What is Kairos Prison Ministry? Kairos
is a Christian, volunteer, lay-led, ecumenical, international prison ministry,
in which men and women volunteers bring Christ's love and forgiveness to
incarcerated individuals and to their families.
What is the history of Kairos? See Kairos Beginnings
What does Kairos do inside prisons? Kairos Inside
addresses the spiritual needs of prisoners. Kairos volunteers go into prisons
in teams of 30 to 40 to pray, share the love and forgiveness of Jesus Christ,
share meals and fellowship with the incarcerated on a one-to-one basis. The
first visit is a three-day event, during which time the team teaches a short
introductory course on Christianity. Subsequent visits are weekly 2-hour Prayer
& Share reunions.
How does Kairos Prison Ministry impact
those incarcerated or affected by incarceration? Kairos Prison
Ministry affects our communities in many positive ways. Lives have been changed
and former inmates return to our communities as more responsible and less
violent citizens. Former inmates become better spouses, parents, employees or
volunteers and give back to society. Tax payers benefit!
How committed are our Kairos volunteers? In
2014, Kairos volunteers donated over 3 million volunteer hours to the various
departments of corrections here and abroad. If you multiply 3 million times the
minimum wage in the USA of $7.25 per hour, our ministry donated over $22
million in volunteer time. Volunteers paid an additional $2 million for
supplies, bringing the total donation to $24 million.
How does Kairos affect
the lives of volunteers? The program also has a very favorable effect
upon volunteers. Many volunteers acknowledge that the team training, with its
emphasis on introspection, honesty, sharing and community, enhances their
spirituality.
How does Kairos Prison Ministry affect our communities? Kairos
serves our communities and reduces the number of victims by changing inmate
lives. Many of the inmates who participate in the entire Kairos program return
to our communities as better and less violent citizens, thereby making our
neighborhoods safer.
What do Corrections staff members think of Kairos Prison Ministry? Kairos
programs have gained the respect of the correctional system too. In a study of
505 inmates released from Florida prisons, the recidivism rate was 15.7% among
those who had participated in one Kairos session, and 10% among those who had
participated in two or more Kairos sessions. The non-Kairos control group in
the study had a recidivism rate of 23.4%.
Does Kairos Prison Ministry save money
for taxpayers? The savings to the taxpayer are substantial. As one
former prisoner put it: "It cost the government about $1,000,000 to try me
and to imprison me for several years, but a $100 program keeps me
out".
What other online resources are
available to tell me more about Kairos Prison Ministry? See Downloads & Links
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