The growth of The Urban Minisitry Initiative (TUMI) program in California prisons continues to get great national coverage. A recent Associated Press article looks at the effect the program has had in the lives of current inmates, and considers the impact such a program could have in society.
“I really think there’s a tipping point,” says Wayne Hughes, a Christian businessman who donated $2 million to develop the TUMI program in several California prisons. “If you can get 3 to 4 percent of the general population engaged, I think you’ll really change the culture within the prison — and when they get out, they’ll really change the culture from whence they came.”
Bill Sessa, a spokesman for the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, agrees that the program can have an impact outside the prison walls. “Any program that offers inmates an opportunity to gain some introspection and self-study, to change their attitude toward life, is a huge step toward making their lives constructive when they leave prison,” he says.
The TUMI program is a joint effort of Prison Fellowship and World Impact which seeks to produce Christian leaders by offering seminary-level courses to inmates. Those completing the program receive a certificate in Christian Leadership Studies, an education equivalent to a master’s in divinity, minus the Greek and Latin.
To learn more about the program, how you can get involved, or to find out about bringing TUMI to a prison in your state, visit https://www.www.www.prisonfellowship.org/tumi.