In lieu of an abstract, here is a brief excerpt of the content:

55 c h a p t e r 3 Buddhism in American Prisons Constance K assor The r apidly growing interest in Buddhism in the West has led to the emergence of Buddhist practices among diverse communities .1 Notably, one community in which Buddhist practice is beginning to take root is the American prison system. An increasing number of inmates are working to overcome their often violent and seemingly hopeless situations by adopting the compassionate, nonviolent, and mindful ideals of Buddhist practice while incarcerated, thus transforming their own experiences as well as contributing to changes in the prison system as a whole. It is difficult to characterize life within the prison system in comparison with life on the outside. Prisons and jails are operating well beyond their capacity ,2 and violence among both inmates and staff is commonplace (Sabol et al. 2007). Life within prisons is often brutal, and gang-related activities put many inmates in danger on a regular basis. Under these circumstances, it seems implausible that one can successfully engage in mindful practices, such as meditation, but many dedicated inmates are trying to accomplish exactly that. Because of the rigid structure of daily prison life, it is difficult for forms of deviant activity to emerge, even if such activities are religious in nature. The lack of tolerance for change within the prison system has forced Buddhist practices to undergo a number of extreme transformations in the ways in which it is taught, learned, and practiced by inmates. The inmate population is steadily growing. As of June 30, 2006, there were 2,245,189 people in U.S. prisons and jails, equaling roughly 750 inmates per 100,000 citizens (Sabol et al. 2007). With this growing number of inmates, Buddhist teachers and practitioners are becoming more aware of the demand for information and instruction within prisons. The Engaged Buddhism movement (Jones 2003) as well as Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) programs, are working to train volunteers to teach meditation in prisons and jails. These meditation programs, in addition to reducing recidivism rates,3 are contributing to reductions in drug use, violent offenses, and anxiety among 56 Constance Kassor inmate populations (Jeen-Fong 1998). The psychological and social benefits of Buddhist practice in American prisons appear to be significant, and they warrant careful investigation. I do not have the resources to conduct such a full-blown investigation at this time; however, it is my aim in this chapter to identify characteristics of Buddhist practices that are widespread among American Buddhist inmate populations , and to determine whether and to what extent these practices can be distinguished from Buddhist practices in general. Based on this framework, it will be possible to conduct further research to determine the overall effectiveness of Buddhist practices in American prisons in greater detail. These distinguishing characteristics of American “prison dharma” are a direct result of the ways in which Buddhist thought is brought into prisons, the ways in which it is understood and practiced by inmates, and the overall structure of the American prison system. Transmission of Buddhism into Prisons For many inmates, the thought of engaging Buddhist meditation within the confines of a prison is daunting, but for others, prisons present themselves as the perfect places to practice; a primary tenet of Buddhism is the acknowledgment that all life involves suffering, and in few places is suffering more overtly present than in the prison system. A growing number of inmates, former inmates , and others are helping to perpetuate the spread of Buddhist practice into prisons, and its popularity is increasing as a result (Kabat-Zinn 1991; Lozoff 1985; Masters 1997; Whitney 2003). That said, the spread of Buddhist practices is occurring at a slower rate inside of prisons than outside due to the bureaucracy involved in the prison system and the restrictions placed on inmates . Because of these restrictions, the transmission of Buddhist thought into prisons is limited to four methods: (1) through books, (2) correspondence programs, (3) other inmates, and (4) outside volunteers, such as individual teachers and facilitators of meditation groups. Each of these methods proves effective in the transmission of Buddhist practices into prisons, but with varying degrees of efficiency and success. 1) By far, the most common method of transmission is through books. A number of Buddhist, non-Buddhist, and secular organizations send books about Buddhism and meditation free of charge to inmates who request them.4 For many inmates who...

Share