Never Too Far Gone: The Power of Rehabilitation - Bishop T.D Jakes

Remarkable programs are preparing prison inmates to be productive members of society.


One​ ​principle​ ​we​ ​are​ ​taught​ ​growing​ ​up​ ​is​ ​forgiveness.​ ​We​ ​are​ ​told​ ​by​ ​our​ ​parents​ ​and​ ​teachers to​ ​ignore​ ​small​ ​offenses​ ​and​ ​not​ ​to​ ​hold​ ​grudges​ ​against​ ​those​ ​who​ ​harm​ ​us.​ ​We​ ​learn​ ​to​ ​ask​ ​for forgiveness​ ​in​ ​hopes​ ​that​ ​we​ ​won’t​ ​be​ ​forever​ ​tied​ ​to​ ​the​ ​mistakes​ ​we​ ​make.
While​ ​we​ ​extend​ ​forgiveness​ ​to​ ​most​ ​people,​ ​there​ ​is​ ​one​ ​group​ ​that​ ​is​ ​rarely​ ​given absolution​ ​freely​ ​but​ ​will​ ​need​ ​it​ ​the​ ​most:​ ​incarcerated​ ​men​ ​and​ ​woman.

In​ ​the​ ​United​ ​States,​ ​​approximately​ ​2.3​ ​million​ ​people​ ​are​ ​incarcerated​ ​every​ ​year​​ ​and more​ ​than​ ​2/3​ ​will​ ​be​ ​back​ ​in​ ​prison​ ​within​ ​5​ ​years​ ​of​ ​their​ ​release.

These​ ​men​ ​and​ ​women​ ​exit​ ​the​ ​prison​ ​system​ ​and​ ​fall​ ​into​ ​the​ ​same​ ​vices​ ​that​ ​incarcerated them​ ​before.​ ​Their​ ​quality​ ​of​ ​life​ ​is​ ​diminished​ ​and​ ​society​ ​suffers​ ​because​ ​of​ ​the​ ​lack​ ​of​ ​assets they​ ​have​ ​to​ ​offer.​ ​Recidivism--the​ ​likelihood​ ​that​ ​a​ ​former​ ​inmate​ ​will​ ​relapse​ ​into​ ​prior destructive​ ​behaviors--is​ ​a​ ​serious​ ​problem​ ​but​ ​there​ ​are​ ​ways​ ​to​ ​combat​ ​it.




One​ ​such​ ​program​ ​was​ ​the​ ​subject​ ​of​ ​the​ ​documentary​ ​“Castaways”,​ ​which​ ​showed​ ​the​ ​impact that​ ​these​ ​methods​ ​have​ ​in​ ​the​ ​lives​ ​of​ ​both​ ​the​ ​inmates​ ​and​ ​dogs.​ ​Through​ ​the​ ​course, unwanted​ ​animals​ ​are​ ​given​ ​a​ ​purpose​ ​while​ ​prisoners​ ​are​ ​able​ ​to​ ​positively​ ​affect​ ​the​ ​lives​ ​of others​ ​and​ ​learn​ ​valuable​ ​skills​ ​to​ ​take​ ​with​ ​them​ ​upon​ ​release.

Rehabilitation​ ​is​ ​also​ ​a​ ​cause​ ​close​ ​to​ ​Bishop​ ​TD​ ​Jakes.​ ​With​ ​the​ ​goal​ ​to​ ​reduce recidivism,​ ​Bishop​ ​Jakes​ ​founded​ ​​Texas​ ​Offenders​ ​Reentry​ ​Initiative​ ​(T.O.R.I.).

T.O.R.I​ ​offers​ ​a​ ​12​ ​month​ ​course​ ​to​ ​formerly​ ​incarcerated​ ​adults​ ​in​ ​the​ ​state​ ​of​ ​Texas​ ​with services​ ​such​ ​as​ ​housing,​ ​employment​ ​coaching,​ ​education,​ ​family​ ​reunification,​ ​and​ ​spiritual guidance.​ ​Upon​ ​completion,​ ​the​ ​graduates​ ​are​ ​fully​ ​equipped​ ​to​ ​contribute​ ​significantly​ ​to society.

(Photo: By graduation, former inmates have all the tools they need to succeed in life.)

Even​ ​when​ ​our​ ​actions​ ​seem​ ​unforgivable,​ ​there​ ​is​ ​always​ ​room​ ​for​ ​deliverance.

Men​ ​and​ ​women​ ​who​ ​have​ ​been​ ​incarcerated​ ​need​ ​redemption​ ​to​ ​put​ ​them​ ​back​ ​on​ ​a​ ​path​ ​that will​ ​benefit​ ​themselves​ ​and​ ​the​ ​lives​ ​they​ ​touch.​ ​Just​ ​as​ ​former​ ​inmates​ ​have​ ​to​ ​hold​ ​out​ ​hope for​ ​reform,​ ​we​ ​must​ ​all​ ​trust​ ​that​ ​we​ ​too​ ​can​ ​be​ ​forgiven.