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A Prison Like No Other
Last modified 2005-12-12 14:16
The InnerChange Freedom Initiative (IFI) is a Biblically-based, Christ-centred programme modelled on the highly successful prison programme that started in Texas, USA in April 1997, through the co-operation of PF Ministries (in the USA) and the Texas Department of Criminal Justice. The IFI model seeks to help prisoners to establish a personal foundation built on Biblical principles. Prisoners are confronted with the choice of embracing a new life of personal transformation or remaining in the grip of crime and despair.
The InnerChange programme comes to Dartmoor Prison, Devon after much prayer and planning over the past four years. After many visits to the USA, Lady Georgie Wates (also Chairman of PF England and Wales) had an opportunity to bring this initiative to England. This is run by an independent consortium.
Programme Director is Phillip Dautrich who has been with PF USA and the Texas IFI project since 1999. He shares his vision, "Our objective is to create a prison environment that fosters a respect for God's law and the respect of fellow prisoners and prison staff. We also want to help advance the Prison Service goals of rehabilitation and reduction in re-offending by exposing prisoners to work, education, support groups, mentoring, victim-offender reconciliation and awareness -- with everything grounded in Biblical principles. This is an exciting time for Dartmoor Prison, in that the Governor and staff have embraced this approach to changing prisoners' lives."
The programme is open to all prisoners of any faith or none. IFI Dartmoor will be a twelve to fourteen month programme in prison followed by a six to nine month after-care phase. Twenty prisoners began the programme in April 2005. There will also be opportunities for local churches to provide support for prisoners whilst in prison and on their return to society.
Peter Gray and Ian Cockram join Phillip on the project staff. Ian heads up the after-care programme, and Peter is responsible for the day-to-day teaching and case management of the prisoners. Both men have been involved with prison ministry and evangelism teams.
Just as Jesus came to heal the broken-hearted and proclaim liberty for the captives, open the eyes of the blind, and set at liberty the oppressed' (Isaiah 42), the InnerChange Freedom Initiative comes to Dartmoor to transform the lives of prisoners and their families, and to build up communities through the power of transformation.
This article originally appeared in the Prison Fellowship England and Wales News, April-September 2005. http://www.prisonfellowship.org.uk/