Evaluations of Communities of Restoration

Provides a listing of research reports on the effectiveness of Community of Restoration Programmes.

An Outcome Evaluation of the InnerChange Freedom Initiative. (2012) Minnesota Department of Corrections.

From the Evaluation report from the Minnesota Department of Corrections: The Minnesota Department of Corrections (DOC) recently completed an outcome evaluation of the InnerChange Freedom Initiative (InnerChange), a faith-based prisoner reentry program. The evaluation assessed the impact of InnerChange on recidivism among 732 offenders released from Minnesota prisons between 2003 and 2009. The average follow-up period for the 732 offenders was a little more than three years.

Research essay -- Unit management in prisons. Adam Jones. (2011). CRIM 3011 -- Current Issues in Criminal Justice. Adelaide, South Australia: Flinders University Law School.

From the paper by Adam Jones: In a previous assessment for my undergraduate studies, I wrote a paper on faith-based corrections and found, based on my literary review, that there was some anecdotal evidence, which suggested that this sort of model might reduce rates of recidivism, and further research is warranted on faith-based corrections. Inadvertently, in that paper I was describing a form of ‘unit management.’

Faith-based prisons: Is there sufficient evidence of their success to support a case for the development of an Australian trial? Adam Jones. (2010). Crime 3001 -- Crime and Punishment. Adelaide, South Australia: Flinders University Law School.

From the paper by Adam Jones: In this essay I investigate the rehabilitative initiative of faith-based prisons to decide whether or not there is sufficient evidence supporting the claims of organizations like Prison Fellowship1 & Kairos2 that they reduce rates of recidivism.

Johnson, Byron, et. al. The InnerChange Freedom Initiative: A Preliminary Evaluation of a Faith-Based Prison Program

Reanalyzing data previously compiled and analyzed by the Criminal Justice Policy Council of Texas, this study tracks the two-year post-release recidivism rates for those prisoners that entered the IFI program from April of 1997 through January of 1999, and were released from prison prior to September1, 2000. In addition, this report summarizes the results of an intensive on-site, multi-year field study of IFI, including in-depth interviews with IFI staff and participants.

Johnson, Byron. 2002. Religious Programs and Prison: An Exploratory Study. Crime and Justice International.

This exploratory study compares the recidivism rates for two Brazilian prisons considered to be exemplars in a country facing an array of correctional crises. One of the prisons is a faith-based facility run by local church volunteers who use religious programs to kill the criminal and save the person (Humaita). The second prison is primarily based on vocational training and the use of prison industry to better prepare inmates for release and to reduce the cost of operating the facility (Braganca). The current study compares recidivism rates for prisoners released from these two facilities during a three-year post-release window from 1996 to 1999. The findings reveal that: (1) the three year recidivism rate of prisoners from both facilities is extremely low by any standard (16% Humaita and 36% Braganca), (2) the recidivism rate for former Humaita prisoners was significantly lower than that found for Braganca prisoners, (3) Humaita’s lower recidivism rate holds among high as well as low risk prisoners, (4) inmates from the faith-based prison were charged with significantly fewer arrests during the three year follow-up period, and (5) where disposition data were available, former Branganca prisoners were significantly more likely to be re-incarcerated than former prisoners from Humaita. (excerpt)

Kansas Department of Corrections: Offender Programs Evaluation, Volume V.

Information and data from evaluations of Kansas Department of Corrections' offender programs address program activity and efficiency measurements and program outcome measurements. The output (process) data constitute a statistical review of programs for the 5 years from fiscal year 1998 through fiscal year 2002. Outcome (impact) data begin with fiscal year 1992 and extend over an 11-year period through the end of fiscal year 2002. The evaluation information covers each of the following programs: sex offender treatment, substance abuse treatment, academic education (process data only), vocational education programs, special education (process data only), transitional training program (process data for fiscal year 2002 only), prerelease reintegration program, work release reintegration program, and InnerChange Program. The introductory section of the report provides a brief overview of the program evaluation process, including the primary goals identified by the program evaluation work team and the steps taken to meet these goals. The report's second section presents an overview of the data-analysis procedures, including definitions of output and outcome measurement indicators. The third section of the report provides program information organized to be consistent with the evaluation questions applied to the program. For each program there is a statement of program rationale, significant changes during fiscal year 2001 and fiscal year 2002, output data for the evaluation period, and outcome data for the evaluation period. Other sections of the report discuss some of the limitations of the data, methods, and use of the report, as well as future research directions and evaluation questions. (abstract courtesy of the National Criminal Justice Reference Service, www.ncjrs.gov).

