We are a movement of people seeking to Forgive and Not Forget those in prison. Jesus has called His followers to remember and care for the least of these, including prisoners—who are often ignored and scorned by our society. We believe that God’s gift of forgiveness and hope extends to all those behind bars, no matter what they’ve done, no matter how far they have fallen.

We remember prisoners through our prayers and our actions. Our model is Jesus, who had this surprising habit of hanging out with the “losers” of society—the ones other people looked down on. He didn’t just see their failures. He saw their pain . . . and their potential. And He offered them what they needed—forgiveness and new life.

Are you willing to follow in Jesus’ footsteps? To forget the stereotypes and help build new futures for those behind bars and those getting out? To remember that you, too, were trapped in your own kind of prison once, until Jesus came looking for you.

“Remember those who are in prison as if you were in prison with them . . . ” (Hebrews 13:3)

Prison Fellowship is a national organization that seeks to remember prisoners, ex-prisoners, and their families both as an act of service to Jesus and as an expression of love to the least of these.

“I was in prison, and you came to visit me,” Jesus told His followers. Then He clarified: “Whatever you did for the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.” (Matthew 25:36, 40)

We believe that not only can God forgive those who have committed crimes, but that He also has the power to transform them to be more like Jesus. He wants to not only save them from their sin, but to also use them to build His Kingdom as devoted followers of Jesus and leaders in the Church and community.

As prisoners and their families are transformed more into the image of Christ, they help transform the communities in which they live—helping restore to peace what has previous been endangered by crime.

At its core, crime is a moral and spiritual problem. When people have distorted values and attitudes, they make poor moral choices that can cause harm and destruction.

Since the core problem is moral and spiritual, the core solution must also be moral and spiritual. Authentic and lasting change must take place from the inside out—beginning with a reconciled relationship with God through Jesus Christ. Then, as people learn more about the truth and power of Christ, they start to think in a new way, act in a new way, and relate to others in a new way.

Crime and Incarceration by the Numbers

• The U.S. has only 5% of the world’s population, but 25% of the world’s prisoners.
• 2.3 million people in the U.S. are in prison or jail. Another 5 million are on probation or parole—and living in our communities.
• Over the past seven years, the number of sentenced offenders has grown 15% per year, while the population of the U.S. grows only 6.4% per year.
• After barely budging for 50 years, our incarceration rate increased sevenfold between 1978 and 2008.
• Roughly 1.7 million children in the U.S. have a parent in prison. Having an incarcerated parent doubles the risk that a child will be at least temporarily homeless and measurably increases the likelihood of aggressive behavior, social isolation, depression, and problems in school—all portending difficulties in adulthood.
• More than 140,000 inmates are serving life sentences; 29 percent of those are sentenced to life without parole.
• Among married men, those who have been incarcerated are nearly twice as likely to divorce or separate compared with those who were never incarcerated, 59% vs. 32%.
• At least 95% of all state prisoners will be released from prison at some point.
• Every year more than 700,000 prisoners are released. 67% are re-arrested within three years of their release, and approximately 50% return to prison.
• One year after release, as many as 60% are still unemployed.

Prison Fellowship works with incarcerated men and women all over the U.S. and helps them prepare for release back into the community. Inside prison, volunteers and staff share the Gospel, disciple and mentor prisoners, and help them develop the life skills, social skills, and parenting skills that will increase their chances of success on the outside.

Once prisoners are released, Prison Fellowship and its partners continue to walk alongside these men and women through the tough transitional stage. Newly released prisoners face huge challenges and stigma, and they’re especially vulnerable to relapse. Prison Fellowship emphasizes meeting both spiritual and practical needs to help ex-prisoners stay strong in their faith and successfully clear the reentry hurdles. PF mobilizes local networks of churches and community organizations to help ex-prisoners find needed resources—such as housing, employment, transportation, etc.—and needed relationships—such as mentors and a church family.

Through its Angel Tree® program, Prison Fellowship partners with thousands of churches to serve incarcerated parents and their families in the community—restoring broken bonds and protecting prisoners’ children from falling prey to the generational cycle of crime.