Source: (2004) Corrections Today. October: 72-74, 76, 77.
In the United States, faith-based prison initiatives are the subject of considerable public attention and debate. Proponents and critics wrestle over issues of constitutionality and effectiveness. The question of faith-based initiatives is part of a set of changes in the interaction between religion and the criminal justice system. These include an increasing diversity of religious practice in the United States (and hence in the correctional field), a growing body of research into the impact of religion on offenders, and a greater political openness to a larger role for faith-based initiatives. In this context, the Religious Services program in the Transitional Services Division of the Oregon Department of Corrections developed the Home for Good project. It is a statewide community and faith-based re-entry program for offenders. The authors of this article describe the program, paying particular attention to religion and spirituality in Oregon’s prisons, the organizational structure of the program, and indicators of successful otucomes for communities and offenders.
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