Support and cooperation from volunteers outside, including volunteer visitors for inmates and prison chaplains, play an extraordinarily important role in the operations of penal institutions, in particular, for educational activities.

(1) Voluntary visits for inmates

  Voluntary visits for inmates refer to a system under which private volunteers provide sentenced inmates, etc. with guidance and advice based on their professional knowledge and experiences. Contents of guidance and advice are wide-ranging, including those on inmates' hobbies, culture, and skills, and those on their mental worries, families, jobs, and future life plans.
  As of December 31, 2006, there were 1,134 volunteer visitors, 413 of which specialized in education and literary arts, 126 in rehabilitation services, 77 in law (legal profession), 518 in religion, commerce and industry, and social welfare etc. In 2006, a total of 14,733 voluntary visits were made, 7,904 of which were concerned with hobbies and culture, 3,012 with families and jobs, and 1,666 with mental worries (Source: The Correction Bureau, Ministry of Justice).

(2) Religious teachings

  Religious teachers are given, at the request of inmates, by prison chaplains (private religious volunteers). They include religious lectures, religious rites and reading of sutras etc., and are aimed at supporting inmates indirectly for fulfilling the purpose of imprisonment by giving them spiritual relief and mental stability, while ensuring their religious freedom.
  As of December 31, 2006, there were 1,551 prison chaplains, and they gave religious services 9,119 times to groups and 7,998 times individually (Source: The Correction Bureau, Ministry of Justice).