By Canadian Press

Spiritual needs of vulnerable federal inmates unmet during pandemic: chaplains

Jun 4, 2020 | 2:04 AM

OTTAWA — Federal prison chaplains say the spiritual needs of inmates have become an unnecessary casualty of the COVID-19 pandemic at a time when offenders are feeling particularly vulnerable and alone.

The Correctional Service of Canada is allowing only emergency in-person visits from chaplains to prevent the spread of the novel coronavirus.

The prison service says it is ensuring inmates have access to spiritual guidance from chaplains via telephone or other technology as a temporary alternative.

The chaplains, however, say few inmates even know about such options, let alone have a chance to use them, and in some cases technological hurdles prevent them from connecting.

Some 180 chaplains representing various faiths work at the prison service’s 43 institutions across Canada.

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About one-third of the chaplains usually work on-site at institutions full-time, while others have hours that vary from month to month.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 4, 2020.

The Canadian Press