Tulsa World: Faith-based program guiding inmates in 'right direction'

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Faith-based program guiding inmates in 'right direction'

Volunteer instructor Frank Hulse (left) talks with inmate Gerard Harris, convicted of burglary and other charges, and guest Lawana Brewer at Family Day at the Dick Conner Correctional Center in Hominy. Bill Broiles/Oklahoma Department of Correction

By BILL SHERMAN World Religion Writer
Published: 9/5/2009 2:20 AM
Last Modified: 9/5/2009 4:55 AM

Inmates in the Faith and Character Community Program at Dick Conner Correctional Center are still talking about how much it meant to them to spend a day with their families, the program's coordinator said.

Irene Lee, coordinator of the new faith-based unit at the prison at Hominy, said about 100 wives, children, parents and siblings attended Family Day in late August.

"Guys have been coming in one after another telling me the impact that Family Day had on their lives," she said.

Inmates and their visiting family members participated in a variety of activities, including live music and a talk on adapting to change by Bill and Danna Shay from Bartlesville, whose blended family includes 15 children, some of them adults. Danna Shay is the former Danna White, a widow who was the recipient of a new home from ABC's "Extreme Makeover: Home Edition."

"When one offender read his daughter a story, 'Love You Forever,' moms and sons were crying," Lee said.

"Men are saying that was the high point of the day," she said.

The purpose of bringing families to the prison is to invite them to join in the inmates' journey, so when they leave for home, the transition will be seamless, she said.

"If the inmate is involved in Celebrate Recovery (a chemical abuse recovery program) or in Alcoholics Anonymous, we want the spouses to be involved on the outside, so they can share these things," she said.

The Faith and Character Community Program is nearing the end of its first

year at Conner, with 40 men in the faith side and 40 in the character side.

Several other Oklahoma prisons have initiated similar programs, which segregate prisoners into pods where they concentrate on spiritual and personal development.

"We're heading them in the right direction," Lee said.

"We've gone from being a failure-based system to showing people their potential, a totally different perspective. It's a very worthwhile mission," she said.

Bill Sherman 581-8398
bill.sherman@tulsaworld.com By BILL SHERMAN World Religion Writer

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	Report Comment Centrist, Owasso (9/5/2009 3:55:01 AM) This sounds like a wonderful program to help these inmates get their lives back on track. We need more programs that aid in the rehabilitation of inmates.
	Report Comment okie ridgerunner, Small Country Town State Line (9/5/2009 9:18:50 AM) This may be a good program.lets hpoe it helps some one along the way. It is a fact tho that the inmates are cons and can and will put on a big act.and then laugh about it later. You can not help any inmate or con unless they truly want to help their self. and that is what needs to be worked on getting them to really want to live a better and honest life. helping them to see and know that they can have a happy and better life by being honest. and then showing them how to do it. Even then after knowing a lot will walk away from it. but if it would just help one out of ten that could add up and be a big help.but it more than likely would be one out of a hundred.
	Report Comment Centrist, Owasso (9/8/2009 4:05:53 AM) So you are saying just do nothing at all, don't try to help them in any way before they get out because it is useless? I don't agree. These people are volunteering their time and resources to reach out to help someone. You should not be judging them "I am" that they are doing this to benefit themselves and not others. You are not them and can't see into their minds or hearts. I'm sorry you have such a negative attitude about christians. Perhaps you should change your user name as it does not seem to fit your image.
	Report Comment Centrist, Owasso (9/8/2009 6:13:55 PM) My point is if you do not know these people personally then you have no right to criticize their relationship with God and the works they do.
	Report Comment PhoenixIX, Jenks (9/9/2009 4:20:07 AM) IAM, RE:"God doesn't tell people to go to prison to visit criminals." Then why, in the "Parable of the Sheep and Goats" did Jesus say,"I was in Prison and you visited me"? And "if you have done it unto one of these -you have done it unto me." ????? No Need to reply. You're back on "ignore". But, think about It?

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