Religious Services

Religious Services Offered in San Mateo County Correctional Facilities

The San Mateo County Sheriff’s Office partners with Service League of San Mateo County to provide a range of in-custody and post-release programs for incarcerated persons, including religious services within the county’s correctional facilities; the Maguire Correctional Facility (MCF) and the Maple Street Correctional Center (MSCC).

Service League facilitates a variety of religious offerings to ensure compliance with the Religious Land Use and Institutionalized Persons Act (RLUIPA). RLUIPA is a civil rights law that protects the religious freedom of incarcerated persons.

Through Service League and their network of volunteer providers, the Sheriff’s Office facilitates the following religious services, which are available to incarcerated persons on a voluntary basis:

Meals that comply with religious diets
Religious materials (including prayer rugs, head coverings, etc.)
Religious readings (including literature, bibles, prayers, etc.)
Meetings with religious providers
Baptisms and weddings
Grief counseling sessions
And more

For more information about religious services, please visit https://serviceleague.org/.

Data on Religious Services Offered

Religious Services Requests

Number of Requests Submitted to Service League
FY 24-25

Month	Religious Services
Jul-24	232
Aug-24	289
Sep-24	262
Oct-24	335
Nov-24	294
Dec-24	265
Jan-25	368
Feb-25	288
Mar-25	368
Apr-25	281
May-25	305
Jun-25	307
Annual Total (YTD)	3,594
Monthly Average	300

Number of Requests Submitted to Service League
FY 25-26

Month	Religious Services
Jul-25	406
Aug-25	330
Sep-25	242
Oct-25	325
Nov-25	264
Dec-25	288
Jan-26
Feb-26
Mar-26
Apr-26
May-26
Jun-26
Annual Total (YTD)	1,855
Monthly Average	309

*Note: data is typically updated on a quarterly basis

Number of Incarcerated Persons Attending Religious Services

Number of Incarcerated Persons Attending Religious Services - FY 24-25

Month	MCF # of Male IPs	MSCC # of Male IPs	MSCC # of Female IPs	Total
Jul-24	178	263	169	610
Aug-24	188	403	134	725
Sep-24	175	280	219	674
Oct-24	100	285	196	581
Nov-24	148	384	194	726
Dec-24	177	328	182	687
Jan-25	139	269	233	641
Feb-25	132	370	206	708
Mar-25	218	510	186	914
Apr-25	303	335	146	784
May-25	243	224	104	571
Jun-25	232	308	88	628
Total	2,233	3,959	2,057	8,249
Average	186	330	171	687

Number of Incarcerated Persons Attending Religious Services - FY 25-26

Month	MCF # of Male IPs	MSCC # of Male IPs	MSCC # of Female IPs	Total
Jul-25	212	219	110	541
Aug-25	154	214	110	478
Sep-25	172	259	120	551
Oct-25	276	325	185	786
Nov-25	281	351	167	799
Dec-25	256	402	145	803
Jan-26
Feb-26
Mar-26
Apr-26
May-26
Jun-26
Total (YTD)	1,351	1,770	837	3,958

Denominations Represented

Providing information about a preferred denomination is completely voluntary. As of March 2025, there are eight denominations represented among the incarcerated population, plus those who identify as spiritual (non-specific). A recent survey showed the following breakdown:

Breakdown of Denominations Represented in the Correctional Facilities

Denomination	Number of Incarcerated Persons	Percent of Incarcerated Persons
Buddhist	10	10%
Catholic	21	21%
Christian	29	29%
Christian Science	5	5%
Hindu	2	2%
Islam	8	8%
Jehovah's Witness	13	13%
Jewish	2	2%
Other Spiritual Group	10	10%
Total	100	100%

*Based on a survey conducted in March 2025.

Learn More About Our Religious Services Providers

The Sheriff’s Office and Service League are grateful to have over 100 approved faith-based providers who volunteer their time and expertise. Volunteers represent a variety of denominations and are passionate about the service they provide to the incarcerated population.

Hear from one of the volunteers about their experiences serving within San Mateo County’s correctional facilities:

“Over the past two years, I’ve had the privilege of serving as a chaplain in the San Mateo County jails, going in nearly every weekend. Even now, I still feel a bit nervous each time I enter. Part of that is natural—walking into an environment of incarceration carries a certain weight—but for me, it’s also personal. I’m somewhat claustrophobic, so stepping into that confined space can be challenging. Yet, despite that, I genuinely love this service and feel deeply called to continue.

What I’ve found inside has been incredibly moving. The men I meet are overwhelmingly appreciative. Many of them have a Christian background, but they’ve never been exposed to the kind of Eastern philosophy and practices I share—teachings centered on mindfulness, self-awareness, and what I often think of as “the art of suffering”: how to navigate difficulty with clarity, steadiness, and inner strength. For some, it’s a completely new perspective, and you can see that it lands as something meaningful—sometimes even transformative.

It’s hard to overstate how valuable this is in that setting. Incarceration is one of the most stressful experiences a person can go through, and to be able to offer even a small tool for peace, reflection, or resilience feels incredibly worthwhile. Some of the men ask for books, some begin exploring meditation, and many simply appreciate having a space to reflect and be heard.

Personally, this service has deepened my own understanding in ways I didn’t expect. Teaching these principles has required me to truly internalize them. It’s strengthened my ability to be present, mindful, and grounded—not just in the jail, but in my daily life as well.

I’ve also been grateful for the support of the San Mateo County Service League. They are organized, responsive, and genuinely committed to making these programs available. There’s also a strong sense of community among the chaplains—we often gather before sessions, sharing and supporting one another, which adds another layer of meaning to the experience.

All in all, this has been one of the most challenging and rewarding services I’ve ever undertaken. Despite the discomfort, I look forward to going back each time—because I know it matters.”

Kent Putnam, a Buddhist provider in the facilities

Become a Religious Services Provider

Religious and spiritual services are available through the Service League of San Mateo County. Opportunities are available Monday through Sunday, the following times: