Faith- and character-based institutions are designed to provide a wide range of activities for eligible inmates who have indicated an interest in personal growth and character development. A faith- and character-based institution provides a public forum for community volunteers to offer programs in all areas of personal growth and character development. Volunteers from both secular and religious organizations are equally welcome to participate, subject only to content neutral time, place and manner restrictions based on institutional, administrative and security needs. An inmate’s religious faith, or lack thereof, is not considered in determining eligibility for a faith- and character-based institution. A faith- and character-based institution will emphasize the importance of personal responsibility, work, education, substance-abuse treatment and peer support. The goals of a faith- and character-based institution include without limitation, rehabilitation, reintegration of inmates into the community, reduction of recidivism, increasing system-wide institutional security, offering a fuller range of religious accommodations, and enhancing restorative justice programming.
 

Programs

Faith- and character-based institutions will involve volunteers to support the program schedule with a wide variety of secular and religious activities. Volunteers and mentors at faith- and character-based institutions are subject to the requirements of “Volunteers and Interns,” Procedure 503.004.
Mentoring is provided so that each inmate will have a positive influence in her/his life and to have a positive contact to assist the inmate upon release; and is intended to enhance personal growth through the sharing of experiences and wisdom and to offer a framework for teaching and modeling values and life skills; mentoring topics will be geared towards personal growth in ethical behavior and interpersonal relationships. Reasonable efforts will be made to match inmates with mentors who are best suited to address the individual inmate’s needs. The mentor will be the same gender as the inmate. Mentors are assigned as available by the volunteer coordinator. Inmates may change or decline mentors at any time without any penalty and may request a new mentor. Mentors may decline to mentor an inmate at any time and may request a new inmate to mentor.