종교는 범죄자를 변화시키는가 - 수형자의 종교와 사회복귀의 관계 -

초록

This study empirically examines the relationship between inmates’ religious characteristics and their willingness for rehabilitation, drawing on Maruna’s (2001) narrative identity theory and discussions on faith-based corrections. Using data from the “Survey on Prison Safety and Order, 2009” provided by the Korea Social Science Data Archive (KOSSDA), this study analyzed differences in willingness for rehabilitation according to religious affiliation, timing of religious formation, and religious type. The results of group difference analyses showed that willingness for rehabilitation differed significantly only by the timing of religious formation. When willingness for rehabilitation was divided into its subfactors, significant differences were found in perceived likelihood of recidivism by religious type and in positive self-perception by timing of religious formation. Accordingly, multiple regression analyses were conducted using three models: willingness for rehabilitation, perceived likelihood of recidivism, and positive self-perception. The results indicated that the timing of religious formation was a significant factor in all three models, even after controlling for other variables. Specifically, inmates who acquired a religion after entering prison showed lower levels of willingness for rehabilitation and positive self-perception, and a higher perceived likelihood of recidivism, than those who had already held a religion before imprisonment. Religious type was significant only in the model of perceived likelihood of recidivism; Buddhist inmates showed a lower perceived likelihood of recidivism than Protestant inmates. These findings suggest that faith-based corrections should move beyond the quantitative expansion of religious participation and adopt a more differentiated approach that considers inmates’ timing of religious formation and religious type. In particular, the timing of religious formation may serve as a supplementary reference in parole review and correctional treatment planning to assess inmates’ readiness for rehabilitation. In addition, based on the finding that Buddhist inmates reported a lower perceived likelihood of recidivism, the expansion of Buddhist-based meditation and mindfulness programs in correctional facilities should be considered. However, given the limitations of cross-sectional data and possible selection bias, future qualitative and longitudinal studies are needed to examine inmates’ processes of religious acceptance in greater depth.

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