Reentry: Closing the Revolving Door of the Jail and Opening the Door to the Church

by Gretchen Kerr
June 1st, 2012
The project purpose is to understand the role of the church in the topic of reentry from incarceration. Will providing positive connections into the lives of former inmates reduce the chances of recidivating? Mentor training and a road map for church involvement are established, including methods to support the needs of the inmates during incarceration and after release. A turnkey faith-based reentry ministry model will be created using three stages of development: information gathering, research and program development, and evaluation of the ministry model.
Throughout the project, the inmate population is represented by a revolving door. Statistics and research indicate the revolving door continues to spin at a rapid rate. The ministry context is the local county jail, where the inmate stay is shorter and there are often more frequent stays. The project views the ministry problem through the eyes of the church, the pastor, and volunteers, coupled with the needs of the offender, returning to the community from incarceration, and his or her family.
The need for compassionate care and a welcoming environment after an inmate’s release is reviewed. The research method focuses on the creation and evaluation of a new ministry model useful for the church and the development of collaborative partnerships with county law enforcement. The church body provides mentors following biblical models as the theological basis for the project. Personal growth and development of church volunteers adds another dimension to the project. Results indicate the need for the doors of the church to be  unconditionally opened for those who experience the shame and stigma of incarceration.
The summary results indicate that the church has initial interest in serving men and women returning from incarceration, but a longer-term commitment is absent. One obstacle that was discovered is fear of engagement. This obstacle is an area for additional research.