Eisenberg, Michael and Britanny Trusty. Overview of the InnerChange Freedom Initiative: The Faith-Based Prison Program Within the Texas Department of Criminal Justice .

This is an overview of the InnerChange Freedom Initiative (IFI) program, which is a faith-based, prerelease and postrelease program operated by Prison Fellowship Ministries through a contract with the Texas Department of Criminal Justice (TDCJ).The IFI describes itself as a "revolutionary, Christ-centered, Bible-based prison program supporting prison inmates through their spiritual and moral transformation beginning while incarcerated and continuing after release." The IFI program was first implemented in April 1997 at the Carol Vance Unit in Richmond, TX. Currently, only offenders with an expected release to Harris or surrounding counties are considered for participation in the program. IFI currently serves approximately 180 inmates, with 200 of the 378 beds in the Vance Unit reserved for IFI participants. Program participants are selected after completing a 30-day self-study orientation intended to determine their readiness for the program. Inmates must volunteer for the program and be classified at a minimum-security custody level. The three-phase program involves 16-18 months of biblical programming and 6 to 12 months of aftercare following release. Each participant is assigned a biblical counselor who completes a member profile to aid in selecting a mentor. The Texas Criminal Justice Policy Council will conduct an evaluation of the IFI program to present to the 78th Texas Legislature in January 2003. This evaluation will examine process issues and report on postrelease outcomes for IFI participants and comparison groups. The methodology of the outcome evaluation is outlined. (abstract courtesy of National Criminal Justice Reference Service, www.ncjrs.gov).

Santos Rego, Michelle Helene e Ismênia Giacomassi. Estudo comparativo dos tratamentos realizados nas instituições carcerárias no Estado de São Paulo: uma introdução

Este trabalho trata de um estudo comparativo (ou uma pesquisa não aprofundada) entre os tratamentos realizados nas instituições carcerárias, no caso, a APAC, que é um presídio de recuperação e a Penitenciária que seria o modelo de presídio convencional.

Bolkas, Arthur. 2000. To Study The Rehabilitative Effectiveness Of Christian-Run Prison Pre-Release And Aftercare Programs. Report to the The Winston Churchill Memorial Trust of Australia.

The rehabilitation of prisoners is, and has always been, a vital aspect of the modern prison system. Indeed, in their study of prison-religion in the USA, Professor Todd Clear and his associates stated that “Even today, religious programming is easily the most common and pervasive form of correctional rehabilitation available to prisoners” (1992). Following his masters thesis on The Significance of Christianity in Reforming Prisoners, the present writer - a former prison (Christian) convert himself - visited several overseas Christian-run prison pre-release and aftercare programs to determine both their effectiveness in helping to reform offenders and possible replication in (Victoria) Australia.

Johnson, Byron. 1997. Religious Programs, Institutional Adjustment, and Recidivism among Former Inmates in Prison Fellowship Programs

This study examines the impact of religious programs on institutional adjustment and recidivism rates in two matched groups of inmates from four adult male prisons in New York State. One group had participated in programs sponsored by Prison Fellowship (PF); the other had no involvement with PF. PF and non-PF inmates are similar on measures of institutional adjustment, as measured by both general and serious prison infractions, and recidivism, as measured by arrests during a one-year follow-up period. However, after controlling for level of involvement in PF-sponsored programs, inmates who were most active in Bible studies were significantly less likely to be rearrested during the follow-up period.

