Alpha For Prisons Media Articles

January 2010 -- CCA, Alpha USA Partnership Readies Offenders for Return Home  

NASHVILLE, Tenn. – For years, Corrections Corporation of America (CCA) has been rehabilitating inmates through programs that strengthen faith, enhance skills and build character. Now the nation’s leading operator of government-contracted correctional facilities is partnering with Alpha USA, an international, non-denominational Christian organization, to help inmates become successful citizens when they return to their communities.

“Alpha USA is one of the most valuable and visible faith-based partners around,” said Dennis Bradby, CCA vice president, Inmate Programs. “The reality is that most offenders will one day be released and return home. These efforts are intended to help them re-enter society and withstand the temptations to commit new crimes.”

The “Alpha for Prisons” project provides spiritually centered rehabilitation programs to approximately 125 inmates at two CCA facilities: Dawson State Jail in Dallas, Texas, and Bridgeport Pre-Parole Transfer Center in Bridgeport, Texas.

Participants live together in a dedicated unit at the facilities. Jointly, they study lessons on daily living skills, anger management, addiction prevention, character development and family relationships. Trained Alpha USA volunteers, many of whom come from participating local churches, serve as program leaders and facilitators. These volunteers also help fund the program through donations.

“Especially important is the aftercare phase of the program,” Bradby said. “It helps ex-offenders transfer those skills from a correctional environment to a community setting.”

During this phase, Alpha volunteers assist released offenders in job placement, family reunification and accessing needed government and daily living services.

“Alpha USA is setting new standards in corrections,” said Jack Cowley, national director of the Alpha for Prisons & Re-Entry project. “Through building local collaborations of support for released offenders, our goal is to reduce recidivism rates and increase public safety.”

“From acquiring a driver’s license to getting a bus pass, a successful return to society after incarceration significantly depends on many of the day-to-day conveniences and services we often take for granted,” Bradby said.

December 2009  -- Justice Center Report

The Justice Center is a national nonprofit organization that serves policymakers at the local and federal levels from all branches of government. http://justicecenter.csg.org/

November 2009 -- Alpha for Prisons and Reentry featured in TampaBay.com

October 2009 -- Bear Grylls, host of Discovery Channel's 'Man vs. Wild' visits Florida Prison to talk about his faith in Jesus and how doing the Alpha course helped him in Charisma Magazine

>> Watch Bear at Florida Prison

February, 2008 -- Pew Press Release "Pew Report Finds More than One in 100 Adults are Behind Bars" Download PDF >>