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Second Chances at Life

698,000 inmates were released from prison in the last 12 months. Most will be behind bars again by 2009. How can we keep more from returning?

Previous articles on prisoners and prison ministries include:

Book Bust | U.S. prisons cull hundreds of religious books from libraries. (July 10, 2007)
Rx for Recidivism | Prison Fellowship president Mark Earley talks about challenges the ministry faces. (November 21, 2006)
Bad Judgment | Ruling imperils faith-based programs around the country. (Charles Colson, August 1, 2006)
Imprisoned Ministry | The future of Prison Fellowship's rehabilitation program, and other faith-based social services, are in the hands of an appeals court (July 14, 2006)
Breaking Into Prison | A gospel invasion helps bring peace to one of the nation's most violent penitentiaries. (May 1, 2004)
New Life in a Culture of Death | Hope for Colombia dwells inside its most lethal killing field—Bellavista Prison. (Feb. 02, 2004)
'I Was Looking for Peace and Found it in Christ' | A converted felon in Colombia reflects on life in the guerrilla ranks. (Feb. 02, 2004)
Study Lauds Prisoner Program | Prison Fellowship releases InnerChange research at a White House roundtable. (June 1, 2003)
Suing Success | Prison Fellowship says its Inner Change program is clearly constitutional (April 1, 2003)
The Legacy of Prisoner 23226 | Twenty-six years after leaving prison, Charles Colson has become one of America's most significant social reformers. (July 29, 2001)
Prison Ministry in Mozambique | Missionary says women suffer grave injustices. (Aug. 4, 2000)
Setting Captives Free | It takes more than getting a woman inmate out of jail to turn her life around (Jan. 10, 2000)
A Healthy Cult | A lively response by one unusual audience shows how God's power transforms culture. (Charles Colson, June 12, 2000)
Prisons: Unique Prison Program Serves as Boot Camp for Heaven (February 9, 1998)

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Comments

Ephrem Hagos

September 19, 2007  1:34am

There is probably no one more qualified than an ex-offender to go very successfully through "the hard way and narrow gate" to a whole new and irreversible life in Jesus Christ (Matt. 7: 13-14). However, only faith programs based on the Gospel-facts of Jesus Christ's single-handed will and authority in His own, unique death on the cross, with active supernatural powers for generations to come, can lead to fewer re-arrests among the newly released. Unfortunately, such programs are not common.

revlee

September 18, 2007  8:55pm

Great Article, I wish more people would get involved. I go to a place called Restoration House in Monroe North Carolina. They are doing the same thing. God has truly work in & restored many through this ministry. Our legislators in North Carolina are trying to help us.

L Coakley

September 17, 2007  8:42am

Great article. Material researched and documented. Needs to be sent to all our legislators.

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