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Free Inside Newsletter -
February 2007
When they leave prison, where do they go?
Reasons why aftercare ministry to released prisoners is
important
1. Leaving prison can kill
Linda A. Johnson | The Associated Press January 11, 2007
Prison life can be dangerous, but getting out can be
deadly, too. Newly released inmates were almost 13 times
more likely than the general public to die during their
first two weeks of freedom, a study in Washington state
found.
Drug overdoses were the top killer, with ex-convicts 129
times more likely to die that way within two weeks of
their release than the general population. That cause of
death was followed by heart disease, homicide and
suicide, according to the study, the first major look at
the issue.
Over an average of two years, the study showed that
ex-inmates were 3 & 1/2 times more likely than other
state residents and nearly four times more likely
than
current inmates to die.
2. The challenge of dealing with why so many return to
prison
When Martha Stewart was released from prison she
returned to her lucrative career, her multi-million
dollar mansion and her $900,000 a year salary. Most
released prisoners have nowhere to go, no job and few
prospects of employment. If they desire to go straight
they often have minimal skills and resources to make it
in a modern economy.
Many have been rejected by family. Some are able to get
into a halfway house, but many more end up back on the
streets and in homeless shelters, just a short step back
into the drug culture and a return to prison.
For these reasons, most inmates facing release,
understandably fear for their futures.
The need is huge and can seem overwhelming, but with
God’s grace and power we can do something toward
rescuing these men and women, not simply to a better
life; but to a better life through Christ
A
change in outlook and attitude
is slowly
developing in prison policy nationwide, with more and
more emphasis on aftercare and the successful re-entry
of inmates into society. It remains to be seen whether
this change is permanent or whether the culture of
departments of Corrections is still toward warehousing
of offenders.
Christian ministries are responding
to this change by placing greater emphasis on aftercare
and re-entry ministries.
Alpha’s prison initiative
is no exception. In November I attended a National Alpha
Prison conference on Aftercare and Re-entry. This
conference confirmed to me that Free Inside must expand
to include a ministry of aftercare and re-entry.
As a first step
toward this goal, Free Inside and Vision New England
Prison Ministries, will be presenting an important
seminar
“Issues in Aftercare“
on this vital topic on
Saturday March 10, from 9 am to 1.00 pm. The seminar
will be held at First Baptist Church, 240 Hillstown
Road, Manchester, Connecticut.
If you are interested in the
“Issues in Aftercare”
seminar, please contact Free Inside and request a
brochure and registration form.
Free Inside, P O Box
341, Glastonbury, CT 06033
Call us at (860) 633 4085, or send us an email to
freeinside@cox.net
If you have to leave us a voice mail with your contact
information,
please speak clearly and slowly.
Donations to support the ministry of Free Inside may
also be sent to this address.
 Three
Examples of Lives being changed through reading this
book.
York C I,
one of our
volunteers reports that the distribution of
this book supplied
by you
through Free Inside has resulted in increased attendance
both at Alpha and at the Prison
Fellowship Bible Study.
At Radgowski C I.
A men's facility 5 inmates use their recreation time to
discuss and pray over the chapter for the day.
At Cybulski C I.
Just this past week I gave
the chaplain a supply of the book in English and
Spanish. Since he is bilingual in Spanish and English he
plans to use it as the basis of a series of Bible
studies in both Spanish and English.
Our volunteers,
with the approval of the Chaplains, have distributed the
book in
all seven
of the facilities where we have programs.
Thank you for responding so generously
last summer to the appeal for donations to purchase
supplies of this important outreach tool.
The joys of prison ministry - the story of Chris a young
ex-offender illustrates the need for aftercare
ministries.
Chris
is a young man in his late twenties.
When he was 7 his father murdered his mother. He and his
younger brother ended up in foster care, being pushed
from one family to another. In his teens Chris began to
use drugs and alcohol, through his addiction he
eventually got into trouble with the police, was
arrested and sentenced to prison.
In prison, a cell mate led him to Christ. Chris
describes his experience in these words“even
though it was night the cell seemed to glow with light
as Jesus entered my life."
Eventually he was released, but like many before him and
since, he ran afoul of the law again and ended up back
in prison.
He spent a total of 5 and 1/2 years in prison. Today he
has a steady job, he is involved in a church and is
being nurtured spiritually in a ministry that focuses on
the needs of those coming out of prison and addiction.
I met Chris late last year when a group of Free Inside
volunteers and I stopped in the coffee shop where he
works, as I paid for my order I noticed that he had a
button on his cap which read
“Jesus Christ the way, the truth, the life.”
I teasingly said to him in a rather sarcastic tone;
“you don’t really believe that do you?”
Without any hesitation he said
“Oh Yes I do! Jesus saved me in prison from darkness and
sin.”
I was impressed with the boldness of his witness and
asked him to tell us his story. He was due for a break
and came and sat with us and told us his story.
That morning our group of volunteers were somewhat
discouraged by some problems that we were facing at the
prison we had been in that day. Chris’ story encouraged
and re-energized us.
Pray for Chris, his experience vividly illustrates the
need for aftercare ministry to released prisoners.
Peter
Dewberry,
For
Christ and His Kingdom.
click
here for
more information about Peter
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