FWBO and Buddhists in Prison

Figures from the Home Office in the UK show that the proportion of Buddhists in prison in the UK is much higher than in the general population. Figures released in 2006 say that of 64,711 people in prison, 1332 record their religion as Buddhist. This compares with 1% in June 2002 when it was pointed out that Buddhists were the fastest growing category. In the last UK census in 2001 the Buddhist population generally was 0.3%. In an articles in the Times, Lord Avebury, patron of Angulimala the Buddhist Prison Chaplaincy Organisation suggested many would be "jail converts". A number of order members are active as prison chaplains and volunteers.

Wildmind, the online meditation teaching project run by Bodhipaksa, has been given a donation to allow them to offer free books to Buddhists in prison, or to volunteers who work in prisons. All they have to do is ask, but of course they have to know before they can ask so spread the news. Details, including a list of books, are on the FWBO prison Dharma website.