PRISON FELLOWSHIP BLOG: Uncategorized

In today’s confusing society it is no wonder our children, spouses, and other family members and friends end up in trouble or even prison. Call me ‘old school,’ but throughout a large portion of a young person’s developmental years they live in this confusing world where there are no absolutes.

One of the best ways to reduce the prison population is to keep people from arriving there in the first place.

Crime prevention programs come in all shapes and sizes, but perhaps one of the most effective are those that take at-risk youth and mentor them into positive life paths by teaching them a new skill.

A version of this post appears on the Justice Fellowship website.

In 2015, an estimated 5.8 million Americans are denied their right to vote.  Christian leaders who set policy should act to correct this affront on redemption, restoration, and hope in our communities.

A version of the following post originally appeared on the Justice Fellowship website.

It was the most unlikely—and remarkable—of alliances.

An Episcopalian priest sat on a panel with a recovering alcoholic. The progressive-liberal American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) shared the stage with a Republican strategist.

The following commentary originally appeared on the Breakpoint website.

It’s no secret that most Americans disapprove of the way Congress is doing its job, and by “most” I mean an overwhelming majority. The reason most give is that Congress doesn’t seem to get much done.

On a cold and overcast October day, thousands of people gathered on the National Mall in Washington, D.C., to raise awareness about drug and alcohol abuse, and to help chart a course where those affected by addiction are treated as individuals in need of help, and not simply warehoused as criminals.

A recent report by the Pew Charitable Trusts provides new evidence suggesting that the increased incarceration rates over the last three decades for drug offenses have done little to reduce crime and recidivism.

The study, “Federal Drug Sentencing Laws Bring High Cost, Low Return,” examines the effects of “tough on crime” legislation passed in the 1980s and 1990s.  

When many Americans enter their 50s and 60s, they start looking toward retirement—that season of life when there is freedom to travel, spend extra time with the grandkids, or devote more hours to volunteering or pursuing a dream. But for those growing older behind bars, the graying years don’t look much different than all the rest—just that they are spent with increased dependency and cost to the prison system.

In the very first month in his official capacity, Pope Francis made a landmark visit to a juvenile detention facility where he washed and kissed the feet of youth. During his upcoming visit to the U.S., he will be visiting a prison again, this time in Philadelphia.

Jake Grant is an intern working with Justice Fellowship, the policy arm of Prison Fellowship.  A version of this post appears on the Justice Fellowship website.

Five years ago, Congress passed the Fair Sentencing Act (FSA) of 2010. The law lowered sentencing disparity between powder and crack cocaine and eliminated mandatory minimum sentences for simple possession of crack cocaine.