The Changing Role of the Managing Chaplain at Haverigg Prison

A Case Study

Jones

• Publisher: Resource Publications
• Year: 2015
• eBook ISBN: 9781498231633
• Topic: Theology & Religion
• Subtopic: Religion

This paper is the result of ethnographic research carried out by the Managing Chaplain at Haverigg Prison. It is the first work of its type since the reorganization of the Prison Service in 2013 under the heading 'Fair and Sustainable.' Essentially, it is a case study of the role of the Managing Chaplain at Haverigg, with an evaluation of the changed role of the Prison Chaplain, with particular attention to the chaplain's role as a Christian leader. Much of the content is concerned with perception, both historic and contemporary. The main body of the work identifies relevant background information alongside other models of leadership. It traces the history of the development and perception of the Prison Chaplain, and constructs an understanding of the leadership style currently employed. Issues arising include mission (as it applies in this context), the tension between pluralism and the uniqueness of Christ, the implicit suggestion of syncretism, and the use of religion as an intervention. The conclusion includes recommendations for maintaining the integrity of Christian witness whilst fully respecting all faiths.

1

LITERATURE REVIEW

A review of relevant literature is contained within the main body of this work. As an overview, however, over fifty monographs, journal articles, government legislation papers, magazine articles, internet publications, and unpublished theses have been identified as contributing to the subject. Not all of these have been used, but the range of material can be grouped under five headings.

Framework Documentation

The Chaplaincy Team at Haverigg is subject to a complex, multi-stranded, hierarchical, and national system of leadership. Each of these strands contributes to the ultimate working out of the team function, and needs to be viewed both individually and corporately. These set the boundaries and management patterns that shape and influence the working practice of the focus of this work.

The Prisons Act (1952)1 and Prison Rules (1999)2 are the overarching legislative documents, supported by Prison Service Instruction 51/20113, replacing Prison Service Order 4550, which provides more detailed instructions. These accountability and management systems are driven by NOMS, an agency responsible for all offenders serving sentences, whether in prison or the community. This is a relatively recent introduction. Until 2007 the Prison Service and Probation Service came under the control of the Home Office. However, responsibility for these combined services now rests with the Ministry of Justice (MOJ), acting on delegated authority from the Secretary of State for Justice, who retains ultimate responsibility. It is fundamental to the understanding of what follows in this work not to underestimate the impact that these documents have on the working out of the leadership pattern in question. Contained within these (and their supporting documents) are the prescriptive influences that both enable and restrict actual practice. In summary the parts applicable to this work are;

a) Every prison will employ an ordained Anglican as one of the two key officers of the prison (the other key officer being a Governing Governor).

b) The Governing Governor will directly line-manage the Chaplain, or delegate this responsibility to another functional head.

c) Religious services will only be led by those with “counterterrorist” security clearance, (this being a higher level of security clearance and required only of Governor ranks and Chaplains).

d) No faith group will be allowed to proselytize.

e) All the “protected characteristics” of the Prison Service diversity policy will be observed.4

f) Prisoners will not be visited against their will.

g) Chaplaincy teams will be multi-faith, managed, and led by a Co-ordinating Chaplain, whose relationship with other team members will be one of “first among equals.”

Historical

A breadth of publications traces the perception of the role of the Prison Chaplain over the years. Notably, these range from Elkin’s overview of the English penal system in 1957,5 through to Drew’s6 and Rees’s7 job descriptions of the 1970’s, and Noblett’s “Faith in the Future.”8

Contemporary

There are m...

Table of contents

• TITLE PAGE
• ABSTRACT
• ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
• INTRODUCTION
• 1. LITERATURE REVIEW
• 2. BACKGROUND INFORMATION
• 3. HISTORY OF THE DEVELOPMENT AND PERCEPTION OF THE PRISON CHAPLAIN
• 4. PERCEPTION OF THE ROLE OF THE MANAGING CHAPLAIN AT HAVERIGG PRISON
• 5. PERCEPTION OF THE LEADERSHIP STYLE OF THE MANAGING CHAPLAIN AT HAVERIGG PRISON
• 6. RECOMMENDATIONS AND CONCLUSION
• BIBLIOGRAPHY