6 facts to know about faith and the U.S. criminal justice system
By Abigail Gadd Pixton
The U.S. incarcerates more people per capita than any other nation. Almost 7 million Americans are part of the criminal justice system whether they’re in prison, on probation or on parole. What’s even more alarming is that 1 in 4 people who have been to jail will be arrested again within the same year.
While prison reform has gained more traction as studies suggesting incarceration doesn’t rehabilitate offenders, the system has increased 500% over the last 40 years, according to The Sentencing Project.
In the ‘80s, the War on Drugs not only resulted in dramatic growth in incarceration but harsh sentencing policies that kept people in prison longer. Drug offenses still account for the incarceration of almost half a million people and affect black inmates disproportionately.
In response to the growing impact of mass incarceration on the nation, faith groups have become an important force in lifting up those in need on both sides of the bars, providing counseling and other vital services to prisoners, victims, and community members affected by crime. Here’s a closer look at the facts surrounding faith and the criminal justice system in the U.S.:
1. About 12,000 congregations in the U.S. have prisoner outreach programs
In 1976, Chuck Colson, founded Prison Fellowship which remains the largest organization dedicated to rehabilitating prisoners today. Prison Fellowship and similar programs help to mentor inmates and their families, provide and lead Bible study, and teach life-skills classes.
2. 7,000 faith programs support the victims of a crime
These groups help restore monetary and material losses, as well as provide counseling for children and adults. They provide safe homes for victims of domestic violence and even legal aid in custody cases or other court cases.
3. More than 1,700 career chaplains serve state and federal prisons
A chaplain’s job is to hold religious services for all denominations, provide spiritual mentoring, and host meetings and support groups for prisoners, often with the aid of faith-based outreach programs.
4. There are 300 higher education programs in prisons, both religious and nonreligious
A study by the Rand Corp. found that incarcerated people who participate in educational programs have 43% lower odds of recidivating than those who did not. Such programs have their root in religion: Clergyman William Rogers is credited with starting the U.S. correctional education movement when he taught inmates in a Philadelphia jail in 1789.
5. Hundreds of thousands of Christmas gifts are sent to children of incarcerated parents each year
Prison Fellowship’s Christmas organization, Angel Tree, collects and donates thousands of Christmas presents to the children of incarcerated parents. Their goal is to make sure no child feels lonely at Christmas.
Want to know more about the role Faith-based organizations play in everyday life? Get the Facts
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