This project will examine the Christian practices of prayer, Bible study, synchronized
singing, and the impact of these practices on human flourishing. Researchers will
collaborate with formerly-incarcerated “lifers” and current chaplains to conduct qualitative
research over three years. The data will deepen our understanding of the power of
spiritual practice in the midst of suffering. It will also inform policy on the role
of spirituality inside correctional facilities, and the findings will be applicable
to those practicing faith outside of prison.
Prisoners may know something about the power of Christian spiritual practice that
is out of reach for many “free worlders.” Studying spiritual practice inside of prison
could provide rich data that contributes to the spiritual lives of individuals and
communities well beyond the walls of prisons.
Empirical, scientific evidence to build case for faith-based prison programs
"Prison Fellowship International (PFI) and Pepperdine University, in partnership with
the National Penitentiary and Prison Institute of Colombia (INPEC) and Prison Fellowship
Colombia (PFC), announce a first-of-its-kind, multiyear study in Colombia's prison
system to measure the efficacy of international prison programming in offender rehabilitation,
recidivism reduction, and general correctional reform.
This experimental study will evaluate the effectiveness of PFI and PFC programs in
changing prisoner attitutudes, beliefs, and behavior. Findings will help identify
specific, evidence-based best practices that drive meaningful change in the lives
of prisoners and their families, as measured by changes in individual behavior, family
unity, and prison culture.
“We are delighted to be pioneering this ground-breaking initiative to further evaluate
the effectiveness of our programs,” said Andrew Corley, PFI president and chief executive
officer. “Each partner, uniquely creative and credible in their own right, is now
joining together to evaluate what interventions are verifiably effective in breaking
the cycle of crime.”
With more than 113,000 prisoners across 132 prisons, Colombia maintains one of the
largest prison systems in the world. For the past 20 years, Prison Fellowship Colombia
has actively served the country’s prison population and currently has access to more
than 83 percent of the nation’s prisoners through its portfolio of ministry programs.
Over the past two decades, the organization has demonstrated its penchant for innovation
– pioneering several Prison Fellowship International programs and restorative justice
initiatives and advocating for prison reforms. The wide-ranging study also has support
from the Colombian Senate and Judiciary.
“We anticipate that the findings of this study will enhance our resocialization programs
and equip us, as lawmakers, with the necessary groundwork to amend, reinforce and
advocate for new laws pertaining to resocialization and criminal policy in Colombia,”
said Lorena Ríos Cuéllar, Member of the Senate of Colombia.
The study will be overseen by Pepperdine University in California, a highly regarded
Christian university ranked in the top 13 percent of all national universities. With
more than 10,000 students, four graduate schools and five international locations,
Pepperdine is committed to the highest standards of academic excellence and research
evaluation. Its Center for Faith and the Common Good, led by Byron Johnson and Pepperdine
president Jim Gash, is Pepperdine’s academic home for scholarly investigations of
how faith and religion impact human flourishing.
“Pepperdine's Center for Faith and Common Good is a relatively young academic research
center that is in constant search for strategic partners who can help us develop new
opportunities for research and scholarship,” said Dr. Lee B. Kats, vice provost of
Pepperdine and academic director of the Center for Faith and the Common Good. “This
new partnership with PFI fits perfectly with the Center's mission to expand studies
on the role that faith can play in impacting societies.”
“We are delighted to undertake a study of this scope in Colombia. So much of what
we know from previous research is based on short-term studies of prisons in the United
States. In this present project, we will be able to study multiple prisons and multiple
programs inside of prison as well as in the community, and to do this over time.”
said Byron Johnson, executive director for the Center for Faith and the Common Good
at Pepperdine University. “This is truly an unprecedented opportunity that will yield
many studies that will help to improve the prison. This would not be possible without
the partnership between INPEC, Prison Fellowship International, and Pepperdine University.”
The longitudinal study will follow participants in 12 Prison Fellowship programs throughout
eight prisons for five years or more. Initial participant cohorts will launch in October
2023 with thousands of prisoners and their families being studied over the course
of the evaluation.
Results are expected to be published within the first year. The publication of these
research findings and subsequent training of prison ministries and correctional leaders
around the world will promote the widespread adoption of prison programming best practices,
especially within the Prison Fellowship program portfolio. The Colombian government
will also use findings to improve the national prison system and will be built into
training curriculum for prison guards."
Review the full press release here.