Numerous studies have indicated that prisoners have a much greater likelihood of not being re-arrested when they stay in contact with friends and family outside the prison walls. Maintaining a connection to the outside world helps to keep incarcerated men and women focused on a life to which they want to return, and keeps them from adopting a “criminal identity.”
Imagine being arrested for a crime you didn’t commit. Imagine being convicted for that crime, and serving four years in prison for it. And imagine finding out after that time served that the police officer who arrested you had admitted to falsifying evidence in order to frame you.
By the time she turned 27, Mary Kay Beard had established herself as one of the most notorious criminals in the country. Along with her husband, Mary Kay was wanted in four states for a string of bank robberies and was the target of a mafia “hit” for double-crossing the mob on a diamond heist.
For many people, running is an opportunity to escape daily pressures—a chance to get out into nature, clear one’s head, and to forget about everything else for a few minutes.
But for Kellie Ike, running takes on a whole different dimension.
The week of April 10-16 has been declared National Volunteer Week—a time to honor and appreciate men and women who are making a difference in the lives of others. Prison Fellowship is greatly appreciative of all those who offer their time and efforts on behalf of prisoners and their families, whether they are mentoring and training prisoners, providing support to children and family members of those behind bars, or offering prayer and encouragement to those affected by crime and incarceration.
Rhonda Bear knows the challenges that women who have been incarcerated face as they attempt to reintegrate into society.
A former prisoner herself, Bear was fortunate to have received support and encouragement from Eileen, a volunteer who encouraged her and nurtured her Christian faith while she was still in prison.
Loneliness could hardly describe the feeling Mercedes experienced when her husband was arrested. Isolation was probably closer to it.
Not only did she and her two daughters lose their main source of income, but she said she also lost the respect of her friends and family.
The images of prison are familiar to all of us—cold, pale concrete walls, with limited light filtering through narrow, bar-protected windows; prisoners in solid jumpsuits shuffling through the corridors under the watchful eye of ever-present guards; small, unadorned cells where men and women live out long prison terms in solitude and despair.
On March 23, Speaker of the House Paul Ryan addressed a bipartisan audience of house interns on Capitol Hill. Speaking on the state of American politics, Ryan lamented the current lack of civility in public discourse, where rhetoric and posturing are drowning out ideas.
In 1987, Prison Fellowship founder Chuck Colson established the Wilberforce Award, an honor intended to celebrate and acknowledge men and women who have publicly lived out their Christian faith, and have had a positive impact on their communities and the world.
As we walk into the chapel, the dreary images do not change. The walls are chipped, faded, and need painting. The lighting is haphazard and stark. But the dreary, colorless, neglected images are contrasted with 19 prisoners all dressed in their blues—light blue smocks with “CDCR” emblazoned on the backs with dark blue pants. Blacks, Latinos, and whites. Beards, shaved heads, and cornrows.
By the time he was 19, Jeff Henderson had established himself as one of the premier drug dealers in southern California. He was making $35,000 a week by age 21—driving fancy cars and living the life of a street celebrity.
But all that came to an end at 24, when he was sentenced to 19.5 years in prison.
For many family members of incarcerated men and women, the barriers to staying in contact with their loved ones behind bars can be tough to overcome. Separated by long distances and inflexible schedules, these families ultimately lose touch with each other, depriving prisoners of the support and encouragement needed to make a break from past behavior and to successfully endure the time spent in prison.
Children who have at least one parent behind bars face many challenges that their friends and classmates do not. Studies indicate that they are more likely to have attention deficit disorder, behavioral problems, or developmental delay. Those with a mother in prison graduate from college at only a 1-2 percent rate—a percentage that improves to 13-25 percent when the incarcerated parent is the father.
Prisons, encircled by high walls topped with razor wire, seem to be closed worlds.
It’s easy to keep them out of sight and out of mind. Since prisons are so remote from most people’s daily lives, it can be difficult to recognize the humanity of the men and women inside and to value their rehabilitation and restoration.
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