CCA Faith-Based Programs Offer Life-Changing Hope To Inmates.

NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- A Florida inmate requested in court that his transfer from jail to prison be delayed in order for him to complete the Life Principles Community Program (LPCP), a new faith-based program created by Corrections Corporation of America (CCA), the country's largest private corrections management company, and the Institute in Basic Life Principles (IBLP).

Jason Melton, an inmate serving time for burglary at Bay County Jail Annex in Panama City, Fla., was to be transferred to a state prison when he asked a judge to postpone his transfer so that he could complete the final four months of the LPCP. The judge was so impressed, he not only granted Melton's request, but allowed Melton's time at CCA-managed Bay County Jail Annex to count toward his prison sentence.

Melton is just one of many inmates positively affected by the LPCP and other faith-based programs offered at CCA's facilities. Once Melton is released, he has offered to help Bay County Jail Chaplain Ross Hilton lead the program for the next group of inmates in the hope that other lives will change as his has.

"The life principles program has truly been a life-changing experience," Melton said. "I've learned through God's word how to be a better husband, a better father and how to have a normal life and be a productive citizen. The program has shown me the errors I've made and taught me how to correct my mistakes."

CCA is elevating its emphasis on faith-based programs and religious counseling in all of its 60-plus facilities across the country.

CCA has employed chaplains in many of its facilities since the company was founded in 1983 and has worked with a number of faith-based organizations, including Champions for Life, Kairos Horizon, Good News Jail and Prison Ministry and Theotherapy. This year, CCA entered into a partnership with the IBLP. CCA and its partnering organization established LPCP, a pilot program that offers inmates a character-based curriculum. Due to initial success, LPCP is expected to become a prototype for faith-based programs in CCA facilities.

"LPCP enables offenders to live in a community culture of respect, responsibility and accountability, which are personal attributes and character qualities that increase an offender's chances for success following their release," said John Lanz, director of industry and special programs at CCA, who manages the faith-based initiatives.

All inmates are eligible for program participation, regardless of religious background. Participants live in a designated unit that serves as a center for socialization. In this environment, residents learn the principles of integrity, personal responsibility and accountability. Participation is voluntary, and religious conversion is neither required nor encouraged for program completion.

"Nearly two-thirds of the 600,000 inmates released this year in the United States will return to jail, according to the U.S. Department of Justice," said Dennis Bradby, vice president of inmate programs at CCA. "Our experience makes it clear that faith-based programs are a proven tool in changing inmate behavior and attaining a higher quality of life."

The success of LPCP to date is evidenced at a number of CCA facilities.

Gadsden Correctional Institution in Quincy, Fla., will honor 31 graduates in October. For the last six months, inmates have participated in more than 700 hours of faith-based activities.

"The program has dramatically touched the lives of the inmates and caused a real change in their attitudes, beliefs and behavior," said Dorothy Hilton, chaplain. "One female, struggling with drug addiction for 20 years, entered the program on the academic level of a first-grader. Through the curriculum, which includes journaling, reading, attending finance seminars and studying the Bible, she has advanced to a sixth-grade level. She will serve as a mentor for participants in the next program."

No disciplinary reports have been issued in the faith-based pod at Gadsden since the program began in April. During the same time period, an average of 25 disciplinary reports per month was reported in the non-faith-based pods.

Chaplains at other facilities are also noticing positive transformations.

The program at Coffee Correctional Facility in Nicholls, Ga., began in June 2004. Racial and religious harmony are key focus areas of the program, as participants come from diverse backgrounds. There have been no disciplinary reports among the 76 participants. Inmates will continue to live in the same pod once the program is complete, to reinforce the values learned.

Chaplain Scott Haynes at Cimarron Correctional Facility in Cushing, Okla., reports that the facility's program, under way for 12 weeks, already has 60 inmates on the program's waiting list. With 76 inmates enrolled in the program at Kit Carson Correctional Center in Burlington, Colo., nearly 10 percent of the population is participating. Other CCA facilities participating in the program are Silverdale Detention Facilities in Chattanooga, Tenn., New Mexico Women's Correctional Facility in Grants, N.M., and Wheeler Correctional Facility in Alamo, Ga. Eighteen additional Life Principles Community Programs will be implemented at CCA facilities around the country this fall.

For more information on a faith-based initiative or to tour a CCA facility, call John Lanz at [phone].

CCA is the nation's largest owner and operator of privatized correctional and detention facilities and one of the largest prison operators in the United States, behind only the federal government and four states. The company operates 63 facilities, including 38 company-owned facilities, with a total design capacity of approximately 67,000 beds in 19 states and the District of Columbia.