How Prison Ministry Works for Inmates, the Community, and the Church

The Council for Christian College & Universities collaborated with Prison Fellowship, an organization that promotes a culture of second chances for ex-inmates, to launch Second Chances Month in 2016. In 2018, the White House recognized April as Second Chance Month. In 2022, 700 churches, companies, and organizations participated.

Second Chances Month highlights the effectiveness of prison ministry for inmates and its advantages for everyone. Data reveals that one in three adults has a criminal record. When released from prison, people face 40,000 documented barriers to successful reintroduction into society. Prison fellowship and other prison ministry programs work to empower men and women behind bars.

The efficacy and benefits of prison ministry programs have been researched and documented. For instance, one 1995 study published in the Journal of Offender Rehabilitation and conducted in Washington, DC, focused on the relationship between prison ministry and the impact of inmate behavior. The study found that inmates who participated in the prison ministry program remained crime-free longer and fewer of the inmates returned to prison than those who did not participate in the program.

A 2021 study in Justice Quarterly looked at inmates with substance abuse problems and found that men whose beliefs stayed the same as they were when they began the ministry program or grew stronger from participating in it benefited from the ministry programs. Many inmates had strong social networks that provided support and impacted their recidivism rate.

Ultimately, prison ministry may be a positive supplement to other correctional education programs. Another study involving the Rand organization reported that inmates do better on the outside when they receive additional correctional education support.

For example, one program that seeks to reintegrate prisoners into the community is the JUMPSTART ministry program. A 40-week program, JUMPSTART is designed to help inmates grow in their faith while at the same time preparing them for life outside. The program also offers employment and housing assistance that also includes transitional support to ex-inmates upon release from prison.

When people serving time receive ministry support, benefits extend beyond the prisoners. Ex-convicts who return to their homes in better shape than when they left can contribute positively to their communities.

Prison ministry programs offer benefits to churches as well. Prison ministry can motivate church members to become involved in the community. A Baylor University article reported that one of the benefits of launching a prison ministry program is that prisons are harvest fields. Because inmates have plenty of time on their hands, many seek to make changes in their lives. Prison ministry may inspire former inmates to join the church.

Volunteers who minister to those in prison learn lessons about forgiveness and restoration. Volunteers also may learn cross-cultural communication (communication across culture, race, and religion), patience, theological diversity, and how to listen to others. An added benefit is that having volunteers minister to prisoners is an opportunity to prepare and strengthen ministry teams.

Finally, church ministry can be motivating for volunteers. After watching inmates become changed through ministry, volunteers become motivated, which can improve worship. Moreover, this motivation can be the key to keeping volunteers interested in teaching the gospel.