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
      • 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

Rebuilding the System

June 29, 2016 by Steve Rempe

When the Eastern State Penitentiary in Philadelphia was first built in 1829, it promised to be the leading edge of what was to be a reform of the corrections systems around the world. In contrast to other prisons that focused primarily on retribution, Eastern State put an emphasis on reform instead of punishment, and served as the model for more than 300 prisons worldwide.

The facility, which wasn’t closed until 1971, now serves as a museum focused on criminal justice and rehabilitation. Visitors can view the cells of notorious criminals like Al Capone and Willie Sutton and imagine what it was like to live life behind bars.

Al_Capone Cell In Eastern State Penitentiary

Al Capone’s Cell at Eastern State Penitentiary (Wikipedia Commons/Mike Graham)

On June 20, a new generation of prison reformers gathered at the old penitentiary to examine the future of incarceration. The event, sponsored by the Vera Institute of Justice, served to launch the institute’s “Reimagining Prison” initiative, which hopes to use improvements in the criminal justice system to create stronger and safer communities.

“Obstacles get in people’s way,” Philadelphia Mayor Jim Kenney told those gathered for the event. “For some of them it’s obstacles they create, in others they are created for them. But it doesn’t mean you don’t get an opportunity to come back to us as full human beings with full potential. None of us are perfect. We need to give people the ability to redeem themselves, and our communities will be better for it.”

The Reimagining Prison campaign brings together three disparate groups—stakeholders in the criminal justice system (both prison administrators and those who have served time in prison), policy makers and elected officials, and the general public—in an attempt to influence legislation and change the current culture of incarceration.

Fred Patrick of the Vera Institute stated that the objective is to create a system that “places human dignity at its philosophical and operational core and also promotes public safety, successful reentry, and transparency.”

In April, the Vera Institute led various policy makers and justice reform advocates in a tour of several correctional facilities in Germany. The trip, which included Prison Fellowship Vice President for Advocacy and Public Policy Craig DeRoche, was featured in a 60 Minutes documentary on the differences in incarceration between the United States and Germany. And just as the Eastern State Penitentiary served as a model for reform in the 19th Century, the German system can be instructive for similar reforms in the United States for the 21st Century.

“Reimagining prisons starts with reimagining communities,” said John Wetzel, head of the Pennsylvania Department of Corrections. “How do we grow a culture of empathy for our prisoners? We need to start by acknowledging the humanity of people in prison. People shouldn’t have to be defined by the worst thing they’ve ever done.”

Developing a productive culture within the prisons starts with wardens and prison staff who believe that restoration and transformation are possible outcomes, and who seek to release changed men and women back into their communities. Prison Fellowship’s Warden Exchange program helps corrections officials share ideas and best practices in order to change the culture in prison and to facilitate successful reentry. To learn more about Warden Exchange and how you can support these efforts, click here.

Filed Under: Advocacy & Reentry, Prison & Prisoners, Prison Fellowship News & Updates, Warden Exchange Tagged With: Germany, Pennsylvania

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

December 20, 2022

Criminal Justice Reform Achievements

December 16, 2022

Prison Fellowship Applauds Congressional Lawmakers for Passage of Law Enforcement De-escalation Training Act

December 15, 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®.