Religious Moderation Education for Inmates in Palopo City Penitentiary  as a Deradicalization Strategy

Rahmawati Rahmawati; Abdain Abdain; Takdir Takdir

Authors

Rahmawati Rahmawati Universitas Islam Negeri Palopo
Abdain Abdain Universitas Islam Negeri Palopo
Takdir Takdir Universitas Islam Negeri Palopo

Keywords:

Religious moderation education, deradicalization, correctional inmates, participatory learning, Palopo

Abstract

This study examines the integration of religious moderation education within the correctional coaching system at Class IIA Palopo Penitentiary as a strategic deradicalization instrument. Employing a descriptive-qualitative design with a Community-Based Research (CBR) framework, this research explores how educational interventions rooted in moderate Islamic values contribute to reshaping the worldview of inmates convicted of or exposed to radical ideologies. Data were collected through immersive observation, semi-structured interviews, participatory counseling, and documentary review involving penitentiary administrators, correctional officers, religious mentors, and incarcerated individuals. The findings reveal three major thematic outcomes: (1) the educational program is structured around a value-based curriculum that integrates theological balance (tawassuth), civic commitment (muwathanah), and non-violent ethics (la 'unf); (2) the delivery mechanism emphasizes dialogical pedagogy, peer-group reflection, and experiential learning activities that align with the inmates' socio-cultural context; and (3) the program demonstrates measurable effectiveness in reducing radical inclinations, as indicated by enhanced religious literacy, diminished hostility toward out-groups, and growing receptivity to national pluralism. This study contends that religious moderation education, when implemented through participatory and context-sensitive approaches, serves not merely as cognitive instruction but as a transformative vehicle for ideological reorientation. The implications affirm the necessity of mainstreaming moderation-based curricula in penitentiary systems as a preventive and rehabilitative response to extremism.

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