The cover of the most recent Harvard Magazine proclaims it in large letters: “America’s Prison Problem.”
The accompanying article by Elizabeth Gudrais does a good job describing the current state of prisons in the United States. The author effectively shows that the current system is both inefficient and ineffective.
Whether it’s the debt ceiling, gun control, or other hot topics in politics, it seems like Congress is paralyzed by partisan gridlock. However, Justice Fellowship – the advocacy arm of Prison Fellowship Ministries – is excited to be part of fostering growing bipartisan agreement on criminal justice reform, an issue that has bitterly divided liberals and conservatives for years.
Cary White, one of the first graduates of the Prisoners to Pastors program (a joint effort between Prison Fellowship and World Impact), has released a new book for Christians considering entering full-time ministry.
The book, Spiritual Foundations of the Christian Worker: The Life of Timothy Curriculum (Volume 1), is intended as a workbook for individual or group study.
Prison Fellowship’s Angel Tree program brought Chris back together with his son.
We first brought you the story of the Cleveland family in 2010. Recently, Prison Fellowship caught up with the father-son Angel Tree duo to learn how they are doing today.
A new faith-based dormitory is scheduled to open at the Muskegon Correctional Facility in Michigan later this month. The facility will be run by Prison Fellowship staff, and will seek to prepare inmates to return to life outside of prison, fully reconciled to their families and their communities.
In case the unceasing barrage of political advertisements hasn’t given it away yet, we are fast approaching another national election. Everywhere you look – be it television, radio, print, or even digital media – there is a saturation of appeals for citizens to go out and support this candidate or this issue.
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.
Sentenced to a 15-year prison sentence for aggavated assault, Lee Miller felt as if he had let God down. Instead, God was preparing to show him another side of His grace.
Raised on the east side of Houston, Texas, in the ‘70s, Lee Miller never knew his father.
Sexual abuse is an uncomfortable topic, but it is a terrible reality for many men and woman inside and out of prison.
Employment is important to anyone’s success. Even more so is this true for the ex-prisoner, who faces unfamiliar, daily challenges like paying bills, finding housing, and supporting a family—often with little or no guidance.
Life can go on for sex offenders, but only with clear guidelines set by themselves and others.
There were an estimated 700,000 registered sex offenders in the U.S. at year-end 2009, according to state sex offender registries. But Maia Christopher of the Association for Treatment of Sexual Abusers (ATSA) is quick to point out that not all sex offenders are the same.
Being aware of the negative power of criminal networks can prepare volunteers to help the prisoners and ex-prisoners they serve. Guiding mentees to make tough choices now will help pave the way for their lasting success in life.
You Are Who You Hang Out WithYou may have heard this in your younger years from a parent or from a teacher in high school.
When a prisoner is locked up, the world he leaves behind does not stand still. It moves on without him. So when his long-awaited day of release finally arrives, he can’t just transition back into the same job or community that he left.
It’s no secret that housing plays a huge part in the success or failure of a returning citizen. Without a place to live, it’s extremely difficult to get one’s life back on track and to obtain necessary tools like an ID, a job, food, or transportation.