‘Better as a Buddhist’: An Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis of the Reflections on the Religious Beliefs of Buddhist Men Serving a Prison Sentence for a Sexual Offence

Journal article

Katie Bell, Belinda Winder and Nicholas Blagden 2018. ‘Better as a Buddhist’: An Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis of the Reflections on the Religious Beliefs of Buddhist Men Serving a Prison Sentence for a Sexual Offence. Religions. Vol 9 (Issue 4, Article 101). https://doi.org/10.3390/rel9040101
AuthorsKatie Bell, Belinda Winder and Nicholas Blagden
Abstract

This paper presents a qualitative analysis of the accounts offered by individuals (n = 7) convicted of a sexual offense who describe themselves as Buddhists. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews within a custodial environment and analyzed using interpretative phenomenological analysis (IPA). This paper presents the two superordinate themes that emerged from the data: (i) Better as a Buddhist and (ii) Ebb and Flow. Reflections and analysis from the Buddhist prison chaplain are integrated within the analysis of prisoner-participant data. Implications of the analysis are discussed with reference to interventions that use Buddhist principles, factors that underpin factors that help reduce reoffending and those that fit with the formation of a desistance narrative for religious individuals who have committed sexual offenses.

KeywordsBuddhism; Interpretative phenomenological analysis; Qualitative; Sexual offense
Year2018
JournalReligions
Journal citationVol 9 (Issue 4, Article 101)
PublisherMDPI AG
ISSN2077-1444
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)https://doi.org/10.3390/rel9040101
Web address (URL)http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/rel9040101
Output statusPublished
Publication dates
Online29 Mar 2018
OnlineApr 2018
Publication process dates
Accepted27 Mar 2018
Deposited24 May 2023
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https://repository.derby.ac.uk/item/9yy3q/-better-as-a-buddhist-an-interpretative-phenomenological-analysis-of-the-reflections-on-the-religious-beliefs-of-buddhist-men-serving-a-prison-sentence-for-a-sexual-offence

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