Arrendale State Prison
Arrendale State Prison
Lee Arrendale State Prison is the largest state women's prison in Georgia and is located an hour north of Atlanta in the North Georgia mountains. Students will have the opportunity to provide pastoral care to incarcerated women, support chaplaincy programs, and assist the chaplain with worship.
Site Work
Wednesdays 9:30am-1:00pm (Van departs campus at 7:30am and returns at 4:30pm)
Site work will be in person, as Department of Corrections policies and public health guidance permit.
Transportation is provided from Candler to Lee Arrendale for students working at this site. Students should plan to depart from Candler at 7:30am and return following the afternoon reflection group, arriving back on campus around 4:30pm.
Students will work as chaplain interns, providing spiritul care for staff and incarcerated women at Lee Arrendale State Prison. Chaplain interns will help develop innovative models of chaplaincy suitable for the current constraints of the pandemic. Chaplain interns will provide spiritual care to inmates individually and in small groups.
Fall 2023 Reflection Group
Wednesday 1:30pm-3:00pm on site led by Rev. Susan Bishop.
Spring 2024 Integrative Seminar
Monday 6:30pm-8:30pm at Candler
Pastoral Care Class
Students who enroll in Arrendale State Prison are strongly encouraged to also enroll in Intro to Pastoral Care PC501 CE 1 in the fall or spring semester.
Faculty Academic Advisor
Dr. Marla F. Frederick will serve as the academic advisor for Arrendale State Prison students.
Site Mission
To provide pastoral care and counseling, worship and ministry to a 1,700-bed correctional facility for female offenders. This also includes ministry to approximately 500 staff members and their families.
About the Site
The Chaplaincy Department at Lee Arrendale State Prison has a variety of programs. These include worship, religious education, music, dance ministry, pastoral therapy groups, ministry to inmates with mental health issues, postpartum issues inmates, inmates with chronic medical issues such as HIV, Hepatitis C and cancer, and substance abuse issues.
Demographics of female offenders in Georgia are as follows:
53% Caucasian
46.5% African American
5% Hispanic and/or Asian
80% or more have addiction and substance abuse issues
80% or more have physical, mental, sexual abuse issues
90% are mothers and/or grandmothers
The age range is between 13–80
The average age is between 25–35
Student Reflection
Additional Requirements & Accessibility
In addition to the criminal background check Candler requires of all admitted students, this site requires a criminal background check administered by the Georgia Department of Corrections. Depending on the results of the background check, fingerprinting may also be required. Students must submit an online volunteer application to the Georgia Department of Corrections. Information regarding this application process will be sent to enrolled students following registration for classes.
Contact
Lee Arrendale State Prison
2023 Gainesville Hwy South
Alto, GA 30510 (Map)
Phone: 706.776.4700
Handicap Accessible: Y
Teaching and Site Supervisor
The Rev. Chaplain Susan Bishop has been a Correctional Clinical Chaplain with the Georgia Department of Corrections since 1984. She is a Candler graduate, has a master's degree in music education from Georgia State, and has been supervising Candler students since 1997. Susan is an ordained Southern Baptist clergywoman.
Phone: 706.776.4700
