REHABILITATING CRIMINALS Christians, Jews and Muslims find help in faith-based prison

The nation's first faith-based prisons seek to reduce recidivism.
LAWTEY, Fla. (AP) -- For 22 years, Curtis Cason has been unable to shake the cocaine demons he blames for putting him behind bars six times.
Now, the 47-year-old Cason believes his participation in the nation's first faith-based prison at Lawtey Correctional Institution will help him to remain clean and free when he's released in about three years.
"Since I got here, there have been great changes," said Cason, who is in Lawtey after another drug conviction. He works in the prison chapel's library and wants to work with at-risk children after he's released. "My commitment to Christ is a lot stronger."
Different programs
Lawtey looks like any prison but differs in its programs. Along with regular prayer sessions, the facility offers religious studies, choir practice, religious counseling and other spiritual activities seven days a week.
Lawtey was transformed in December from a regular prison to one for inmates who seek a religious life, regardless of faith. Participation by the 750 inmates is voluntary. They are free to go back to regular prison life elsewhere.
A faith-based prison for women opened in mid-April near Tampa at Hillsborough Correctional Institution. There has been a faith-based dormitory for several years at Tomoka Correctional Institution, a men's prison near Daytona Beach.
Governor's pet project
The faith-based institutions are a pet project of Gov. Jeb Bush, who hopes hope they'll reduce recidivism.
In fiscal 2002, the state spent more than $1.3 billion to house more than 73,000 inmates. About 44 percent of the new inmates that year had already done time in a Florida prison.
The Lawtey prison is home to Christians, Jews and Muslims. About half of the inmates identify themselves as Baptists.
Programs include anger management, managing finances, overcoming addiction and r & eacute;sum & eacute; preparation. There is also a mentoring system that pairs inmates with people on the outside who can help them deal with problems. To date, only 16 inmates have decided Lawtey wasn't for them.
Inmates do not have to believe in God, but they must have a belief they can turn their lives around. Eligible inmates must be nearing release, have clean prison records and request to go to Lawtey.
William Wright, Lawtey's chief chaplain, said the program's keys develop character.
"These guys know they are going to get out," said Wright. "We don't want them coming back. If they do, they can't be the husbands, fathers and brothers they need to be."
Similar ideals
Other programs have used religious thinking to try to turn inmates away from crime. Prison Fellowship Ministries runs its Christ-centered InnerChange Freedom Initiative in prisons in Minnesota, Kansas, Iowa and Texas.
President Bush wants to expand programs such as InnerChange in federal prisons, said Jim Towey, head of the White House office of faith-based initiatives.
InnerChange begins with in-prison Bible education, followed by six to 12 months supervision after release in which an inmate must hold a job and be active in church. The ex-offender is given help in assimilating into his family, community and workplace with the help of his Christian mentor, the InnerChange staff and the church congregation.