. An Anglican Bishop
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COMMUNITY CHAPLAINCY
The Potential Benefits
Additional support for those released from
custody
A sharper focus for the Faith Communities
Improved support for Faith Communities
An additional way to engage the community
An improved link between prison and community
An improvement in the partnership between Faith
Communities and statutory and voluntary agencies
An improvement in the expertise of the Faith
Communities as they respond to justice issues.
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COMMUNITY CHAPLAINCY
Could it work in your country ?
Yes, I believe it could
I believe that the concept is correct
The concept has to be adapted to local
situations
This should not be a private venture, but owned
by Faith Communities
This provides a way in which Faith Communities
can put into practice the theories of Restorative
Justice