Evaluating the Potential of Faith-Based Correctional Models: A Case Study of Florida’s Faith- and Character-Based Institutions (original) (raw)

As the popularity of faith-based programs has grown across the country, the criminal justice field has witnessed the development of numerous faith-based initiatives aimed at rehabilitating and supporting incarcerated people and those returning from prison and jail. The corrections system in the United States has increasingly welcomed partnerships with faith-based and communitybased organizations, and churches and other religious institutions have formalized their longstanding role as a major source of community support for returning prisoners (Bright & Embracing this trend, in 2003, Florida became the first state in the country to dedicate an entire publicly run correctional facility to a faith-based model. Currently, Florida operates three Faithand Character-Based Institutions (FCBIs): Lawtey, a medium-and minimum-security male facility that houses 815 inmates; Hillsborough, a facility that houses 271 female inmates of all security classifications; and Wakulla, a maximum-security facility housing 1,741 male inmates (Florida Department of Corrections [FDOC], 2008b).