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| FAQ | FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS |
| WHO IS MOST INTERESTED
IN OUR PROGRAM? Most
of our calls come from new ministries starting up or from existing
ministries wanting to strengthen their program. Both are
looking
for the strongest educational program possible which deals with the
issues facing the homeless and incarcerated. They are
attracted
to the practical, easy-to-use materials that combine life-skills
education and faith. They like the friendly, small-group,
non-preachy style that emphasizes listening and facilitating.
Several have told us that we have done the homework for them
concerning effectiveness of materials and strategies.
HOW DOES YOUR MINISTRY DEAL WITH ADDICTIONS? Nearly
all sentencing is for drug-related activity (alcohol included). Our
emphasis is on unmet needs causing the addictions, not on the
addictions themselves. A strong faith and purpose is what is
needed. For some, our teaching in basic life skills
is new
to them. The Florida guidelines emphasize independent
thinking
and problem solving, and all of our curriculum emphasizes that.
WHY IS YOUR PROGRAM 100 HOURS (of lessons)? This
is one of the mandatory requirements of Florida law for early release
from state prison. Our program is approved for this purpose.
Judges often use this figure in sentencing, and one of our
goals
is to use our curriculum as an alternative option to jail or prison.
We are serious about rehabilitation.
WHAT IS YOUR SUCCESS RATE? We
are new ministry without a long track record yet, but some components
of our program have been in operation for decades with success rates as
high as any. Anyway, we track by case studies, not by group
statistics. We count success by how far we bring a person
forward, not by the number we come in contact with. A
preliminary study at Southeastern University shows positive gains.
WITH SO MANY PROGRAMS AVAILABLE, WHY IS A NEW ONE NEEDED? So
many others are lecture-based, reading-based, or
factual-based.
Our program seeks to get into individuals hearts and minds
fast
by establishing trust in our 4, 7. 9, or 12 session units, encouraging
them to most of the talking, hitting a few topics hard, and providing
for leaders and group members with materials to stay focused.
The
sequencing in the units allows us to go deeper in a non-threating way.
WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN A JAIL AND A PRISON? In Florida, JAILS are run by counties to house offenders who have committed misdemeanors or to hold individuals until trial and/or sentencing. First degree misdemeanors are sentenced up to a year and second degree up to a few months. More serious crimes, or felonies, are for more than a year and are dealt with in state and federal PRISONS. There are about 80,000 inmates each in Florida jails and prisons. Slightly more Florida inmates reside in jail as opposed to prison. FIT addresses the needs of both - for the offender soon-to-be released all the way to the offender who will never be released. IS THERE A CONNECTION BETWEEN HOMELESSNESS, DRUG AND ALCOHOL REHAB CENTERS, AND INCARCERATION? Professionals in
this area are painfully aware of the connections.
Many incarcerated are there specifically for drug offenses.
Others are there for non-drug crimes related to their
drug/alcohol problem. Incarceration and drug use both contribute to
homelessness that draws in family members as well. It's a
vicious
cycle. Effective ministry must address all these aspects as
well
as the social, educational, and spiritual needs of the family.
WHY DO DETENTION CENTERS TRY TO LIMIT CONTACT WITH PRISONERS? They are afraid of Collusion, or con artists taking advantage of religion or friendliness over time to get favors they could not get otherwise. Inmates band together and may try to get an innocent person to commit a crime. It is a very serious problem but the need to rehabilitate the prisoner must be balanced against the need to protect by forcing total isolation from the outside world. For an excellent account of how collusion takes place, read Games Criminal Play. WHAT IS RECIDIVISM AND WHY IS THERE SUCH A HUGE FOCUS ON IT? Recidivism is the rate at which convicts return to detention centers. In short, prisoners are released and re-offend. It is very costly to society and detention centers. The obvious cure is to rehabilitate prisoners so they won't come back. That takes effort and dedication and has been successful in numerous cases in programs like FIT. Institutions must balance their need to protect from collusion and to rehabilitate. FIT workers must gain the respect of the institutions and follow required procedures. DOES FIT FAVOR ONE DENOMINATION OVER ANOTHER? NO! We work with all
denominations, including independents.
We want to enhance your program. Once we help you
get started, you train your own leaders and run your own program.
It is immediately obvious in our sessions that we are
interdenominational and based on materials not leaning in any direction
other than that of commonly-agreed-upon Biblical truth. This
parallels the churches who use materials we use (Click
for examples).
DOES FIT EXCLUDE OR COMPETE WITH EXISTING PRISON MINISTRY? No. We are
here to ultimately disciple prisoners into society
and the Christian community. We hope to better equip current
prison leaders.
WHAT MAKES FIT UNIQUE? The
focus is more on improving the
prison
leader's interaction skills than on the materials used. The
emphasis is on longer-term and more intense interventions than is
usually the case in course-based interactions in prison. Optimal
operation is having both a facilitator and co-facilitator.
Class
size is limited to 10 inmates for quality and only graduates of FIT
Training may lead the groups. There is a separate training
for
each of the 4 modules. See our Staff Page
for contacts.
DO YOU HAVE TO HAVE TO HAVE A PRISON RECORD TO BE EFFECTIVE? No.
Most of our workers do not. Most prisoners are
lonely people who are desperate for attention. Some have no
visitors. A prison record may or may not exclude you from
prison ministry. We have both in our ministry.
HOW DO YOU RECRUIT BUSY PEOPLE TO COMMIT TO SUCH AN EXTENSIVE PROGRAM? We
are honest with them upfront about what is expected. Our
program
is structured for 9-12 week modules, meeting once a week. It
is
understood that commitment is not "forever" and one can still manage in
vacations and breaks to fit the individual schedule.
Experience
shows us that some will want to commit to once or twice a year, others
will want to do it year-round. This flexibility has been one
of
the most effective tools for getting volunteers.
WHAT IS THE MOST EFFECTIVE INGREDIENT IN YOUR PROGRAM? Confidentiality
and safety. With church people or prisoners, the
confidentiality
of the small group has been the number one reason given for personal
growth and benefit. For this reason, when the second session
begins, no new people are allowed in until the 9-12 week course is done.
HOW I DO I GET STARTED? See our Order Page. Get Training from our Staff.
If you have an existing prison ministry, take our training to find out how to become more effective through our focused program. See our Home Page for the next scheduled sessions or contact us if you have a group of 6 or more that you would us to work with at your location (within Florida). Outside of Florida we would need to have our travel expenses covered. The training fee and training manual are $10.00 plus tax each (total of $20 + tax). If you are new but would like to start a ministry, come and bring a group from your local area to learn together. There are always staff and class members available to give you tips and help. Bring your pastor if possible. This is a team ministry and works the best when we work together. Get a Starter Kit. Order our materials and use them for reference or for training your own staff before implementing them. You can order any of the materials directly from us when you are ready. Pricing is kept as low as possible. We know we are dealing with volunteers and non-profits. Order Form |