Incarceration is one of the most challenging experiences a person can endure. The isolation, loss of freedom, and emotional weight of separation from loved ones often lead people to search for deeper meaning, comfort, and healing. For many incarcerated individuals, religion becomes a lifeline. One of the religions people turn to is Christianity, specifically becoming a Jehovah’s Witness. I wanted to explore how Jehovah’s Witnesses practice their religion inside prison and how it shapes the lives of incarcerated individuals. Drawing from interviews with an individual who has experienced the faith in prison and a volunteer who preaches to incarcerated individuals, my inquiry will provide insight into the emotional and transformative effects of Jehovah's Witness teachings in a prison setting. Having grown up as a Jehovah’s Witness myself, I am familiar with the profound impact of Bible study on personal development and spirituality. My goal is to understand how the same spiritual path is followed within prison and what impact it has on inmates both emotionally and in terms of personal change.

I interviewed with two groups: incarcerated Jehovah’s Witnesses who practiced their faith
during their sentences and volunteers who regularly visit prisons to share Bible teachings. The
purpose of these interviews was to gather perspectives both from those inside the prison system
and those who serve as religious outreach. I aimed to answer two primary questions: how is religion practiced differently inside prison walls, and how does preaching Jehovah’s message feel when shared in such an intense environment? In addition to conducting interviews, I also
referenced sources from the Jehovah’s Witnesses website, which outlines their practices and beliefs, and relevant academic articles about the impact of prison reform and rehabilitation through faith.

The interviews were conducted with three individuals: Efren and Monse, a married couple. Efren was incarcerated and later met his wife after his incarceration period. And Esmeralda, a volunteer who preaches to incarcerated women. These interviews provide insights into the ways Jehovah’s Witnesses practice their faith in prison and the challenges they face. I asked questions to both groups and listened to their experiences.

Esmeralda, a volunteer who ministers to incarcerated individuals, shared her experiences of working with incarcerated women and offering Bible study. Below are the questions and answers
from her interview.

1. How long have you been preaching in prisons?​
Esmeralda began preaching during the start of the pandemic by writing letters to incarcerated
women. These letters were part of her initial outreach, as she corresponded with female inmates.
In March 2024, she began going inside prisons to encourage unbaptized publishers (people who can preach to others, but aren't baptized), offering further support to those who were interested in studying the Bible.

2. What inspired you to begin preaching to incarcerated individuals?
Esmeralda was initially nervous but was inspired by hearing others’ experiences of witnessing in prisons. She attended a bible conference in upstate New York, where she heard stories of those involved in prison ministry, and it struck her that this was an opportunity to help others in need of guidance. She decided to take the step to apply and became involved after being interviewed by the elders in her congregation, who believed she would be a good candidate to go inside prisons and help incarcerated women with the bible.

3. What kind of responses do you get from incarcerated individuals?
Esmeralda shared that many of the incarcerated women respond positively to the Bible study,
with some sharing how it has profoundly changed their lives. Some incarcerated women even
help other inmates by sharing their newfound understanding of Jehovah’s teachings. She also
talked about how the incarcerated women at the Bedford Hills maximum-security prison hold the
Memorial of Jesus Christ, reflecting the sincerity of their faith. She emphasized that the Bible
helps many incarcerated women navigate their circumstances and become better individuals.

4. What material did you use to teach about the Bible?
Esmeralda primarily used letters to correspond with incarcerated individuals, where she discussed key topics such as Jehovah’s character and the importance of repentance. When writing letters, she would ask if they wanted specific bible-based reading material sent to them. In the prison, the Watchtower study is conducted twice a month, and if ten incarcerated women attend, it can be held weekly. This study covers various Bible teachings, including the message of hope and redemption for those who turn to Jehovah.

5. What advice would you give to new volunteers working in prisons, or who are interested
in doing so?
Esmeralda’s advice is to put in your application and allow Jehovah to use you to help people in
need. She emphasized the importance of seeing incarcerated men and women as individuals who made mistakes, not as irredeemable people. She reminded volunteers not to judge inmates but to show them compassion and support in their spiritual journey. The act of helping someone turn their life around is, in Esmeralda’s words, “an honor.”

