News

Build on the Sycamore Tree Project®

In December 2009, seven prisoners completed the PF Philippines’ two-year programme called Restoring Personhood Module (RPM). RPM consists of five different courses -- starting with the Sycamore Tree Project® (STP) – to help prisoners develop in their faith and commitments to change behaviour.

PF Chile’s APAC programme: 10 years of transforming lives and prison units

In late 2009, PF Chile celebrated the 10-year anniversary of its implementation of the APAC methodology. Since its start in the Centro de Detención Preventiva (CDP) de Puente Alto, PF Chile has expanded the programme into 10 prisons, serving 1,955 prisoners – both male and female. This expansion was possible because of the strong support of the Gendarmeria de Chile (the governmental body responsible for prisons in Chile) generated by APAC’s positive outcomes.

PF Bermuda Explores Transformative Learning

Sheridan Scotton plays role in establishing a breakout group on restorative justice at a November international conference focusing on "Reframing Social Sustainability in a Multicultural World."

Solomon Islands: Community Healing and Reconciliation

In response to ongoing tensions in the affected communities, PF Solomon Islands and its ministry partners launched the Sycamore Tree Project® to explore healing and reconciliation in response to ethnic conflict.

Sycamore Tree Project® News from CNMI

Having run Sycamore Tree Project® in prisons since 2008, PF Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (CNMI) realised that the programme’s restorative justice principles could be applied outside the prison community. So in early 2009, the ministry trained a group of pastors and church lay leaders to use STP with their congregations. During one of these sessions at the Cornerstone Christian Church, a member said the course helped him gain a fresh perspective on crime from the standpoint of offenders and victims alike.

Sad News from STP in Western Australia

In late September, Michael Cockram, STP manager for Western Australia, sent a note announcing the sudden death of a long-serving victim participant. Helen was participating in her 8th STP course when she died after many years of pain and serious medical issues resulting from the criminal offenses that had been committed against her. She had found release though STP and invested boundless enthusiasm in the programme.

Recent News from IFI

The InnerChange Freedom Initiative continues to operate in five U.S. states, serving both male and female prisoners. Currently, it is working toward its goal of becoming fully self-funding by the end of 30 June 2011. To this end IFI staff and volunteers from all the IFI programmes recently attended a two-day training session on local fundraising strategies.

PF Brazil’s Valdeci Ferreira helps promote APAC in Portugal

In mid-October, Valdeci Ferreira, executive director of PF Brazil, participated in several events organised by members of PF Portugal. The trip stems from Valdeci’s presentation in a zonal training in 2008 that inspired the local PF Portugal partner in Porto to invite him back. The hope is that more awareness about the APAC methodology is needed to pave the way for an APAC project in Portugal.

Press release: Evaluation of the Sycamore Tree Programme

On 13 October 2009, PF England and Wales released the report “Evaluation of the Sycamore Tree Programme” authored by Simon Feasey and Patrick Williams of the Hallam Centre for Community Justice. The evaluation showed "significant positive attitudinal changes" in prisoners participating in Sycamore Tree Project® from January 2006 to May 2009. Read the press release below.

Legal Aid in Liberia

In a country with only 300 lawyers for an estimated 3.5 million people, PF Liberia’s Legal Aid programme offers hope to those being held on pre-trial detention illegally. For example, programme volunteers facilitated the release of 117 pre-trial detainees from February to June 2009. The volunteer lawyers and lay people, active in four main prisons, collect data on the prisoners in need of assistance, identify necessary evidence and witnesses for court proceedings, and offer mediation services as an alternative mechanism for processing the case.