“These walls are funny. First you hate ’em, then you get used to ’em. Enough time passes, it gets so you depend on ’em. That’s ‘institutionalized.’” Do you recognize that line? It’s from the 1994 classic Shawshank Redemption and speaks to a reality that far too many men and women behind bars have come to accept. This reality is called recidivism.
Recidivism is the tendency of a convicted person to reoffend. The United States is the world leader in incarceration, as more people are locked up per capita than any other nation. Although 95% of the people serving time in state prisons will reenter society, 66% will be rearrested and more than 50% will be incarcerated again. So, how can we best prepare people for reintegration into society and lower recidivism?
What is clear from the statistics is this: what many of our prison systems are doing to prevent recidivism is not working. Up until the mid-1970s, the system was more focused on rehabilitation than on punishment. It then flipped its focus to punishment over rehabilitation, evolving into what is known as the “Nothing Works” doctrine. This doctrine revolves around the idea that rehabilitation programs are simply a waste of time and money.
However, as the people of God, when it comes to prisoners, we should adopt the “Gospel Works” doctrine that Christ preached when he launched his ministry to the world in Luke 4:18-19:
“The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to set the oppressed free, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.”
World Impact’s focus is on redemption of prisoners. Since the overwhelming majority will eventually be released, they should be empowered by things like mental health care, skill set development for job readiness, and spiritual formation, while they are still incarcerated. If there is any place where the Gospel needs to make a difference, it is in our nation’s prisons.
A component of our Prison Ministry program takes place inside those prisons, where men and women can take our Church-Based Seminary courses. Instead of the national recidivism rate of 66% within three years, our prison graduates’ rate of recidivism is around 6.2%. Six point two! This is amazing, encouraging news. It is possible for prisoners to be forever changed.
I’ve shared Alberto’s story with you before, but it’s such a powerful demonstration of our Prison Ministry efforts that I want to remind you of it again in case you missed it. Take a few minutes and watch below, as it will increase your faith concerning what God can do.
Click here to purchase Alvin’s latest book, Uncommon Church.
