Spanish Fork Press

Part 2 of 3

Last week you read about the philosophy and the dedication of the administrators of the Utah County Jail program on religion. This week you will be introduced to Chaplain Richard Green and programs for Protestant, non denominational, and Catholic inmates.

Chaplain Richard Green attempts to meet with each inmate as soon as they are incarcerated. His goal is to determine their interests and/or desires regarding religion.

He attempts to provide a neutral ground so he can work with and help all persons of all faiths. Inmates are encouraged to talk to any of the corrections officers regarding their desire to meet with the chaplain or other representatives of their religious faith. When an inmate makes it known that he wants to speak with the Chaplain, a meeting will be held as soon as possible.

Many inmates schedule meetings with Chaplain Green to discuss whatever issues they are dealing with; he provides counsel and then points them in the right direction. Chaplain Green says he “tries to meet them wherever they are.” He says, “If they want to talk about the Bible, then that’s what we do. Usually they want to speak about “life,” so that’s what we do.” At the end of each session with inmates he asks if it is OK to pray with them. Most inmates accept his invitation to pray.

He encourages all inmates to continue with their lifelong religious beliefs, and does not proselyte for any specific religion.

Chaplain Green is a retired computer engineer whose father was a traveling non denominational preacher for 54 years and a grandfather who was also a traveling non denominational preacher for 52 years. Chaplain Green has been married for 35 years and has eight children, three of whom are adopted.

He also has training as a marriage counselor and is a certified police chaplain. Since law enforcement officers are tied for first place in the nation for suicides and since on many occasions, police officers find themselves blackballed if they go to a psychotherapist, Chaplain Green often finds himself assisting officers with their personal challenges.

Chaplain Green teaches non denominational Bible studies to both male and female inmates. Male and female inmates are always taught in separate classes. The non denominational groups include all Protestant religions and meet on Sunday and Wednesday. Green likes to point out to inmates that the people in biblical times had the same or similar life problems as modern day people. He is sincerely concerned with each inmate and what is happening with them.

Chaplain Green has the assistance of community volunteers who work with him in meeting the inmates’ religious needs. He insures that all volunteers understand and agree that they are not allowed to demean any religion or person and that proselyting for any religion is not allowed by teachers in any of the religious classes or activities. Scriptures appropriate to the classes are allowed.

Victor Casas from American Fork and Gina Brandes from Provo, volunteer to assist the Chaplain in teaching some of the Protestant/non denominational classes. They study the Bible using the New International Version (NIV) of the bible which was developed in 1966 by a group of 100 bible scholars from all over the world. Their goal was to make a literal translation of the Bible using current English.

The New Living Translation Version (NLTV) was written in 1996 for individuals desiring a still more simplified version of the Bible. The NLTV is also made available to inmates requesting it.

Casas is an inspiritational, dynamic 50-year-old recovering alcoholic and drug addict who quickly relates to his students. He has been “clean” for seven years. He says that he teaches by the spirit. It is obvious that he knows the Bible well and quotes scripture and verse from memory. Students in his classes pay rapt attention to whatever he is teaching.

Many heads nod in agreement as he relates his struggle with alcohol and drugs while raising his family. He pointedly tells them that they cannot change their habits by themselves, but they can with the assistance of Jesus who is there to help them whenever they ask. One 36-year-old inmate shares his daily struggles with his addiction and his regular prayers for assistance from Jesus, which he feels go ignored.

Casas empathizes with him and quotes scripture and verse from the Bible, which seem to give the man some relief. Protestant/non denominational classes are opened and closed with a prayer from the teacher. Inmates leave the classes in a humble, appreciative manner, many shaking hands, smiling and offering thanks to their teachers. Casas is married with three children and works as a warehouseman. He says he works with the inmates because he wants them to see what God has done for him and will do for them if they just ask.

The other Protestant/non denominational teacher, Gina Brandes teaches the female inmates. She has volunteered in prisons and jails most of her adult life. She and her husband were volunteer chaplains at the State Prison at Point of the Mountain until he passed away. In 2003, this dynamic teacher volunteered to the Utah County Jail as a teacher of the Protestant/non denominational classes. She says that her motivation for working with inmates began in her early childhood when her father coordinated educational programs at San Quentin and other prisons. She feels that “the Lord has called me to do this.” Indeed, she loves this work.

A Jehovah’s Witnesses representative meets individually with inmates to study the text, “What Does the Bible Really Teach?” Roger Snider, the teacher, has lived in the Salem area for 41 years and has been volunteering for the last seven years meeting with Jehovah’s Witnesses inmates. Snider holds two sessions on Wednesdays and one on Thursday. He said he usually sees an inmate about four to six times before they are released. Awareness of his classes is through word of mouth or an inmate may request information by contacting Chaplain Green or Sergeant Wall. If no one is scheduled for a particular session, Snider sometimes broadcasts to a housing unit that services are ready, and interested inmates are escorted to the classroom.

At the time of booking into the jail, each inmate is asked to list his religion. If it is stated as Jehovah’s Witnesses, the person’s name is referred to the Chaplain to make arrangements with Snider. Snider is married and the father of five children who have given him 13 grandchildren. He is a retired heating/air conditioning contractor and says he does it “to teach people what the bible really says, and to help them learn to follow Bible principles.”

Sgt. Wall schedules about three sessions per week for inmates who declare themselves as Catholic. These time blocks are rarely used. The time blocks remain available for Catholic clergy upon their request.

There are a very small number of inmates requesting a meeting with the Catholic clergy. When contacted by this reporter, Father David Bittmenn from the St. Francis of Assisi Parish in Orem did not provide information on programs or names of people from his diocese available to inmates.

In next week’s issue: an introduction to the religion program for inmates who are members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints (LDS).