Prison Fellowship

  • DONATE
    • One-Time
    • Monthly
    • Angel Tree
    • Other Ways to Give
  • GET INVOLVED
    • Volunteer
    • Subscribe
    • Angel Tree Christmas
    • Start a Fundraiser
    • Pray With Us
    • Justice Action Center
    • Share on Social
  • STORIES
    • Stories
    • Blog
    • Videos
    • The Restoration Series [Videos]
  • WHAT WE DO
    • Why Help Prisoners?
    • What We Do
    • In-Prison
      • Prison Fellowship Academy
      • In-Prison Programs
      • Hope Events
      • Inside Journal
      • Women’s Ministry
      • Create: New Beginnings
    • Angel Tree
      • Register your church or group for Angel Tree
      • Prison Fellowship Angel Tree
      • Angel Tree Christmas
      • Angel Tree Camping
      • Angel Tree Sports Camps
    • Justice Reform
      • Justice Reform
      • Second Chance Month
      • News & Updates
      • Sign the Justice Declaration
      • Get a Copy of Outrageous Justice
    • Warden Exchange
    • Church Partners
    • Corporate Partnerships
    • Preparing Prisoners for Reentry
  • RESOURCES
    • Subscribe to Our Email
    • Support for Friends and Family of Prisoners
      • Resources for Friends and Family of Prisoners
      • Coping with Incarceration
      • Resources for Prisoners
      • Resources for Children of Prisoners
      • Supporting Successful Prisoner Reentry
    • Resources for Churches and Volunteers
      • Resources for Churches and Volunteers
      • In-Prison Ministry
      • Reentry Ministry
      • Family Ministry
      • Justice Reform
      • Mentoring Ministry
    • Resources for Angel Tree Coordinators
    • Resources for Chaplains
    • Resources for D.O.C.
    • Justice Reform Resources
    • Share on Social
    • For Media Outlets
  • ABOUT US
    • Leadership
    • Chuck Colson
      • About Chuck Colson
      • The Charles Colson Hope Awards
    • Our Beliefs
    • Financials
      • Financials
      • 2022 Annual Report
    • Employment
    • Contact Us
    • In The News

Working Together for Reform

February 5, 2015 by Steve Rempe

In the highly partisan environment of Washington, DC, there is precious little on which policy makers and influencers on both sides of the political divide can agree.  The subject of criminal justice reform, however, appears to be one of the few where Republicans and Democrats are willing to work together to enact meaningful change.

Jones_Holder

Former Obama administration official Van Jones (at podium) and Koch Industries Chief Counsel Mark Holden discuss criminal justice reforms on Capitol Hill.

At a recent gathering on Capitol Hill, a very diverse panel discussed ways to improve the criminal justice system, and found themselves largely in agreement as to what the problems are, and what steps can be taken to make positive change.

“I think we have been talking past each other for a long time,” said former Obama administration official and liberal commentator Van Jones.  “I think we have missed opportunity after opportunity for a long time and that’s why you have a 595 percent growth in the federal budget for incarceration when probably both sides know there are better and smarter ways to get where we are going.”

Jones joined Mark Holden, general counsel for Koch Industries and occasional spokesman for conservative philanthropists Charles and David Koch, in urging Congress to take steps to reduce prison populations.  Holden has been particularly active in pursuing such reforms, having published a lengthy essay on overcriminalization for Politico Magazine earlier in the month.

“Since [the Politico article],” Holden said, “we have seen so many letters, emails, calls from people around the country—and it’s across the spectrum—doctors, defense lawyers, public defenders, public officials, educators, hourly workers, law enforcement, inmates, prison officials, former prisoners, former prison officials, young, old , urban, rural—all agreeing, telling horror stories about them and their family.  … Everybody has a story here. … This is something that we can all work on.  That’s what’s such a great thing.  We think we have a great opportunity to improve our criminal justice system and to improve society for all Americans.”

The panel included both Republican and Democratic members of Congress who have proposed justice reform legislation.  Senators Rob Portman (R-OH) and Al Franken (D-MN) addressed a bill they have reintroduced to ensure better mental health care to prisoners, and Representative Jim Sensenbrenner (R-WI) discussed his proposal that every federal law that carries the punishment of incarceration be reviewed to determine if imprisonment is the most effective and efficient practice.

Former Justice Fellowship president Pat Nolan also participated in the panel discussion.  Nolan began his remarks by praising his former boss, Prison Fellowship founder Chuck Colson:

I attribute [my success in working for prison reform] to Chuck Colson.  He had the vision.  He could have gone out and practiced law, but instead dedicated the rest of his life to calling attention to the fact of the injustice in our system and the dehumanization of inmates.  He offered hope to inmates and established Prison Fellowship for that.

Filed Under: Prison Fellowship News & Updates Tagged With: Justice Fellowship, Justice Reform, Koch Industries, Mark Holden, Pat Nolan, Prison Reform, Van Jones

SELECT A TOPIC

  • Advocacy & Reentry
  • Angel Tree
  • Families of Prisoners
  • Feature Stories
  • From the CEO
  • Hope Events
  • Inside Journal
  • Press Releases
  • Prison & Prisoners
  • Prison Fellowship Academy
  • Prison Fellowship International
  • Prison Fellowship News & Updates
  • Reentry
  • Second Chance Month
  • Uncategorized
  • Video
  • Warden Exchange

MOST POPULAR

Prison Fellowship Statement on Tyre Nichols

January 28, 2023

Prison Fellowship Responds to Inaction on Crack Cocaine Sentencing at Close of the 117th Congress

December 20, 2022

Criminal Justice Reform Achievements

December 16, 2022

LATEST VIDEOS

WATCH ALL VIDEOS

JOIN OUR ONLINE COMMUNITY

FACEBOOK
TWITTER
INSTAGRAM
YOUTUBE
LINKEDIN
PF®
PFM®

RECOMMENDED LINKS

  • Ways to Donate
  • Inspirational Stories
  • Angel Tree Program
  • Prison Fellowship Academy
  • Justice Reform

RESOURCES

  • For Families & Friends of Prisoners
  • For Churches & Angel Tree Volunteers
  • For Media Outlets
  • Warden Exchange

JOIN RESTORATION PARTNERS AND WITNESS GOD RESTORE LIVES

Restoration Partners give monthly to bring life-changing prison ministry programs to incarcerated men and women across the country.

 

JOIN NOW
  • CONTACT US
  • EMPLOYMENT
  • PRIVACY
  • FINANCIALS
© 2023 PRISON FELLOWSHIP®

Angel Tree®, Angel Tree Camping®, Angel Tree Sports ClinicTM, Angel Tree Sports CampsTM, and Warden Exchange® are programs of Prison Fellowship®.