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".
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