ALL RISE: Ministry with Justice-Involved Women

The mass incarceration of women is a disturbing trend in American society. A 2018 report estimates 99,000 women are living in state prisons, with another 89,000 women in local jails. More than one million women are on probation or parole. A history of abuse and trauma, health problems, parenthood, and poverty add to the “collateral consequences” of incarceration when these women look for work, housing, and financial support after release.Despite an on-going body of scholarship examining male offenders, less is known about females under correctional control. In the past, social scientists, practitioners, and theologians were largely inattentive to women’s experiences, but there is progress in terms of understanding women’s pathways out of crime and gender differences that lead to recidivism.However, there are few recent and relevant books for Christians working in faith-based programs with women who are under control of the criminal justice system (“justice-involved women”). The purpose of this text is to give voice to the experiences of these women and improve important ministry outcomes for those faithfully working on their behalf.It is also a call to action for God’s people to demonstrate mercy and justice for justice-involved women. As individuals, churches, and communities become informed and engage in this important social issue, Kingdom work is elevated.Under the auspices of the Institute for Prison Ministries, the authors merged interviews, surveys, and site visits with over 550 individuals to gain this perspective. A total of 38 states were represented in this study. Our informants were justice-involved women, chaplains, volunteers, ministry leaders, psychologists, and prison administrators who together enabled us to create this comprehensive, data-driven text.Whether you are interested in social activism, spiritual formation, or practical help, this book will provide the background to do this work well. Amid the harsh realities of these lives, we hope you will also see the grace, intelligence, and beauty of these women as they encounter the real possibility of change.