We citizens must change our culture for Prison Operations and Criminal Justice in CT
This is a practical, ground level roadmap with recommended actions to help us as citizens participate to change our culture for prison operations and criminal justice in Connecticut.
An intended result is to no longer tolerate and pay for an inhuman, wasteful and outdated system.
The map has goals, proven methods, the science behind the methods, key players, and populations we can equip to help themselves and others.
We invite you and every citizen to contribute by getting involved and staying informed.
To start, Just answer two questions in this simple form.
And please use the comment block at the end of this report to complete and improve the roadmap and keep it up to date.
Prison Ministry is essential to accomplish the change in culture required
A most effective prison ministry
Kairos Inside is one of the most effective prison ministries that go inside prisons in the United States.
It changes behavior and attitudes, which are prerequisites to reduce chaos and slash rates of recidivism.
Recidivism is out of control and costly when 70% of prisoners commit another crime after their release and recycle back through the system. The next generation then follows.
Six States Have Started Prison Reform Using the Norway Model
California
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JR-MHJPzlOI
Connecticut
Change our culture for prison operations and criminal justice in CT
The UCONN Institute for Municipal and Regional Policy, Andrew Clark, Director, sponsors a contract with the Norwegian Correctional Service. The Connecticut Department of Correction has initiated training of a few correctional officers in Norway.
Minnesota
https://www.startribune.com/prison-doesnt-mean-torture-in-norway/600305928
North Dakota
However, not all staff members were on board with the Nordic-style prison reforms rolled out over the last few years. Many correctional officers didn’t agree with the transformation of their roles as authoritarian administrators of discipline and order to something more closely resembling a social worker.
The North Dakota Department of Corrections has seen a decrease of its use of solitary confinement by 80% since working in Amend practices. Officers at another prison stated a 60% decrease in assault on staff and fewer cases of PTSD affecting staff.
Oregon
Oregon was the first state to start the program, beginning in 2019. The program is also known as Amend. It provides training and support to correctional officers and staff to increase wellness for the staff and the adults in custody. Since 2016, Oregon correctional staff and policymakers have been on two Amend-led trips to Norway.
Aysa Klocke wrote an 81-page thesis for the degree of Bachelor of Arts in the Department of Global Studies to be taken June 2021 Title: Evaluating the Success of Oregon’s Norwegian-Inspired Prison Reform.
Washington
Washington State has actively adopted the Amend Project with Norway for “Changing Correctional Culture.”
Kairos Inside is barred from going into prisons in CT
Kairos Inside was one of the most effective ministries to go inside prisons in CT until it was barred from all prisons in Connecticut in November 2023. This exacerbates a growing crisis.
A volunteer team of 22 women had completed all but one session of 34 hours of training to do their 19th Kairos weekend at York Correctional Institution for women in Niantic, CT. They had the enthusiastic support of the warden and the prison chaplain. The team was told verbally 12 days before the event that Kairos cannot go into any (!) Connecticut prison. No reason has been given.
Kairos still has 2 other programs: Kairos Outside and its Torch youth program.
Kairos International operates with a staff of 10 and 30,000 volunteers in 500 correctional institutions in 35 States and 9 countries. What could be more efficient?
Training has started for some promising ways to change prison operations
Importing the Norway Model has started and we need to go beyond that model
Professionals from CT who have been to Norway say we need the Norway Model but for CT to use it we need to change the entire culture of prison operations. That requires us as citizens to be involved.
Connecticut and five other states (CA, MN, ND, OR, WA) are starting to import the “Norway Model” for prison operations, considered the best in the world.
The UCONN Institute for Municipal and Regional Policy, Andrew Clark, Director, sponsors a contract with the Norwegian Correctional Service.
See this page Culture of prisons & criminal justice in CT for how Norway achieved a turnaround.
More than the Norway Model is both required and achievable.
People, Churches, Ministries and Authorities are working together more to achieve better results.
Jesus prayed, John 17:20-21, that we would be One.
We can release the energy and expertise of voluntary and private sectors, free-of-charge to the state.
This necessary shift to change the culture of prison operations is just beginning.
We need to believe that rehabilitation is possible and create conditions inside prison as close as possible to what’s normal outside.
Please add your support.
Some say as many as one third of all families have a member who is in the prison system.
Those families will pitch in.
The Science of How to Change Behavior in Prisons is Known
Send a request for these 17 pages: “The Science Behind Kairos Impact upon Behavior”.
They help to explain why the South Carolina Department of Correction reached, over a 20-year period, a 42% lower recidivism rate for graduates of the Kairos weekend than for other offenders.
These Measurable Key Goals for Changing the Culture are Guides
- Introduce love and forgiveness to prisoners. This is a first-in-lifetime experience for many behind bars. They can to change their personal behavior and self-develop during the entire time they are separated from society. Separation should be their only punishment. They should retain other rights, including free exercise of religion.
