PRISON FELLOWSHIP BLOG: Reentry

Check out how America has come together over the past two years to support those effected by crime and incarceration.

Most of the people at the Church of Acts in Oklahoma City are coming from addiction, homelessness, or prison. Read what it’s like inside the self-proclaimed ‘church of liars, dreamers, and misfits,’ and why so many former prisoners are finding a home there.

The 4 in 10 Texans with a criminal record face significant barriers to employment because of restrictions on occupational licensing in the state. But Prison Fellowship’s advocacy efforts helped to change that—and to open up second chances for meaningful employment to thousands.

Returning citizens face numerous barriers to education. Karen Swanson, director of the Billy Graham Center’s Institute for Prison Ministries at Wheaton College, has five tips for colleges and universities that want to welcome former prisoners.

Second Chance Month continues to build momentum, and April 2019 was the best one yet! From changing individual lives to changing our national conversation, here are some of the highlights.

  Chad found wealth and success after prison, but he didn't have the character he needed to keep it. Which is why one day he found himself once again dressed in a prison jumpsuit on his way to Angola.

When Cassie was incarcerated for four years, her children were just 4 years and 11 months old. Knowing their pain from experiencing her own father’s incarceration made it almost too much for Cassie to bear. But she made the most of their time apart. Now she’s reunited with her children and making up for lost time.

From an abusive childhood to a life in and out of prison. Serena Steenholdt felt like her life was spiraling out of control until she found God and reconnected with her children... “God is so much bigger than I ever thought.”

How Second-Chance Hiring Benefits a Company and Its Community

On April 25 Geoff Ables and others will start off on the first-ever Second Chance Ride—a motorcycle ride to raise awareness about obstacles faced by the 1 in 3 American adults with a criminal record.