PRISON FELLOWSHIP BLOG: Feature Stories

For a limited time only, B&H Books is partnering with Prison Fellowship to ensure that prisoners know they are loved and valued by God.

When people talk about prisoners being responsible, it’s usually in the negative sense of culpability. But in the Prison Fellowship Academy, every participant has positive responsibilities, like fulfilling their program commitments and supporting their Academy classmates. And that changes everything.

Peyton struggled to speak to her dad after went to prison. But the night she returned from camp, she surprised him with a phone call he will never forget.

Incarceration shielded prisoners from the full impact of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, but a changed world still awaits them on the outside. In this editorial originally written for The Prison Mirror in 2001, former prisoner Matt Gore reflects on a post-9/11 world.

Seventy percent of prisoners’ children have caregivers who are over the age of 50. Many of these caregivers are grandparents. This Grandparents Day, we want to honor those family members who care for youth while their moms and dads are away.

Access to Pell Grants can’t change a prisoner’s release date, but it can dramatically change the outcomes for the person and for society. By restoring investment in education behind bars through Pell Grants, we can tap into the God-given potential of people who, despite their choices in the past, can make significant contributions to their families, communities, and future employers.

At camp, Joseph can set his worries aside and be free to just be a kid. Every day at camp is a new adventure for this child and so many other campers. And after this summer, he will have plenty to share in his next letter to his dad in prison.

Matthew Charles was one of the first prisoners released after the passage of the FIRST STEP Act. Prison Fellowship editor Maria Mallory White recently spoke with Matthew about what life has been like since his release, and what he believes are America’s next steps in criminal justice reform.

Matthew Charles had been out of prison for almost a year when the Court of Appeals ordered that he return to prison to serve out the rest of his original 35-year sentence. His story caught the nation’s attention, with hundreds demanding his release. Read on to discover the incredible story of Matthew’s journey.

Thousands of people die each year from drug overdose. But Celebrate Recovery offers hope.