Pepperdine University Researchers Report Initial Findings from Global Prison Rehabilitation Study
MALIBU, California – Pepperdine University researchers have reported initial findings from a five-year study examining the effectiveness of faith-based prison rehabilitation, family support, and restorative justice programs in Colombia. The research, conducted in partnership with Prison Fellowship International (PFI), Colombia’s National Penitentiary and Prison Institute, and Prison Fellowship Colombia, is building an evidence base to better understand how these programs may support prisoner rehabilitation, support families impacted by crime, and inform correctional reform.
The study began in 2023 and is led by Byron Johnson, visiting professor in the Pepperdine School of Public Policy, and criminologist Sung Joon Jang, research fellow in the Center for Faith and the Common Good. More than three years into the study, the researchers have completed three major research efforts involving incarcerated individuals, children and adolescents affected by parental incarceration, offenders, and victims.
“We want to better understand what actually helps people change while they are incarcerated and what supports that change beyond incarceration,” said Byron Johnson. “These early findings are giving us a sense of how faith-based rehabilitation may be contributing to positive change for incarcerated individuals, their families, and victims.”
Initial findings suggest participation in faith-based rehabilitation, family support, and restorative justice programs was associated with improvements in emotional well-being, identity, family relationships, forgiveness, accountability, resilience, and social connection.
"Through our partnership with Pepperdine University, we are combining rigorous research with five decades of experience serving people in prison, families, and victims to better understand what contributes to lasting change,” said Andy Corley, president and CEO of Prison Fellowship International. “Together, we are building a knowledge base that can strengthen restorative approaches to justice and help bring transformation to more lives and communities around the world."
The five-year initiative is also creating a research database connecting correctional data with family-level outcomes. As the research continues, findings are being incorporated into PFI’s Centre of Excellence to inform evidence-based practices, training resources, and implementation tools for correctional and ministry leaders.
Johnson and the research team will continue working with PFI to publish findings and explore how these rehabilitation and restorative justice practices may be applied more broadly. PFI currently works through a network spanning more than 120 countries.
To learn more about the research and findings visit the Center for Faith and Common Good website.
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About Pepperdine University
Founded in 1937, Pepperdine University is an independent, Christian university located 30 miles west of Downtown Los Angeles in scenic Malibu, California. The University enrolls approximately 10,300 students across its flagship liberal arts school, Seaver College; the College of Health Science, and four graduate schools—the Caruso School of Law; the Graziadio Business School; the Graduate School of Education and Psychology; and the School of Public Policy. Pepperdine is committed to the highest standards of academic excellence and Christian values, where students are strengthened for lives of purpose, service, and leadership. Follow Pepperdine on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and LinkedIn.
About Prison Fellowship International
Since 1979, Prison Fellowship International has helped prisoners experience transformation from the inside out through the power of the Gospel. Its mission is to transform the lives of prisoners, their families and victims through a global network of ministry partners.
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