Fabelo, Tony. 2003. Initial Process and Outcome Evaluation of the Inner-change Freedom Initiative: The Faith-Based Prison Program in TDCJ. Criminal Justice Policy Council.

The InnerChange Freedom Initiative (IFI) is a faith-based, pre-release program operated by Prison Fellowship Ministries at the Carol Vance Unit in Richmond, Texas through a contract with the Texas Department of Criminal Justice (TDCJ).

Johnson, Byron and David B. Larson. 2003. The InnerChange Freedom Initiative: A Preliminary Evaluation Of a Faith Based Prison. Centre For Research on Religion and Urban Civil Society.

Reanalyzing data previously compiled and analyzed by the Criminal Justice Policy Council of Texas, this study tracks the two-year post-release recidivism rates for those prisoners that entered the program from April of 1997 through January of 1999, and were released from prison prior to September 1, 2000. In addition, this report summarizes the results of an intensive on-site,multi-year field study of IFI, including in-depth interviews with IFI staff and participants.

Johnson, Byron. Assessing the Impact of Religious Programs and Prison Industry on Recidivism: An Exploratory Study.

This exploratory study compares the recidivism rates for two Brazilian prisons considered to be exemplars in a country facing an array of correctional crises. One of the prisons is a faith-based facility run by local church volunteers who use religious programs to “kill the criminal and save the person” (Humaita).

Johnson, Byron. Evaluación del efecto de los programas religiosos y de la industria carcelaria sobre la reincidencia: un estudio exploratorio.

En este estudio exploratorio se comparan los índices de reincidencia de dos prisiones brasileñas consideradas como ejemplares en un país que enfrenta un gran número de crisis penitenciarias. Una de estas prisiones se basa principalmente en la formación vocacional y la utilización de la industria carcelaria para preparar a los reclusos con vistas a su excarcelación y para reducir los costos de funcionamiento de la instalación (Bragança). La segunda prisión es un establecimiento basado en la fe, dirigido por voluntarios de las iglesias locales que emplean programas religiosos para “matar al criminal y salvar a la persona” (Humaita). En el estudio se comparan los índices de reinci- dencia de los reclusos excarcelados de ambas instituciones durante un periodo de observación de tres años, de 1996 a 1999. Los resultados indican que: (1) el índice de reincidencia de los ex reclusos de ambas prisiones durante esos tres años fue muy bajo en comparacion con las normas habituales (16% en Humaita y 36% en Bragança); (2) el índice de reincidencia de los ex reclusos de Humaita es significativamente inferior al de los ex reclusos de Bragança; (3) el bajo índice de reincidencia de Humaita es similar entre los reclusos de alto y de bajo riesgo; (4) los reclusos de la prisi”n basada en la fe fueron objeto de un nñmero significativamente menor de arrestos durante el periodo de seguimiento de tres años, y (5) de acuerdo con los datos disponibles, los ex reclusos de Bragança tuvieron un índice de reingreso en la prisión significativamente superior al de los ex reclusos de Humaita.

Workman, Kim. Investigaciones recientes que apoyan las teorías subyacentes de las prisiones basadas en APAC.

Resulta sorprendente que sólo haya unos pocos estudios publicados en que se examine la influencia de la religión y de las creencias religiosas sobre los principales instrumentos de predicción y medición de los resultados, como el ajuste y la reincidencia de los reclusos. Los autores de esta investigación no sólo han recomendado que se realicen m.s investigaciones en esta esfera, sino que las investigaciones examinen de manera m.s confiable y m.s integral la interrelación din.mica entre el ajuste, la reincidencia y la conducta de los reclusos después de la excarcelación.

Workman, Kim. Recent Research Supporting the Underlying Theories of APAC-Based Prisons.

The study of religion in criminology is at last receiving scholarly attention. There is developing a consistency in the findings, especially with those more significant studies of the relationship between religion and crime. In a recent and important study, Evans et al conclude, “Among our religiosity measures, participation in religious activities was a persistent and non-contingent inhibitor of adult crime”. These results are consistent with other published research showing that religion has similar benefits in other areas of impulse control or deviance, such as drug and alcohol abuse.