Evidence-Based Programming for Faith-Based Organizations Send To Printer | Close Window

By Joseph Williams, Christian Association for Prison Aftercare

The need for faith-based organizations to be involved in prisoner reentry initiatives is widely recognized by state, federal and local prison and jail systems. As criminal justice professionals continue to develop strategies to reduce recidivism, it has become more and more apparent that the likelihood of success without the substantial involvement of faith-based organizations is quite unrealistic. States such as Michigan face huge budget deficits. Spending on prisons (approximately $2 billion annually) make up the largest portion of Michigan's general fund. In order for states to begin to chip away at looming budget deficits it is critical to reduce spending on prisons. Reducing recidivism is a critical part of any state’s formula for reducing spending.

Indeed, the desire of many states to reduce recidivism is fueled to a great degree by finances instead of compassion. As states, such as Michigan, which has the worst economy in the nation, ponder the question of reducing recidivism, they are also forced to grapple with the stark reality of diminishing resources. Departments of corrections have come to the conclusion that in order to be successful in keeping people out of prison, they must establish real partnerships with agencies and organizations in the community including churches and other faith-based organizations. Aside from the financial problems faced by states, many have come to realize that certain aspects of reentry, such as family reunification, are best left to faith-based and community organizations.

This means that there is an unprecedented opportunity for the Church to be involved in prison ministry at an entirely different level. States are willing to allow the Church to have a role in prisons and in the community that far exceed conducting worship services. Many are looking at the faith-based community to conduct programs such as soft skills (preparation for employment), mentoring, housing, etc.

Many corrections officials continue to be wary of faith-based organizations, however. They are not convinced that faith-based organizations are equipped to effectively engage in evidenced-based practices and programming, which is required today in the field of corrections. Evidence-based practice can be described as a decision-making process that requires a service provider to make programming decisions that are based on research and proven approaches to addressing an identified need. It requires a service provider to examine what has been tried and proven to be effective in addressing a problem and to determine, based on the available data (evidence), what is considered the most effective means of addressing the problem and then implement that practice or program within its array of services.

This is a legitimate concern for corrections officials since many faith-based organizations have not been exposed to the principles of evidence-based practices in programming. Since the inception of the prison system, churches have certainly had a positive impact on the lives of the incarcerated and formerly incarcerated as they have demonstrated compassion and spiritual care toward those to whom they have ministered, in addition to instruction in the Scriptures. For certain, evangelism and discipleship, which has been the traditional role of churches and other faith-based organizations within the prison system, must remain a central focus of our motivation to engage in prisoner ministry. The focus of some churches and faith-based organizations must now be expanded beyond the traditional role to include evidence-based programming.

Mastering and implementing principles of evidence-based programming will enhance the ability of the faith community to positively impact the lives of those who find themselves in the criminal justice system. Personally, I have not found any evidence-based practices that are not compatible with Biblical principles. I find many to be quite complimentary. There is sufficient motivation is the Scriptures for the Church to go beyond evangelism and discipleship to providing for the physical, psychological and social needs of those to whom we minister including James 2:14,15 and Matthew 25:31-46. We understand by now that in order to positively impact the quality of life of our ministry recipients we must begin to be more holistic in our approach to ministry.

The men and women we encounter in prison and leaving prison today do not represent our father’s prison ministry. They face a greater number of deficits than in times past. For instance, because of the loss of jobs in the inner city, many young prisoners have grown up in communities in which they have never seen a man go to work everyday to support his family. These young people will have a great deal of difficulty becoming firmly rooted in the workforce. They require extensive training in soft skills in order to be successful. Additionally, because of increasing stigmatization of those with felony convictions, it is far more difficult to find employers who are willing to hire the formerly incarcerated. Well-developed employment placement programs and job creation strategies are critical to the success of reentry initiatives today. Other aspects of evidence-based practices include staff training, assessment of offender risk and needs, responsivity, motivational interviewing, drug rehabilitation, educational, sex offender services, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, housing placement and services to families. CAPA is committed to serving the Church by providing awareness and training in all aspects of evidence-based practices. This is accomplished by the provision of technical assistance and training. One of our most effective means of training has been through the hosting of national conferences. We assemble the most capable Christian professionals available to provide instruction at the conferences. Many organizations display materials and programs that meet the definition of evidenced-based practice. I hope that you will consider joining us for our 8th Annual National Prisoner Reentry Conference that will be held in Baltimore, MD, at the BWI Marriott Hotel, October 15-18, 2009. For information on the conference go to www.capaassociation.org.

For additional information on evidence-based practice you may refer to the following publications:

Reentry Today: Programs, Problems, & Solutions. American Correctional Association. Alexandria, VA, 2006. ISBN 1-56991-240-8

What Works and Why. Effective Approaches to Reentry. American Correctional Association. Lanham, MD, 2004. ISBN 1-56991-215-5