A narrative analysis of the relationships between the religious perceptions of serious violent offenders and their perception of their punishment

Tihanyi, Miklós (author)

This study investigates the characteristics of religiosity among serious violent offenders who actively participate in religious activities in prison and the way that affects their perception of the crime and their sentence. In particular,we examine whether they are remorseful for their actions and desire forgivenessas a part of religious experience. sixteen prisoners in three penitentiaries who had committed serious violent crimes and actively participated in religious events, were interviewed. Analysis of the answers showed a positive correlationbetween a deep, substantive faith experience and acceptance of responsibility.Likewise, faith influences the development of regret for the crime. Those who admit their crime and repent it are motivated by a desire for forgiveness. The religiously sceptical prisoners admit to having committed the crime but do not show remorse. All this suggests that a deep, substantive experience of faith can have a positive impact on the achievement of punishment goals.

• Language: English
• Keywords: experiencing religiosity, experiencing punishment, repentance, seriously violent offenders, religious education of prisoners
• Work type: Article
• Typology: 1.03 - Other scientific articles
• Organization: TEOF - Theological Faculty
• Publication status: Published
• Publication version: Version of Record
• Publication date: 01.01.2025
• Year: 2025
• Number of pages: Str. 427-446
• Numbering: Letn. 85, [št.] 2
• PID: 20.500.12556/RUL-177648
• UDC: 2-184.3:343.8
• ISSN on article: 0006-5722
• DOI: 10.34291/BV2025/02/Tihanyi
• COBISS.SI-ID: 262197763
• Publication date in RUL: 30.12.2025

Record is a part of a journal

• Title: Bogoslovni vestnik : glasilo Teološke fakultete v Ljubljani
• Shortened title: Bogosl. vestn.
• Publisher: Teološka fakulteta
• ISSN: 0006-5722
• COBISS.SI-ID: 8745472

Licences

• License: CC BY-NC 4.0, Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International
• Link: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/
• Description: A creative commons license that bans commercial use, but the users don’t have to license their derivative works on the same terms.

Secondary language

• Language: Slovenian
• Title: Narativna analiza odnosa med verskimi prepričanji izrazito nasilnih kaznjencev in njihovim dojemanjem kazni

Abstract

Študija proučuje značilnosti religioznosti med izrazito nasilnimi storilci kaznivih dejanj, ki aktivno sodelujejo v verskih dejavnostih v zaporu, in način, kako to vpliva na njihovo dojemanje kaznivega dejanja in kazni. Proučujemo zlasti, ali svoja dejanja obžalujejo in si želijo odpuščanja kot del verske izkušnje. Intervjuvali smo šestnajst zapornikov v treh zaporih, ki so storili izrazito nasilna kazniva dejanja, v zaporu pa aktivno sodelovali pri verskih dejavnostih. Analiza odgovorov je pokazala pozitivno korelacijo med globoko, vsebinsko versko izkušnjo in sprejemanjem odgovornosti. Podobno vera vpliva na razvoj obžalovanja za kaznivo dejanje. Tiste, ki svoje kaznivo dejanje priznavajo in obžalujejo, motivira želja po odpuščanju. Versko skeptični zaporniki priznavajo, da kaznivo dejanje so storili, vendar ne kažejo obžalovanja. Vse to kaže, da lahko poglobljena, vsebinska verska izkušnja pozitivno vpliva na doseganje ciljev kaznovanja.

• Keywords: izkušnja religioznosti, izkušnja kazni, kesanje, izrazito nasilni storilci kaznivih dejanj, versko izobraževanje zapornikov