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Lives in Transition: Proof of a Life Transformed
Last modified 2008-03-07 23:13
Lives in Transition is a 16-week intensive pre- and post-release programme operated by PF Australia (Victoria). In this article, Robert, a programme graduate, describes how the programme caused him to see the reality of his offending and to seek a meeting to apologise to his victim.
You don't know me", Doug said, his knees trembling, to the shop owner.
"I'm Doug, and I held up this shop ten years ago." The man looked at
Doug intently and replied, "I remember that, but I don't recognize
you."
"Can we talk somewhere?" Doug asked.
For the next thirty minutes Doug talked about the shame and embarrassment he felt from his crime. But importantly Doug was able to say that he was now a different person. He left the shop, after a hug and a handshake from the owner and Doug reckons that he now has a new friend.
"I finally found the courage to apologise, but it wasn't easy but I feel so much better now. Do you know what made me do this? It was because of what I was confronted with on Prison Fellowship's Lives in Transition course,” Doug commented.
Doug's action of seeking forgiveness and understanding started two years earlier when he was enrolled in Prison Fellowship's Lives in Transition program at Barwon prison. He heard Arthur Bolkas speak about Restorative Justice, a concept where victim and offenders have an opportunity "to see both sides of the story", as Doug explains it, ''The penny dropped," and he said to himself, "I can do that. If I can, something good could happen."
Doug went on to say, "I've done crime, I've served 17 years in prison, 10 at Barwon. I've seen it all and toughed out many dangerous situations, but do I have the guts to face my victim?" He resolved that he would, and at that exact moment in time, he became a changed man.
It still took Doug nearly a year after his release to summon up the courage to apologise to his victim, but as Doug said, "It was the most fantastic thing I have done since my release."
Doug's view of Lives in Transition? It works. It's the best program in the prison system because course members know that the Prison Fellowship instructors are volunteers and that they are helping them to see things differently. "Even though the instructors are given a hard time by some course members, don't give up because deep down they know that you are genuine, sincere, honest and approachable."
No one can rehabilitate a prisoner; it's up to the person to decide to change. But Lives in Transition provides the tools," Doug says. “Don't give up. At last the prisoners have a program that works. I'm living proof."
This article originally appeared in Set Free a publication of Prison Fellowship Australia (Victoria), Issue 138, February 2006.
March 2006
"Can we talk somewhere?" Doug asked.
For the next thirty minutes Doug talked about the shame and embarrassment he felt from his crime. But importantly Doug was able to say that he was now a different person. He left the shop, after a hug and a handshake from the owner and Doug reckons that he now has a new friend.
"I finally found the courage to apologise, but it wasn't easy but I feel so much better now. Do you know what made me do this? It was because of what I was confronted with on Prison Fellowship's Lives in Transition course,” Doug commented.
Doug's action of seeking forgiveness and understanding started two years earlier when he was enrolled in Prison Fellowship's Lives in Transition program at Barwon prison. He heard Arthur Bolkas speak about Restorative Justice, a concept where victim and offenders have an opportunity "to see both sides of the story", as Doug explains it, ''The penny dropped," and he said to himself, "I can do that. If I can, something good could happen."
Doug went on to say, "I've done crime, I've served 17 years in prison, 10 at Barwon. I've seen it all and toughed out many dangerous situations, but do I have the guts to face my victim?" He resolved that he would, and at that exact moment in time, he became a changed man.
It still took Doug nearly a year after his release to summon up the courage to apologise to his victim, but as Doug said, "It was the most fantastic thing I have done since my release."
Doug's view of Lives in Transition? It works. It's the best program in the prison system because course members know that the Prison Fellowship instructors are volunteers and that they are helping them to see things differently. "Even though the instructors are given a hard time by some course members, don't give up because deep down they know that you are genuine, sincere, honest and approachable."
No one can rehabilitate a prisoner; it's up to the person to decide to change. But Lives in Transition provides the tools," Doug says. “Don't give up. At last the prisoners have a program that works. I'm living proof."
This article originally appeared in Set Free a publication of Prison Fellowship Australia (Victoria), Issue 138, February 2006.
March 2006