Why Prison Ministry?
Dr. Peter P. Legins, Professor Emeritus at the University of Maryland, Institute of Criminal Justice and Criminology, is considered by most people to be the dean of American criminologists. In a meeting with a group of men who were the founders of Kairos, he said: "I have known for many years, as have most of the leading criminologists in this country, that the greatest hope for an inmate to avoid the revolving doors of our prisons is to undergo a religious conversion experience during his incarceration."
What is the Purpose of Kairos?
The purpose of Kairos is the building of strong Christian communities within the environment of correctional institutions. That is done through the impact of small, share and prayer groups of residents in the institutions. These groups meet weekly to share their lives on a very deep spiritual level and to pray for one and other and for the residents and the staff.
How Does Kairos Begin in an Institution?
Kairos is a continuing prison ministry launched with the presentation of a 3-day short course in Christianity in a correctional institution. Beginning with a spiritual introduction on Thursday evening, the course runs from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Friday, Saturday, and Sunday.
Who Begins It?
The short course is offered, in cooperation with the Chaplain, by an ecumenical team of some 50-55 men (or women in a women's institution) made up of both clergy and lay persons drawn from the area surrounding the institution. It is attended by 42 carefully selected leaders chosen by the Chaplain from the residents of the institution.
How Do The Residents Respond?
Usually all 42 residents attending a Kairos weekend will have a major conversion experience during the weekend. For some, its effect with last only a day or two, for some a week or two, for some a month or two. For most, however, it will prove to have a life-changing experience of permanent impact.
How Does Kairos "Continue"?
The primary continuing ministry of Kairos is from resident to resident and occurs in small share and prayer groups which meet weekly.
How Does the Christian Community Spread Throughout the Institution?
Team members who work a Kairos team make a commitment to return to that prison once a month for a reunion with the residents. It is a time of sharing, of instruction, of worship, of fellowship, of renewal and strengthening... for both outmates and inmates.
Kairos weekends, with their subsequent 2-day retreats, take place every six months once the ministry is launched in an institution. After these small groups have been meeting regularly and participating in the ongoing worship and activities of the institution's chaplaincy program for about 12 months, members of the group suddenly find their peers in the "negative" subculture, in which they have been leaders, coming up to them and saying, "Man, I don't know what it is you've got, but I want it!"... and they then introduce their friend to Christ and the Christian community work of Kairos.
What is the Impact of the Ministry?
Even though prison sentences in the United States are long in comparison with other countries, most inmates will return to society in less than three years. Ninety-six percent of them will eventually be walking the same streets which we walk.
For a variety of reasons, from 30 to 70 percent of those released will return to prison again. Continuing studies being carried out in South Carolina, Texas, Colorado and California indicate dramatic reductions in the recidivism rate among those residents who have experienced Kairos.
Kairos files are full of letters from prison superintendents, wardens, correctional officers and other members of the criminal justice system detailing the extremely favorable impact the Kairos ministry has had on the quality of life in prisons across the country and in Canada.
