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Faith-based prisons reduce recidivism, better safety

Spiritual and religious programs are beneficial to residents and for inmates of Maui Community Correctional Center where I volunteered from 1984 until 2016. As a Prison Fellowship member, we offered residents a variety of in-prison ministries assigned to volunteer in weekly Bible studies and religious programs. We religious volunteers provide evidence that regular participation in volunteer-led spiritual studies is associated with reductions in recidivism.

My last three decades of volunteering in MCCC as senior chaplain have evidence of many residents, inmates, who have become pastors and religious leaders on release. American Correctional Association’s Corrections magazine provides data evaluating the effectiveness of various correctional treatment programs to reduce recidivism.

I am also a member of the ACA and the American Corrections Chaplains Association. Charles Colson, late founder of Prison Fellowship, was my trainer and mentor who also introduced the InnerChange Freedom Initiative to offer religious programs to encourage the spiritual and moral regeneration of prisoners.

Success in reducing recidivism and, thereby increasing public safety, continues to be with our prayers as I continue in prison ministry in Maui Coming Home Mission. All with prayers to help assimilate the inmate back into the community through being in productive and supportive relationships with family, local churches and the workplace.

The Rev. Pua Manuia-Hashimoto

Wailuku

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