Faith-based prisons represent a new mini-trend in American Corrections policy. But do they work? And are they Constitutional? Or are they evangelizing to captive audiences with the taxpayers footing the bill?
The Urban Institute studied two “Faith and Character Based” institutions in Florida, one for women, one for men, and they were upbeat about what they saw:
Staff, inmates, and volunteers overwhelmingly find value in the FCBI model and believe that it is achieving its goals of changing inmate behaviors, preparing inmates for successful reentry, and ultimately reducing recidivism. Respondents feel that, in particular, the FCBI experience helps promote family reunification and employment prospects upon release, while also improving the prison environment for inmates, volunteers, and staff.
Assessing the faith based approach is problematic because the inmates are self-selecting and can’t have gotten into trouble in lock-up previously to be accepted—so outcomes are difficult to measure.
Yet, the anecdotal evidence is promising, and anything that cuts the ski-high recidivism rates in this country— and manages to help inmates, rather than break them further—is worth a serious look
Here’s how an excellent AP article about a Texas-located FCBI put it:
Killer-turned-artist Manny Hernandez on the prison where he’s finishing an eight-year term: “It’s a blessing to be here.”
Fellow murderer and inmate Raymond Hall likens it to heaven.
“I love this place,” says their warden, Cynthia Tilley. “It’s so calm.”
They’re praising the Carol Vance Unit, founded in 1997 on the outskirts of Houston. It’s the oldest of a rapidly growing number of faith-based prison facilities across the nation.
Even as they proliferate, fueled by the fervor of devout volunteers, these programs are often criticized. Evidence that they reduce recidivism is inconclusive, and skeptics question whether the prevailing evangelical tone of the units discriminates against inmates who don’t share their conservative Christian outlook.
However, evidence is strong that violence and trouble-making drop sharply in these programs, and they often are the only vibrant rehabilitation option at a time when taxpayer-funded alternatives have been cut back.
Inmates at Vance offer another compelling argument. Unlike many of America’s 2 million prisoners, they feel they are treated with respect. They have hope.
Hope is a good beginning.
Chapeau Tip to Doug Berman at Sentencing, Law and Policy, who has been covering this issue for more than a year.
Gee, I wonder how the ACLU reacts to this and to 12-step programs for alcoholics? Maybe this gives us a clue.
LINK: ACLU Challenges Sentencing Option
Now, faith-based for Satan might be okay for them. That leaves out God.
How much money did you donate to this twisted, anti-God (not pro civil liberties), pro-communist group this year?
Schools, prisons, whatever…the ACLU will fight to stop what works in them if it is not totally secular (and fails).
Celeste’s ACLU loving, God hating spam filter blocked my comment.
There is nothing wrong with separating the worst prisoners from the “better” prisoners. One only has to look at California prisons to see what happens when you put the sheep in with the wolves. I expect some loony bird ACLU lawyers to sue these prisons, and screw things up for those prisoners who may want to benefit from “Faith and Character Based†institutions.
Celeste,
I wanted to thank you for being a “beta†test site for our newest blog filter software. We are especially excited and proud of our “argumentum ad hominem†blocking feature, which you requested. If you have a reader who continually initiates a debate with words such as “all liberalsâ€Â, “supports the teroristsâ€Â,“hates god†and etc he will be immediately blocked. If you want any additionl features added to your blog filter please feel free to contact us with a request.
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Bill Gates
Bill,I nearly dumped the coffee in my lap spit/laughing at that one.
Woody, I released your comment from Spam Prison.
LA Res, with an opt-out feature, the faith-based programs should be fine.
RLC? Are you out there? What do you think.
Woody, about the 12-step issue, the principle should work the same way. A judge can’t mandate someone into faith-based treatment. I should think he/she can only mandate treatment.
Admittedly, the particular case seems dumb, because the way AA is SUPPOSED to be set up, is that the “higher power” can be anything, including your own deeper, wiser self. It need not be a diety. But not all 12-steppers play it that way.
You wouldn’t want to be mandated into a treatment program that was agressively athiestic or agnositic. The point is, the government can’t force you into something that is religious in nature—or anti-religious. The principals of civil liberties protect the rights of all.
A different faith-based initiative: the LAPD announced yesterday — LAT, Daily News, Broadcast news — that it was “profiling Muslim neighborhoods” to get a picture of which community lives where (Pakistanis, Afghans, Middle Easterners) both for their own protection, as well as to facilitate gathering of info from them. There’s the expected backlash, from Muslim groups — tho some are fine with it, seeing it as for their protection also, and giving them a chance to show they’re good Americans first — the ACLU, etc. Bratton is now saying he’s open to community input to fine-tune it as needed.
Bill Gates, your beta test for spam filtering has proven as flawed as your beta tests for Windows releases.
Celeste, the convicted are given choices–not mandates.
The problem is that the ACLU won’t except choices which mention God–just like all liberals who hate God and love terrorists.
See, Bill Gates?
Yeah, Maggie, it’s an interesting issue. I nearly blogged about that last night instead of the faith-based prisons, as I had several conversations with the ACLU and others about it, but I’d not gotten hold of the LAPD and had to go out, so I went with the prisons instead, as I knew the Times was on top of it.
Chief Downing’s not a bad guy, although some of the testimony was tad—not troubling exactly, but worthy of additional examination. Downing immediately agreed to meet with everybody and has emphasized transparency, so I think it’s going to shake out okay. The most important thing is to have an open dialogue.
I may or may not do something on it later, depending upon what happens.
I’m tapping my foot trying to figuring this all out.
When they are out of prison or jail, they never attend an AA or NA meeting – even if court ordered. Parole and Probation officers repeately tell them to attend and at a minimum show a credible effort on their behalf.
Shit, they wont even listen to their mothers telling them to go to church and put God in their hearts.
Once in jail, they turn to the Holy Holy and cry tear drops of seeing the Light.
So, you want us, tax payers, to fork out millions of dollars to support prisons to accomadate manipulating idiots that decide to make a 180 degree – for their individual benefit. Total bullcrap.
Guess who opposes a Muslim census in LA. CAIR and the ACLU.
LINK: Anger at LA police plan to ‘map’ Muslims
Want to read something funny?
Faulty notion? That’s rich.
The LAPD just can’t make anyone happy.
[…] Original post by Celeste Fremon […]
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