6. What role does forgiveness play in your message?
Forgiveness is central to Esmeralda’s message. She often writes to incarcerated women about the importance of repentance and how Jehovah forgives those who truly seek to change. Forgiveness is also emphasized in the teachings of Jehovah’s Witnesses, encouraging incarcerated women to forgive themselves and others, a crucial step in their rehabilitation process.

The New York Department of Corrections and Community Supervision promotes programs such as the General Library Program on their website, claiming to allow requests for literature and books throughout the Westchester library system. However, the reality is that it is more difficult than ever for the those serving time to gain access to any literature at all, including through the permanent library on the Sing Sing campus. It is only through conversation with the men who have been formally incarcerated there that the public has any knowledge of just how far these systems of access have broken down. The prison’s library, though limited, could often be the one possible avenue for any book. ​Since the National Guard was deployed to state prisons in February, during the correctional officer’s wildcat strike, and remain active until today (8/20/25), library access has been completely halted inside. As the situation becomes increasingly dire, it is more important then ever to put the focus back on simple and beneficial rehabilitation efforts.

The addition of a library to the Sing Sing facility was first proposed by Reverend Chaplin John Luckey in the early 1840’s when he served as the prison Chaplin. Originally focused on religious text, the mission was eventually expanded to include non-religious based texts after a push by Eliza Farnham, the Matron of the incarcerated woman at Sing Sing. Access and censorship fluctuated wildly over the decades depending primarily on the Warden in charge and their personal rehabilitation philosophy. When the Section 285 law was passed by the New York State Senate to allocate funds to state prison libraries, it seemed like proper access might finally be achieved. Much of these programs however are depended on a prison librarian to make them function, and Sing Sing has been without one for many years, compounding the access problem
in the prison.

This however leads to a glimmer of hope, as a new Librarian has recently been hired by Sing Sing; a good sign that some gears might start turning again. Though having to adhere to a strict set of rules, primarily the NYDCCS Media Review directive no. 4572, the librarian is allocated a certain amount of money per incarcerated individual to spend on acquiring books and literature. Although this amount only equates to roughly half a book per prisoner a year, without a librarian to utilize it this allocation of funds often does not reach the prisoners. In addition to the inter-prison library, communication with other Westchester libraries to engage in the General Library Program has also ground to a complete halt. Many librarians are unaware of such programs, but eager to help if possible. This is especially true in the case of the Ossining Public Library,  located just over a mile from the SSCF. Viewing the incarcerated men in Sing Sing as part of the larger Ossining community, local libraries are keen to work with the prison library to help them bring more literature into the prison. Ideas have even been floated about book clubs or projecting recorded lectures or other ways for the public library to help those inside, but all at the moment are just wishful thinking. Setting up a relationship between the incarcerated and the
local library however would not only benefit those with years left on their sentence but can also
help to develop pathways to community for those that are finally released. With the local librarians eager to help, state government funds already allocated, and the long overdue hiring of new prison librarian, all the pieces to provide meaningful rehabilitation are in place and can
hopefully soon begin to serve the men inside.

In addition to the public sector, Non-profits have also popped up to try and tackle the problem of access. One such organization doing meaningful work in this area is Freedom Reads. Created by CEO Reginald Dwayne Betts, he leaned upon his own experience of being incarcerated for almost a decade to try and provide other incarcerated people with the same lifeline he depended on: books. Freedom Reads builds bookshelves, with an amazing curated set of books, placed in living quarters not the library. This program brings literature access to the spaces where the incarcerated spend the most down time. Proven a success time and time again, Freedom Reads is another example of the benefits literature can have for those inside.

Related:
Recent news regarding banning books in an ICE Detention Center near Buffalo, NY:
https://nysfocus.com/2025/10/08/batavia-buffalo-detention-center-ice-book-ban