The Prison Monastery: A Proposal for a More Human & Economical Approach to Prisons
by Nicole Daedone & Kate Feigin
- Pages
- 112 pages
- Published
- 16 March 2026
- Print ISBN
- Print ISBN 978-1-961064-47-8
The Prison Monastery model is based on the founding principles that punishment does not work, and that all humans, restored to their true nature, are fundamentally peaceful and seek to contribute to the lives of those around them. Prisons should be purposed to restore residents and staff to their true nature.
Based on five years of pilot operations, scientific evaluation, and voluminous data from evaluations of other related programs, this book suggests that the Prison Monastery model will not only produce superior outcomes for all those affected directly and indirectly by our criminal justice system, but will reduce the ever-imploding costs of incarceration.
As of 2026, the foundational courses of the Prison Monastery are available to over one million incarcerated individuals across 1,500 facilities and 48 states.
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The program this book proposes, running now
The Prison Monastery brings contemplative practice inside, turning facilities into places of reflection rather than storage. It's the work that produced the voices in this book, and it's running now.
See the Prison Monastery →About the Authors
Nicole Daedone
Founding author and principal voice of Soulmaker Press. A writer on Eros, desire, freedom, and the intelligence of connection, and the author of the Eros Sutras and The Art of Soulmaking.
View all books →Kate Feigin
Co-author of The Art of Addiction: Re-envisioning Addiction's Role in Our Lives.
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