The United States has experienced unprecedented growth in the prison system. Since 1990, the number of inmates and the prison budget has tripled in the state of Texas. Some politicians and prison officials believe that building more prisons is the answer to this significant societal problem. At some future date, 98% of all incarcerated criminals will return to society and live in our communities. It seems that more effort in rehabilitation is an obvious course of action. From both a practical and spiritual standpoint, the rehabilitation effort must be emphasized. A good start is for all communities and prison systems to study and initiate programs that are in the spirit of Restorative Justice.
Restoring Peace – Using Lessons From Prison to Mend Broken Relationships details the principles used in the Bridges To Life program, combined with actual stories from victim and inmate participants. The book is intended for repairing or improving relationships with others.
“The best part about this program is the small group setting which allows both victim and inmate to be open and honest with one another and the trust, confidence that is built through these groups.”