Communities of Restoration

In 1972, Brazilian lawyer Mario Ottoboni made a commitment to serve men and women locked up in the prisons of his society. Inspired by his understanding and experience of God's unconditional love for him, he and his colleagues developed a program to actively demonstrate that same unconditional love to those in prison. The methodology they developed over the next 15 years significantly reduces the reoffending rate of released prisoners.

The organization they formed to carry on this work, known by its acronym APAC, is now a chartered affiliate of Prison Fellowship International. As other PF national affiliates learned about this unique approach, some began to adapt the methodology to their own circumstances and situations. Over time, these adaptations came to be called Communities of Restoration.

What are Communities of Restoration? — by james — last modified Mar 21, 2009 12:59 PM

Communities of Restoration (COR) are 24-hour, 7-day-a-week intensive prison regimes operated by Prison Fellowship NGOs. They are designed to reduce offending behaviour through character-focused, faith-based programming.

Where Did CORs Come From? — by lparker — last modified Mar 28, 2009 05:39 PM

Thirty five years ago, a small group of professionals, business people and retirees in the suburbs of Sao Paolo, Brazil, began visiting prisoners in their city to attend to their medical, psychological, educational, vocational and spiritual needs. For a period of fifteen years they sought an effective approach to prisoner rehabilitation.

How Do CORs Work? — by lparker — last modified Mar 28, 2009 05:39 PM

While there are important programmatic aspects to CORs, their strength stems from particular values and principles as much as specific practices. These values are explained on the opposite page. The methodology is holistic in addressing all aspects of the lives of prisoners, and in permeating all aspects of the prison environment.

Is There Evidence that CORs Work? — by lparker — last modified Mar 28, 2009 05:40 PM

Several promising studies suggest that the methodology works. One used records from the original APAC facility, Humaita Prison. Two others were of the first Community of Restoration in the United States, called the InnerChange Freedom Initiative (IFI) program.

Where are CORs Being Used? — by james — last modified Mar 28, 2009 05:40 PM

Listing of PF National Ministries working with the Community of Restoration (APAC) programme.

Videos — by lparker — last modified Mar 04, 2009 08:08 AM

See inside Communities of Restoration programmes from around the world.

National Affiliates and CORs — by james — last modified Mar 28, 2009 05:40 PM

News items related to Communities of Restoration programmes.

[Restricted] Implementation — by lparker — last modified Feb 19, 2009 11:42 AM

Resources developed to help PF national ministries implement COR programmes.