A New World Order? Anti-Semitism in Incarcerated, Jewish, Female Inmates in America

Hostility against Jewish people has been of increased concern after several recent terror attacks that specifically targeted Jews. It is thought incarcerated populations might be particularly susceptible to an increased risk of religiously-based violence with their crowded surroundings, filled with animosity and fuelled by general anger and strife. While more significant amounts of religious animus might be expected in these institutions and with these populations, this study found the inverse. This paper looks at the research on anti-religious and anti-Semitic bias among incarcerated Jewish female inmates and their chaplains. In this qualitative study, a group of correctional chaplains that ministered to incarcerated Jewish female inmates was compared to a group of chaplains that ministered to incarcerated Protestant female inmates. Some anecdotal evidence of anti-Semitic remarks towards Jewish male chaplains by correctional officers was reported, but none were noted by Jewish female chaplains or by any Protestant chaplains. In conclusion, there were no specific instances of negative religious bias reported by either Jewish or Protestant correctional chaplains towards their congregants by either correctional officers or other inmates.