Alpha USA's Director of Prison and Re-Entry programs testifies at the 'Second Chance Act' subcommittee hearing
NEW YORK, March 21, 2007 — Each year, over 7.65 million people are released from U.S. prisons and jails. Unfortunately, nearly two-thirds of them will re-offend and return to prison or jail. For Jack Cowley (59), director of Prison and Re-Entry programs for Alpha USA, this recidivism rate is a sign of a prison system that is broken: "I can tell you that parole systems are now, for the most part, geared solely toward the surveillance of parolees and not toward their reintegration back into their communities."
As a warden for 25 years and current non-profit practitioner, Cowley sees the need for a better system: "I saw firsthand on the faces of inmates about to be released the sincerity of their commitment to remain crime free. I can attest to the fact that they really did not want to return to prison. However, I have learned that wanting something to be so doesn't always make it so. There are some people who must be helped, who must be nurtured into being what they want to be."
This is why Cowley is appearing at the Subcommittee on Crime, Terrorism and Homeland Security of the Committee on the Judiciary, U.S. House of Representative's hearing March 20. The Second Chance Act is federal legislation with bipartisan support that aims to reduce recidivism and help states and communities better address the growing population of prisoners returning to communities. It would reauthorize the Re-Entry Demonstration project, with an enhanced focus on jobs, housing, substance abuse treatment and mental health.
Programs like Alpha – with a proven track record of reducing recidivism – would be given more opportunities to be run in other prisons. On average, inmates who participate in the Alpha course and prison re-entry program have a recidivism rate of less than 10%.
For Cowley and others who head re-entry programs, the Second Chance Act would give hope and a real second chance to millions of ex-offenders: "The Second Chance Act is not a rehabilitation tool. It has nothing to do with being soft on crime. It is, in fact, a bill that promotes public safety, as it will assuredly reduce the number of future crime victims."
On March 22, Cowley will also participate in a Compassion in Action Roundtable, "Improving Prisoner Re-Entry Services Through Faith and Community-Based Partnerships," sponsored by the White House Office of Faith-Based and Community Initiatives.
Since 2004, Cowley has led Alpha USA's Prison and Re-Entry programs and works to recruit teams of volunteers from local churches to run the Alpha Course in prisons. The Alpha course is delivered to inmates by trained Alpha volunteers. In addition, Cowley coordinates collaboration with other faith-based and community organizations to offer re-entry services to the criminal justice system.
The Alpha course, which began in London more than 20 years ago, is a ten-week opportunity to explore the validity and relevance of the Christian faith centered around a meal, talk, small-group discussion and a retreat weekend. Alpha is open to anyone and provides a non-threatening environment where the difficult questions of life and how they relate to God can be discussed.
For more information about the Alpha course, visit http://www.alphausa.org.
Contact:
Kimberly Reeve
Alpha USA
212-406-9061
212-406-7521 (fax)
Email
http://www.alphausa.org