- Reduce chaos in the prisons. Correction officers received twice as many assaults in the year that followed Covid restrictions that prevented volunteers from going inside. The correction officers and the residents need less stressful and healthier conditions to extend their lives.
- Slash the rate and cost of recidivism. One half of returning citizens return as prisoners within 3 years after their release and perhaps 70% within 5 years. This recycling is expensive and causes too many in the next generation to follow the same path.
- Kairos likes to train prisoners who are leaders, whether for good or for ill, and have the longest sentences. They influence their mates in the pod. For these reasons, maximum security prisons are a priority.
Populations in the System and Organizations Serving Them
Each of the populations or groups below are part of the “system”.
There are some in each group who are “diamonds” eager and qualified to model behavior to others in the group.
And “Graduates” of the group programs are convincing coaches for others.
Before Incarceration
Youth
Teach them for success in the game of life so they don’t go to prison.
Below are some models for mentoring youth already in an institution.
- Faith 2 Faith Ministries, Intl.(f2fmi). Tom Miyashiro, Chief Evangelism Officer.
- Guides exceptional young leaders worldwide how they can serve the huge numbers of followers they have online.
- Youth Challenge of CT. Esther Gonzalez-Torres, Executive Director.
- Has substance-free residential and transitional housing and re-entry services
- Kairos Torch Ministry.
- Have done weekend retreats in the youth correctional facility for youth 25 and under, followed by six months of weekly one-to-one mentoring
- Prison Fellowship.
- Sees that kids of prisoners don’t miss out on getting Christmas gifts. Sends kids to summer camp.
Women Incarcerated
- Prison Fellowship Academy at York CI in Niantic, Bernie Norman, Regional Director.
- Prisoners learn new values and purpose in 200 hours of life-changing training and experiences prior to release.
- Kairos Inside. Desiree Fortier, Kairos Inside #19 Weekend Leader.
- “establish a Christian community inside prisons by the transforming love and forgiveness of Jesus Christ.”
Wives and Families of prisoners
- Kairos Outside. Sheila Cooley.
- Spouses, parents and relatives who are also “doing time” while their loved ones are inside spend a 2-1/2 day weekend free-of-charge getting to know and sharing with each other.
- Read what it’s like to attend Kairos Outside. Scheduled September 2024 in CT.
Men incarcerated
Kairos Inside. Allan Cameron, CT Chairman, Kairos of CT.
- 3-1/2 day weekend followed by Prayer and Share groups meeting weekly.
- Similar to Kairos Inside for women described above.
Returning Citizens After Incarceration
- Second Chance Churches, Dr. Jessica Sanderson, Ph.D., Urban Alliance.
- A growing number of churches identify one or more mentors who specialize to support and encourage returning citizens. The mentors walk alongside as they do referrals and follow up with community resources and welcome them to be part of their church family.
- Visit the website to see the churches, resource guide and welcome centers.
- Perhaps every town in CT could encourage a Second Chance Church to form.
- HomeBridge Second Chance Employment at The Pub in Bridgeport, CT . David Stubbs, Operating Partner.
- Volunteer coaches at The Pub train formerly incarcerated individuals who become excellent employees.
Every church in CT could have one of the prison ministries shown above
Just one member doing prison ministry can be a church’s first step to becoming a Second Chance Church.
Members of International Christian Center in New London send letters to residents of Brooklyn Correctional Institution through the prison chaplain and receive positive letters in response.
Living Hope Church in Shelton ministers to men at Bridgeport Correctional Center.
Black Rock Church in Fairfield had a Mission Fair that identified new volunteers for Bridgeport Rescue Mission, HomeBridge, Kairos Prison MInistry, and a Youth Camp.
For 30 years Shiloh Baptist Church in New London, CT has had active prison ministries.
For 13 years it has sponsored the Annual Community Prison Awareness and Prevention Gathering to reach out to young people, transform lives and bring awareness of the affects of incarceration on families and communities. Min. Winston Taylor, MSW, Facilitator.
Authorities we should assist
Angel Quiros, Commissioner, CT Department of Correction
Eulalia Garcia, Director, Programs and Treatment Division, Department of Correction
Rev. David Santiago, Sr., Director of Religious Services, Department of Correction
Andrew Clark, Director, UCONN Institute for Municipal and Regional Policy
Correctional Officers One Voice United has led correctional officers and their national unions to study the Norway Model and its characteristics that should be implemented in the U..S. See their report, Reimagining incarceration: American corrections professionals explore the ‘Norway model.
Actions you can take to be involved or informed.
- Please answer this simple form with only two questions:
Which group(s) would you like to be involved with or informed about? and Why? - Please forward this notice to friends who might be interested.
- Please comment to the roadmap on this page to improve it and keep it up to date.
…In His service,
Daniel Dyer
President, UnityCT.com
dyerd@unityct.com