Help Take A Bite Out Of Crime
(5/14/2008)
... With Restoration Houses by Shekinah Christian Ministries
Shekinah recently added a part-time worker to get churches in Northern Colorado to take ex-offenders and their families under their wings.
Program director Pat Cook explains:
"We're simply encouraging churches to do their job in fulfillment of Jesus' commands in Matthew 25.
Crime impacts one of three families in the United States each year. Today, more than 1.4 million adults are in jail or prison. It costs $60-75,000 per inmate to build a new prison, and $24,000 per inmate-year to maintain. Total U.S. cost is over $34 billion annually. Colorado spends some $500 million annually to house its prison population. Countless $$$$ are spent at city and county levels for police and jail systems.
The problem affects big cities and small; with all jails at 97% of capacity, nationally. Juvenile crime is growing at a faster rate than adult crime -- which ensures that the problem will persist. One in every 150 Americans was locked up in mid-1998. Imprisonment is growing at an annual rate of nearly five percent.
Recidivism and Overcrowding
Some 80% of crimes are committed by repeat offenders. And 95% of all prisoners will be released within three years. Most will return to society ill-equipped to enter trades or professions; nor will they have learned to deal with institutional problems of loneliness, mistrust of all, and hatred of many.
Are There any Solutions?
Traditional solutions have failed abysmally. Many in law enforcement say we have lost the war on crime, because the root causes of crime -- declining morality, widespread drug and alcohol abuse, and loss of parental caring and discipline -- are beyond the reach of judicial and legislative control.
The only programs that work consistently are those which seek to change the hearts of criminals, rather than simply attacking the symptoms of crime. Denver's House of Emmanuel offers a fitting example of how the rest of us might proceed. Using a Christian-based approach to 'Restorative Justice,' House of Emmanuel has put some 80 ex-offenders through six-month restorative programs with a 96% success rate (compared to less than 20% success via conventional approaches). All but three of these men are now settled in jobs and paying taxes. Most of them head church-going families.
How Does it Work?
The facilities are managed by ex-offenders who themselves graduated from the program and demonstrated maturity and leadership skills. The environment resembles a boot camp. There are no paid social workers, cooks or maintenance men. The residents are self-sufficient -- doing all work necessary to maintain an orderly home. Admission to the program includes a job, transportation and training in social skills. Members of local churches provide employment, shepherding and companionship. The routine is strict. A van takes them to work, and returns them home in the evening. Church attendance is mandatory.
Residents pay operating expenses of the home from their earnings. The homes operate without government or other outside funding, once established.
About Shekinah Christian Ministries
Established in 1979, Shekinah is an evangelistic outreach to jails, prisons, youthful offenders and at-risk youths, as described above. We also hold Sunday church services for residents of nursing homes. Week-day devotionals are held at over a dozen nursing homes.
Shekinah has some 200 volunteers working statewide in 25 penal institutions, and 14 nursing homes. We're located at 2040 Terry St., Longmont, CO 80501. Tel. 303-682-9593. Fax. 303-682-8918. Contributions are needed to continue the ministry, and are tax deductible. Volunteers are always in demand. Contact us at the above numbers and we will arrange an interview with you.
What Can I Do to Help? Right Now?
1) Pray for Us
2) Make a cash contribution.
3) Volunteer your services as a mentor, trainer or employer.
