Religion in prison : A study of the possibilities of practicing religion in prison.

In this study, religiosity in prison is investigated. What opportunities are there for those detained to practice their religion and how did their religiosity change after they were detained? Six interviews were conducted to gain a better perspective of religiosity in prison. The focus is on Correctional Institution in Kalmar, where surveys have been conducted over a longer period but also the monastery at the Correctional facility in Kumla is discussed. Most interviews were conducted in the prison of Kalmar, in a room where religious conversations are conducted. The inmates’ and the prison guard´s name have been changed to protect their identity. A common thread throughout the interviews is that the religious group often talks about much more than religion. Detainees also talk about their involvement in these talks as an opportunity of breaking the everyday routines that occur in prisons. This strengthens Peter Berger and Thomas Luckmann´s theory that religion is a group phenomenon created, among other things, to feel a social connectedness