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Is Prisoner Re-Entry a Legitimate Movement? printer-friendly

By Joseph Williams, New Creations Community Outreach, Inc.

Back in the spring I participated as a panelist at a prisoner reentry conference that was hosted by the Harvard University Law School.  My panel consisted of faith-based and community prisoner reentry experts from across the country.  We represented various aspects of services to men and women in transition from prison.  I represented those who operate “multi-service programs” for those returning from prison.

It became very clear that there were many views represented on my panel.  Some appeared indifferent toward faith-based services.  One woman appeared very hostile toward Christians providing in-prison and prisoner reentry services.  On a number of occasions she took it upon herself to counter some point I had made concerning the need for churches to be involved in this work.  Interestingly, those in the audience seemed not to be amused or impressed by her interjections.

She did raise an interesting question that I believe many of us will be faced to respond to at some time in the near future.  She rejected the notion of reentry being a “movement.”  Most Christians I know have accepted at face value that prisoner reentry is a movement.  I have met a number of service providers, who do not claim to be Christians and do not operate “faith-based” programs, express their feeling that prisoner reentry is a movement.  Recently I was asked by an astute “social entrepreneur,” when I first became aware that prisoner reentry is a movement.  Good question.

First, allow me to articulate what I mean when I refer to prisoner reentry as a movement.  Many of us have been around long enough to have seen programs, some of which promote a certain type of service to a certain group, come and go.  Many of us have observed that the government’s interest in certain types of programs have varied from year to year.  Some have referred to this phenomenon as “the flavor of the month.”  I believe with all my heart, soul and mind that reentry is not just another flavor of the month. Rather, I believe that it is an idea whose time has come.

Although the prisoner reentry movement extends beyond the ranks of the church, what I mean when I say that prisoner reentry is a movement is, first and foremost, that it is a movement of the Holy Spirit.  I believe that the notion of providing services to men and women who are making their transition from prison to the community, so that they become positive community members, is Divinely conceived.  As such, I do not see this movement going away until God’s purpose is accomplished through it.  To that end, this movement may well last until the return of our Lord to the Earth.

Some Christian leaders have stated that they believe that the next great revival in this country will come out of the prisons.  Having been involved in ministry to prisoners, ex-prisoners and their families for nearly 25 years, I can see that possibility clearer today than ever before.  Christianity at its best is alive and well behind the walls of most prisons across this country.  Everyday men and women in prison sincerely commit their lives to Christ.  Many are quite serious about studying the scriptures and growing spiritually.  They can hardly wait until they are released so that they can use their gifts and abilities to advance the Kingdom of the One who so mercifully saved them.  Some may never be released and are content to pour themselves out into their fellow inmates who will one day be released.

What then is needed, to help usher in the revival that has been so long predicted?  Effective prisoner reentry services have been the missing link up to now.  While many Christians have been willing to go into the prisons to preach and teach the Word, there have been relatively few individuals who have been willing to provide vital support services to our brothers and sisters after their release.  Consequently, the recidivism rate for Christians released from prison has been unacceptably high.  Enter the prisoner reentry movement!  I am excited to no end about the number of Christians who are now stepping forward to provide prisoner reentry services particularly prison aftercare.  I am confident that this number will continue to increase.

I first began to realize that prisoner reentry was a movement in 1993 when I had the privilege of becoming the founding director for Detroit Transition of Prisoners (TOP), which was a pilot program for Prison Fellowship (PF).  As my staff and I began to pray about how God would have us proceed, I sensed the strong presence of the Holy Spirit directing us at every turn.  Shortly after we began to operate the program people from around the country began coming to us seeking help to help in developing their respective programs.  Later, I became the Managing Director for Network For Life, PF’s national prison aftercare program.  In that position I traveled across the country and learned how others, led by the Holy Spirit, approached the challenge of providing services to men and women making their transition from prison.  It quickly became apparent to me that this was a movement.

What is needed now is a place for those who feel called to this great work to be trained, resourced and networked with like-minded individuals.  That is the purpose of the national conference hosted each year by New Creations Community Outreach, Inc. (formerly Transition of Prisoners, Inc.)  The annual conference has played a major role in advancing the Christian prisoner reentry movement.  The conference, as important as it is, is only held once per year.  We need a year-round connection to our brothers and sisters around the country who are creatively and effectively serving men and women who are being released from prison.  That is why the Christian Association for Prison Aftercare (CAPA) has been established.

It is the vision of CAPA to provide serious Christian prisoner reentry workers with year-round, in depth, professional training and support.  As I mentioned above, Christians are not the only ones interested in prisoner reentry.  The federal government and state government have shown great interest.  Many states are now gearing up to offer reentry programs both pre and post prison.  These government entities are establishing standards of service for those in the community with whom they will work.  Funding for prisoner reentry services will be made available in every state from government and private sources.

Some non-Christian, community-based organizations are making great strides to secure a significant position of leadership in this movement.  In order for Christ ions to take our rightful place of leadership within the prisoner reentry movement, we will need to prove that we are capable of administering evidence-based programs to men and women in transition from prison to community.  We must both demonstrate competence at every level of service, and established organizational and individual standards for Christian prisoner reentry professionals.

I earnestly believe that prisoner reentry is a legitimate movement that will continue to grow and expand much like the substance abuse treatment movement, which began in the 1960’s.  Christians must play a central role in this movement for many reasons.  Those of us who are currently involved in this movement are the trailblazers and the pioneers.  We must lay the foundations for those who will come behind us and create the link between prison and community.  In order to accomplish this we must come together as one. 

Please consider joining CAPA today.  Together we can make it happen.  Together we can make a difference, together we can restore hope in the lives of men and women who are being released from prison and the communities to which they will return.

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