PRISON FELLOWSHIP BLOG: Press Releases

On 40th Anniversary, Org. Honors Founder’s Legacy with Five Awards for Those Who Champion Restoration and Reform

WASHINGTON, March 22, 2016—Prison Fellowship, the nation’s largest outreach to prisoners, former prisoners and their families, announced today the creation of the Charles Colson Hope Awards to recognize people who have faithfully and courageously worked to restore those affected by crime and incarceration.

Results show Virginians support policies that improve public safety, reduce costs, and respect the human dignity of all individuals.

Lansdowne, Va and Arlington, Va. – As Virginians consider what is next for criminal justice reform, Prison Fellowship and the Charles Koch Institute today released the results of a public opinion survey on criminal justice.

Report from Kansas Appleseed and Prison Fellowship as Kansas Lawmakers Debate New Bill to Reduce Youth Incarceration

TOPEKA – A new report issued today by Kansas Appleseed and Prison Fellowship outlines the myriad problems currently plaguing the juvenile justice system in Kansas and the opportunity during the current legislative session for real and lasting changes that invest in families instead of incarceration.

The nation’s largest prison ministry praises biblical nature of new recommendations from bipartisan federal criminal justice task force and urges continued bipartisan collaboration to achieve meaningful reforms

WASHINGTON, Jan. 25, 2016—Despite the snow-induced cancellation of today’s discussion on criminal justice reform at the White House, Tuesday the bipartisan Charles Colson Task Force on Federal Corrections will announce its recommendations to Congress designed with the hope of making our criminal justice system more aligned with biblical restorative justice values.

Prison Fellowship and the Chuck Colson Center for Christian Worldview are partnering with WORLD News Group and Focus on the Family for the Restoring All Things Conference, an inspiring event taking place this April with stops in Grand Rapids, Atlanta, and Dallas.

We are pleased to announce that the U.S. House Appropriations Committee honored Chuck Colson with a task force on federal corrections. The Committee has set aside funds in the FY2014 spending bill to establish the Charles Colson Task Force on Federal Corrections to make recommendations to increase public safety, improve offender accountability, reduce recidivism, address victims’ services, and control costs.

Prison Fellowship is pleased to announce the expansion of its “Prisoners to Pastors” program to the Cristina Melton Crain Prison in Gatesville, Texas.  Forty inmates will be participating in the program, which provides seminary-level education and training in prisons.

Facilitated by Prison Fellowship volunteers and in cooperation with The Urban Ministry Institute (TUMI) of World Impact, the Prisoners to Pastors program offers former lawbreakers the chance to become leaders of the Church behind bars and after they return to the community.

As Americans face the prospect of continued divided government and partisan gridlock, a Washington Monthly article offers hope for bi-partisan cooperation on a surprising issue: crime.

In “The Conservative War on Prisons” David Dagan and Steven Teles report that serious criminal justice reform efforts are in high gear in several states these days, with conservatives taking the lead.

More of the 2.7 million children of prisoners in the U.S. will be connected with their incarcerated parents this holiday season, thanks to a new partnership between Prison Fellowship’s Angel Tree program and the Church of the Nazarene. The denomination’s Board of General Superintendents recently voted to encourage Church of the Nazarene congregations across the country to take part in the only nationwide, year-round effort that reaches out exclusively to children with a parent in prison.

Every year California state prisons release thousands of prisoners, most of whom return to the state’s inner cities, where poverty and crime walk hand in hand. Today, Prison Fellowship, the nation’s largest outreach to prisoners, and World Impact, a Christian missions organization committed to serving the urban poor, announced the expansion of their leadership training program for prisoners.

LANSDOWNE, VA, December 20, 2011—Justice Fellowship announces the appointment of Craig DeRoche, former Speaker of the Michigan House of Representatives, as their Director of External Affairs. DeRoche will work with federal and state officials to reform the criminal justice system.

Prison Fellowship is announcing a new partnership with the National Hispanic Christian Leadership Conference (NHCLC), the largest Christian Hispanic association in the United States.

“This partnership will not only allow us to focus our efforts to reach and engage more Hispanic churches, but to also increase our ministry to touch the hearts of Hispanic prisoners and their children, an estimated 20 percent of our total outreach,” says Prison Fellowship President Garland Hunt. 

Prison Fellowship® (PF) is pleased to announce two highly qualified new leaders to take the helm of its 35-year-old ministry to prisoners, ex-prisoners, and their families. Beginning in July, Jim Liske will serve as the organization’s new CEO, and Garland Hunt will serve as president.

On June 6 Prison Fellowship® announced the appointment of James Liske as the ministry’s new CEO.  Liske, who currently serves as senior pastor at Ridge Point Community Church in Holland, Michigan, will begin his term with Prison Fellowship in late July.