In Dharma in Hell, prison activist and meditation teacher Fleet Maull shares his journey of transformation and service amidst the anger, violence, darkness and despair of a maximum security federal prison. This collection of previously published and unpublished writings from his 14 years behind bars vibrates with kindness, hope and the triumph of the human [...]
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Posted in Prison Outreach on Apr 7th, 2010
He who puts an end to former crimes By taking up the way of peace, Illuminates the world Like the moon freed from a veil of clouds —The Buddha, Angulimala Sutta
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from Int J Offender Ther Comp Criminol. 2010 Mar 23, by Himelstein S. There is research that serves as evidence in favor of meditation-based programs as rehabilitative for incarcerated populations. This article reviews empirical research regarding the effects of meditation-based programs in correctional populations. Three meditation-based interventions have been shown to represent the majority of [...]
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from Psychol Addict Behav. 2006 Sep;20(3):343-7 Bowen S, Witkiewitz K, Dillworth TM, Chawla N, Simpson TL, Ostafin BD, Larimer ME, Blume AW, Parks GA, Marlatt GA. Addictive Behaviors Research Center, Department of Psychology, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195, USA. swbowen@u.washington.edu Despite the availability of various substance abuse treatments, alcohol and drug misuse and related [...]
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from J Trauma Stress. 2007 Jun;20(3):239-49 Simpson TL, Kaysen D, Bowen S, MacPherson LM, Chawla N, Blume A, Marlatt GA, Larimer M. VA Puget Sound Health Care System and Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA. tracey.simpson@va.gov The present study evaluated whether Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) symptom severity was associated [...]
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from the journal, J Correct Health Care. 2009 Jan;15(1):47-57 Sumter MT, Monk-Turner E, Turner C. Departments of Sociology and Criminal Justice, Old Dominion University, Norfolk, Virginia 23529, USA. This research examined the impact of a structured meditation program intervention on female detainees, comparing an experimental group and a control group for medical symptoms, emotions, and [...]
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from the journal, Women Health. 2009 Mar-May;49(2-3):119-43 Dalmida SG, Holstad MM, Diiorio C, Laderman G. Emory University, Nell Hidgson Woodruff School of Nursing, Atlanta, Georgia 30322, USA. sageorg@emory.edu Spirituality is a resource some HIV-positive women use to cope with HIV, and it also may have positive impact on physical health. This cross-sectional study examined associations [...]
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(Aug 14, 2009 — Aug 19, 2009 at the Upaya Institute and Zen Center, http://www.upaya.org/programs/event.php?id=196) Using the Five Buddha Family Mandala as a base, we explore practices, processes, and perspectives on how the capacity for servant-leadership is culitivated by bearing witness to the charnel grounds of life. This brave practice forms the base for socially-engaged practice, social change work, and [...]
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Posted in Prison Outreach on Sep 26th, 2008
Powerful film about an experiment introducing vipassana meditation into a maximum security prison. From the NYT review: The teachings of the Buddha infiltrate a maximum-security prison in “The Dhamma Brothers,” a thinking-head documentary about finding answers within for those who can’t get out. Filmed in 2002 at the Donaldson Correctional Facility in Bessemer, Ala., one of [...]
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Article appearing in American Jails Magazine, July/August 2003 Final outcome results from the recidivism study (Murphy, 2002) revealed that approximately half (56%) of the inmates completing a Vipassana course at NRF recidivated as measured by returning to King County Jail (KCJ) custody within two years, compared with a 75% rate of recidivism in [...]
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