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The Role of the Church in Prisoner Reentry printer-friendly

By Joseph Williams, Christian Association for Prison Aftercare

America is faced with a daunting problem: How do we transition well over 600,000 men and women from prison to the community each year in a safe and constructive manner? Most states realize the need to reduce their prison population. By 2011 state spending on prisons is expected to reach $75 billion. Spending on prisons has caused serious challenges for budgets in most states. One effective way to reduce the prison population is to prevent the return of people to prison once they have been released. Nationally, about half of those released from prison will return to prison within three years. Most recidivism occurs within the first six months.

In response to this problem, many states have adopted prisoner reentry initiatives aimed at reducing the incidence of recidivism. Most see the need to begin working with prisoners who are nearing the end of their sentences to better prepare them for the day of release. Pre-release services are followed by the provision of wrap around services in the community such as housing, education mentoring, soft skills, life skills, employment placement, dental care and family reunification.

States are releasing more prisoners on parole after serving shorter sentences in an effort to move more prisoners out the door. It has been a common practice to routinely keep prisoners well past their minimum sentence. Some states are even changing their parole policies to stop the practice of returning parolees to prison for technical rule violations that can be dealt with in the community by using other types of sanctions.

These are all sensible ways to work on shrinking the prison population and reducing recidivism. Unfortunately, these efforts are taking place in the context of the worse economy since the Great Depression. Men and women are returning to communities that are hardly able to provide them with the resources they need to successfully transition from prison. Mapping studies have shown that most prisoners return to urban communities that are characterized by a lack of employment opportunities, social services, and family reunification. Most return to fewer than 20% of urban neighborhoods. These areas are characterized by high crime and drug abuse. Formerly incarcerated men and women struggle greatly to obtain employment and to maintain adequate housing. The temptation to return to crime and drugs increases as each day passes without the hope of being able to rejoin society as productive members.

Many correctional agencies are now looking to churches in order to fill the gaps in services that exist in neighborhoods where a significant number of men and women are returning from prison. Indeed, the church has a long and sustained history of ministering to those behind bars and those in transition back to the community. Ministering to the incarcerated is a fundamental part of Christian doctrine and culture. For the Church, justice is to be considered not only in its relationship to the laws of the state but also in its relationship to God, who is in a covenant relationship with His people. Throughout the New Testament, those in prison were to be visited as a sacred duty. The Christian community was challenged by Jesus to see a simple prison visitation as an encounter with divinity, Matthew 25:31-46 - I was in prison and you visited me.

Some fundamental teachings of the Christian community that influence the way criminal offenses are viewed by Christians are as follows:

• Offenses must not be ignored; yet offenders must not be condemned;
• Personal morality and its independent free will are cherished; yet individual responsibility is demanded;
• Spiritual implications of offenses against the community are weighed, not only their social and monetary costs; and
• Spiritual and pastoral care provided to offenders is essential, but with an emphasis on reconciliation with the community and with God.

In 2000, an Independent Sector report noted that in 1997 there were more than 353,000 congregations in the United States, and approximately 100,000 urban churches. Many churches have expressed an interest in working with men and women returning to the community from prison, with approximately 90% of urban churches already providing some type of social services. Half of the countries urban churches offer some type of prison-related ministry, while half serve the families of prisoners. About 45% provide prison aftercare ministry or desire to start one. Approximately 75% of urban churches want to partner with outside agencies.

The Annie E. Casey, Healing Communities model suggests that if each congregation were to reach out to just two people prior to incarceration, or two individuals returning from prison, or six people currently incarcerated, then every man, woman and youth facing the pain of imprisonment and the challenge of coming home would be cared for.

The vision of Healing Communities is to engage congregations in the restoration and healing of people affected by crime, incarceration and reintegration. Healing Communities works with local churches to offer a place where the belief systems and unique strengths of the faith community are invoked, and acceptance, compassion, forgiveness, redemption and restoration are provided. Healing Communities offers what other programs and services generally cannot; that is the transformation of hearts and minds and the building of relationships providing support to many people.

Considering the Church as a partner in reentry is a very wise move on the part of Corrections. The government needs to understand, however, that urban churches are just as strapped for finances and other resources as secular institutions. Government must identify ways to channel finances and other resources to churches so that they can be better equipped to serve this very needy population. Churches also need training that will enable them to more effectively work with men and women who are coming to them from the prison experience. Models such as Healing Communities are excellent resources that will enable churches to become more effective in this work. Urban churches can make the difference between success and failure of the current prisoner reentry initiative. They are uniquely positioned to greatly impact the lives of men and women returning to the community from prison, their families, the affected victims and the community at large.

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