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Directed Life Re-Entry Program of Lehigh Valley
PO Box 3114
Wescosville, PA 18106
610-820-8469
E-mail yokefellowpa@yahoo.com
Ex-offenders are being released to your neighborhood everyday!
As you read this, thousands of prisoners are being released from prisons and jails all over Pennsylvania. Many of these prisoners are returning to your neighborhood. You probably know that Lehigh County Prison in Allentown is one of the newer facilities and that millions of taxpayer dollars are spent each year to keep it running.
What you are probably not aware of may shock you!
According to Bureau of Justice Statistics, over 67% of prisoners released commit another crime within six months. Over 75% will return to crime within four years. For juvenile offenders, the failure rate is even higher, almost 85%. This condition has been worsening all over the country and bigger prisons is not the answer. Our cities are not safe and the situation is only getting worse.
Don Smarto, former probation officer, warden of a maximum security prison and corrections worker for over thirty years says: If there is one thing I have learned in my experience as a corrections worker it is that prison damages people. It is a sorry fact our present prison system has shown little ability to change prisoners for the better. Stripped of dignity , treated with contempt, forced to live in a predatory environment and then released with little self-respect, slim chance to find employment and generally ignored, they quickly return to crime. As many as 80% of these ex-offenders never find a home church!
We can help change this condition in Allentown here's proof!
The Pike County Correctional Facility, a 277 bed Pennsylvania jail, has proven what has been known for years, but seldom reduced to practice in such a spectacularly successful way community sponsored, faith-based programs work!!! Simply stated, Pike County has reduced the recidivism rate from 67% to less than 20%! In Pike County, ex-offenders will commit fewer crimes and create fewer victims. And many of these prisoners are hardened criminals and veterans of gritty New York City jails and state prisons. Wouldn't Allentown be a safer city if only two in ten released offenders returned to crime rather than the six or seven? It's all about community safety and that is responsible to achieve here in Allentown with your help!
This is what Pike County Correctional Facility has done.
Pike County Correctional Facility has changed the inmate environment from the typically degrading and predatory atmosphere to one of safety and the highest military discipline. It is a model of discipline, cleanliness and safety where inmates can develop an attitude of hope and self-respect. One of the main reasons for this success is the extensive counseling and educational programs they offer almost all of these programs are facilitated by community volunteers like you and me. In addition, the community is ready with jobs, home churches, mentoring and continued support upon release. Also, changes in prison policy have been made by the warden to further encourage this atmosphere of strict military security, safety, and success. For the last two annual state prison inspections, the Pennsylvania Department of Corrections has awarded Pike County Correctional Facility perfect scores.
We can do this in Lehigh County and here's how!
The Directed Life Re-Entry Program of Lehigh Valley has now begun under the direction of Yokefellow Prison Ministry of Lehigh Valley. Pike County Correctional Facility has also opened its doors to The Directed Life Re-Entry Program of Lehigh Valley and has enthusiastically agreed to provide full assistance and direction. This bold community- based initiative has the complete support of Lehigh County Prison officials at all levels. For over 24 years the Yokefellow Prison Ministry Lehigh Valley Council has provided competent leadership in community volunteer training and facilitation for effective prison work. Now, we have begun to conduct an extensive faith-based re-entry program inside Lehigh County Prison.
Prison officials have agreed to cooperate with The Directed Life Re-Entry Program of Lehigh Valley to present highly structured Life Application Courses to select inmates on a voluntary basis. Selected inmates receive 10 weeks of intensive instruction facilitated by trained instructors. Lehigh County Prison will coordinate the release of these inmates to The Directed Life Re-Entry Program of Lehigh Valley community network consisting of trained volunteers from local churches and community businesses. This network will provide jobs, housing, mentoring, counseling and continued accountability for success. In return, ex-offenders will be required to attend all scheduled programs and appointments to remain in the program.
These courses and aftercare initiatives have been built with the full cooperation and advice of the Pike County Correctional Facility staff. The Directed Life Re-Entry Program of Lehigh Valley will attempt to duplicate the successful community network already in place in Pike County. We will be building on a proven foundation with solidly Christian programs and ideology.
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