Chaplain Classification

California employs chaplains from five different faith groups.  These are Catholic, Jewish, Muslim, Native American, and Protestant.   Chaplains attend to the various religious and spiritual needs of all incarcerated individuals and oversee religious programming and scheduling for all religious services.  Chaplains also may provide crisis counseling and death notifications.  The chaplain is required to fulfill various administrative duties including processing of donations, interviewing inmates for religious diets, attending meetings, and coordinating with volunteers.  

Anyone interested in a Chaplain or Native American Spiritual Leader career may visit https://www.cdcr.ca.gov/careers/career-opportunities/exams-religious-2/

Chapel Volunteers

Chapel volunteers provide important religious services to the incarcerated population.  Volunteers assist in opening up chapel space for increased number and availability of religious services, greater selection of faith groups for inmates to choose from, and expanded counseling opportunities.   The presence of volunteers also sends a message to the incarcerated individuals that there are people in society who care about them, that they are important and not forgotten.