The North Carolina General Assembly is voting to eliminate funding for chaplains in North Carolina prisons. Some 54 chaplains would lose their jobs, leaving incarcerated men and women without the spiritual support they need. 

Legislators suggest that volunteers could do the work of chaplains, but chaplains are legally required to have a four-year degree, an advanced theology degree and one year of pastoral care training or two years in a pastorate. Prison chaplains provide religious programming and offer pastoral care to prisoners of all 13 religions recognized by the Department of Corrections including Hinduism, American Indian and Wiccan besides the more common Christianity, Judaism, and Islam. Prison Chaplains bear legal responsibility for offering equal access to these religions.

Chaplains are called upon to inform prisoners of family deaths and offer immediate grief support as well as logistical support for prisoners eligible to attend funerals. Chaplains are required to have extensive knowledge of prison policies and procedures. Chaplains make sure volunteers are within the scope of those policies in the events they plan and the people they bring into the institution. The responsibility of prison chaplains across our state is too much responsibility for volunteers to bear. 

Chaplains have a profound impact on the lives of incarcerated people. Chaplains give prisoners the hope and support needed to live a dignified life while incarcerated. Chaplains prepare prisoners to re-enter society. We have no doubt that our prisons and our streets will be less safe without the work of chaplains.

 Let your legislators know that cutting chaplains is not the way to balance the budget. Ask them to continue funding these vital, life-giving positions by signing our petition.