Prison Fellowship International
Encyclopedia
Prison Fellowship International (PFI) is an international non-governmental organisation (NGO) of national Prison Fellowship (PF) organisations from 117 countries.
United States
and the emergence of similar organisations in England
, Australia
, Canada
, and Costa Rica
. PF USA was formed by Charles W. Colson following his release from prison. Colson had been serving time in prison after being convicted for an offence related to "Watergate," the infamous political scandal during the Nixon
presidency.
Through PFI's Global Assistance Programme national PF organisations seek to respond to acute medical needs and emergencies in prisons through partnership with volunteer medical professionals who provide short-term assistance.
In addition to assisting ex-prisoners with the practical challenges of re-entry into the community, a number of national PF organisations operate intensive "aftercare" programmes including residential support.
. Members of local churches volunteer to sponsor these children by purchasing a gift based on information gathered by PF volunteers and prison chaplains.
In addition to Angel Tree at Christmas, many national ministries operate programmes including camps, retreats, and a variety of year-round events and support services designed to keep the children of prisoners from becoming involved in crime.
National PF organisations in three countries operate residential facilities which provide care for more than 1000 children of prisoners.
—an approach to justice focusing on healing broken relationships, repairing the damage done by crime, and restoring the offender to a meaningful role in society.
The Centre operates Restorative Justice Online and provides information and consultation to national PF organisations, governments, the United Nations
, and other organisations.
The PF restorative justice program is known as either the Sycamore Tree Project or Umuvumu Tree Project. Notably, in Rawanda, in response to the genocide of 1994
, Prison Fellowship introduced the Umuvumu Tree Project through 11,000 traditional courts, resulting in more than 32,000 genocide offenders confessing to their crimes. Twenty-three PF national ministries ran the STP in 2009.
prison communities, national PF organisations are adapting their own APAC projects.These faith-based prison communities are presently operating in 16 countries.
(Category II) with the UN Economic and Social Council and is an active participant in the Alliance of NGOs on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice.
Primary Mission
"To mobilize and assist the Christian community in its ministry to prisoners, ex-prisoners, victims, and their families; and in the advancement of restorative justice."Beginnings
PFI was founded in 1979, three years after the formation of Prison FellowshipPrison Fellowship
Prison Fellowship is a Christian prison outreach and criminal justice reform organization. Its programs reach prisoners, ex-prisoners, and families of prisoners throughout the United States and, through Prison Fellowship International , in 112 countries worldwide.- Leadership :Charles W...
United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
and the emergence of similar organisations in England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
, Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
, and Costa Rica
Costa Rica
Costa Rica , officially the Republic of Costa Rica is a multilingual, multiethnic and multicultural country in Central America, bordered by Nicaragua to the north, Panama to the southeast, the Pacific Ocean to the west and the Caribbean Sea to the east....
. PF USA was formed by Charles W. Colson following his release from prison. Colson had been serving time in prison after being convicted for an offence related to "Watergate," the infamous political scandal during the Nixon
Richard Nixon
Richard Milhous Nixon was the 37th President of the United States, serving from 1969 to 1974. The only president to resign the office, Nixon had previously served as a US representative and senator from California and as the 36th Vice President of the United States from 1953 to 1961 under...
presidency.
Prisoner support
PF national organisations work in support of prison chaplaincy and assisting the work of the church behind bars.Through PFI's Global Assistance Programme national PF organisations seek to respond to acute medical needs and emergencies in prisons through partnership with volunteer medical professionals who provide short-term assistance.
Post-prison support
Church-based volunteers from the national PFI member are key to providing support for the prisoner upon release. Services offered include mentoring, transitional accommodations (half-way house), support to find work and purposeful activity, and for those who desire it, an introduction to a local church.In addition to assisting ex-prisoners with the practical challenges of re-entry into the community, a number of national PF organisations operate intensive "aftercare" programmes including residential support.
Assisting children and families of prisoners
The Angel Tree Programme is an outreach to the children of prisoners at ChristmasChristmas
Christmas or Christmas Day is an annual holiday generally celebrated on December 25 by billions of people around the world. It is a Christian feast that commemorates the birth of Jesus Christ, liturgically closing the Advent season and initiating the season of Christmastide, which lasts twelve days...
. Members of local churches volunteer to sponsor these children by purchasing a gift based on information gathered by PF volunteers and prison chaplains.
In addition to Angel Tree at Christmas, many national ministries operate programmes including camps, retreats, and a variety of year-round events and support services designed to keep the children of prisoners from becoming involved in crime.
National PF organisations in three countries operate residential facilities which provide care for more than 1000 children of prisoners.
Restorative justice
Through the 'PFI Centre for Justice and Reconciliation', PFI seeks to promote the principles and practices of restorative justiceRestorative justice
Restorative justice is an approach to justice that focuses on the needs of victims, offenders, as well as the involved community, instead of satisfying abstract legal principles or punishing the offender...
—an approach to justice focusing on healing broken relationships, repairing the damage done by crime, and restoring the offender to a meaningful role in society.
The Centre operates Restorative Justice Online and provides information and consultation to national PF organisations, governments, the United Nations
United Nations
The United Nations is an international organization whose stated aims are facilitating cooperation in international law, international security, economic development, social progress, human rights, and achievement of world peace...
, and other organisations.
The PF restorative justice program is known as either the Sycamore Tree Project or Umuvumu Tree Project. Notably, in Rawanda, in response to the genocide of 1994
Rwandan Genocide
The Rwandan Genocide was the 1994 mass murder of an estimated 800,000 people in the small East African nation of Rwanda. Over the course of approximately 100 days through mid-July, over 500,000 people were killed, according to a Human Rights Watch estimate...
, Prison Fellowship introduced the Umuvumu Tree Project through 11,000 traditional courts, resulting in more than 32,000 genocide offenders confessing to their crimes. Twenty-three PF national ministries ran the STP in 2009.
Promoting faith-based prisons
Based on APAC, the Brazilian model of faith-basedFaith-based
The term faith-based is a neologism , mostly current in US English, to describe any organization or government idea or plan based on religious beliefs, specifically Christian beliefs....
prison communities, national PF organisations are adapting their own APAC projects.These faith-based prison communities are presently operating in 16 countries.
Consultation
As an NGO, PFI maintains Consultative StatusConsultative Status
Consultative Status is a phrase whose use can be traced to the founding of the United Nations and is used within the UN community to refer to "Non-governmental organizations in Consultative Status with the United Nations Economic and Social Council." Also some international organizations could...
(Category II) with the UN Economic and Social Council and is an active participant in the Alliance of NGOs on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice.