Pray for InnerChange Freedom Initiatives

In an attempt to protect the constitutional separation of church and state, a group in Iowa has won a court decision to take away a Christ-centered prison program that has been highly successful in helping reduce recidivism among voluntary participants. InnerChange Freedom Initiatives began in the Jester Unit of the Texas Department of Criminal Justice 9 years ago, and now also operates in units in Iowa, Kansas, Minnesota and Arkansas. It has been documented as having a significant impact on people's lives, helping offenders start over, equipped with a new set of moral and spiritual guidelines, and connected to a network of spiritual support both inside and out of prison. Research has shown it to be an effective means of helping individuals turn away from the destructive path that led to incarceration. Researchers cite a 50% reduction in recidivism among graduates of the program.

Approximately 700,000 offenders are released each year from our prison systems, which do little more than warehouse people we are mad at, in addition to those of whom we are afraid. Our system locks them up, provides no substantial treatment or occupational training, in the process giving them plenty of opportunity to compare notes on how to do it "better," or not get caught next time, and then we turn them out with a bus ticket and maybe $50.00, to go right back into the situation they failed to deal with last time.

How do we fix a system that is so broken? IFI is one approach that is working. Please pray that their efforts will not be stopped.