Efficacy of the Horizon Communities in Prison Faith-Based Program

This study examined four impacts of the Horizon Communities in Prison program. Data were collected over a five-year period in areas of offender misconducts and recidivism, and were collected for a three-year period of time in the areas of positive lifestyle changes and perspectives of incarcerated fathers toward their children. This study represented a mixed methods inquiry using the parametric statistical measure t-test for the quantitative inquiry and constant comparative method of analysis for the qualitative inquiry. Horizon Communities in Prison program participants were examined in the four areas as an evaluative method for determining the level of behavioral modification achieved by the program. Recidivism rates among program graduates were compared to the recidivism rates in Oklahoma and nationally. Additionally, investigators conducted interviews as a means of collecting self-reported data on the degree to which perceptions toward positive changes in lifestyle and behavior occurred. Surveys were collected from incarcerated fathers and analyzed quantitatively to determine observed perception changes toward their children as a result of the program. Overall, offender misconducts were reduced by 76.8% in the year following program completion. Recidivism rates among program graduates were 17.2%, or 12.8% better than the Oklahoma average of 30%, and 34.6% better than the national average of 51.8%. Positive lifestyle and behavior changes were reported by most program graduates. Participants who were incarcerated fathers showed an increased level of interaction with their children using self-reported survey data.

Keywords: offender misconducts, rule infractions, rule violations, technical violations, recidivism, lifestyle changes, behavioral changes, incarcerated fathers,

INTRODUCTION

Reducing the number and frequency of offender misconducts improves institutional safety and enhances the working environment for staff and offenders. Offender misconducts are defined as violations of prison policy and procedure and/or state law, committed by inmates of the institution. Misconducts are also costly in terms of budget dollars. It is estimated that the cost of a single offender misconduct is around $2,000. Many staff members and correctional officers are involved in the investigation, representation, and the subsequent findings of the disciplinary chairperson, of a single misconduct (D. Cantrell, Oklahoma State Penitentiary, Disciplinary Chairperson, personal communication, March 5, 2009).

A need exists for inexpensive rehabilitative and educational programs with proven effectiveness in reducing recidivism and helping offenders reintegrate into their communities upon their release from prison (J. Jones, Director, Oklahoma Department of Corrections, personal communication, East Central University, November 28, 2005).

Lifestyle and behavioral changes are necessary for many incarcerated individuals to assure safety and security in the prison environment. Without these changes, conflict arises and violence ensues.

As the median age of prisoners rises, increasing numbers of offenders are fathers to one or more children. A complete reintegration approach should address the role of the incarcerated parent and their perspectives toward their children to enhance the reintegration effort (Bureau of Justice Statistics, 2004).

Researchers chose to study the Horizon Communities in Prison Program (hereinafter referred to as the Horizon Program) as one faith-based study to determine whether implementation of the program could effectively reduce the number of institutional offender misconducts, reduce recidivism, improve perspectives of changes in lifestyle and behavior, and improve perspectives of incarcerated fathers toward their children. Misconduct and recidivism data were collected over a five-year period from 2003 through 2008. Perspectives of changes in lifestyle and behavior and of incarcerated fathers toward their children were only collected over the three year period from 2003 through 2006 due to the administrative limitations for that part of the study. Data were analyzed both qualitatively and quantitatively.

THE HORIZON COMMUNITIES IN PRISON PROGRAM

Horizon Communities Corporation is a non-profit organization founded to establish faith and character-based residential programs in prisons. The first program was established in 1999 at Tomoka Correctional Institution in Daytona Beach in collaboration with the Florida Department of Corrections and the Florida Commission on Responsible Fatherhood. Horizon is an outgrowth of Kairos Prison Ministry. Horizon programs are now active in six locations in four states. Horizon’s mission is, “to prepare prisoners to live responsibly with others.” The best reentry plan begins well before prisoners near the end of their sentences, and Horizon provides time to implement and practice new attitudes and behaviors (http://www.horizoncommunities.org/FactSheet.htm, accessed April, 2009).

The 12-month Horizon program accommodates approximately 60 participants per class. The essence of the Horizon program is building respect for self and others, and establishing a new link between the faith community and the correctional institution for rehabilitation purposes. Programs aim to increase personal and family responsibility and employability. Participants maintain their regular work or education assignments, and programs take place in the evening hours. TV rooms are converted to libraries and computer labs. The program is multi-faith and participants volunteer to enter. Character-based units do not have any faith components.

Cognizant that prisons corrode the soul, Horizon recruits volunteers to facilitate programs and serve as informal mentors. These visits bring hope and begin a restoration and healing process. Training and workbooks are provided by Horizon for each program. A two-day community-building event launches the program (http://www.horizoncommunities.org/FactSheet.htm, accessed April, 2009).

In 2001, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services named Horizon (formerly Kairos Horizon) as “A Model for the Future,” indicating that Horizon is an innovative leader in interfaith correctional programs (Kairos, 2003).

The Horizon Program studied consisted of: (1) Monday nights, a visitation night in which participants received visits from outside volunteers who were members of each of their own respective faith groups; (2) Tuesday nights, a faith night, where discipleship, mentoring, and fellowship was taught among each of the respective faith groups by outside volunteers; (3) Wednesday nights consisted of outside volunteers teaching Quest, a life-skills course, and Quenching the Father Thirst, a parenting program. The Quest program consisted of classes in decision-making and problem-solving and how an individual responded to life’s often difficult situations. The Quenching the Father Thirst program consisted of outside volunteers teaching participants basic parenting and relationship classes; (4) Thursday evening’s activities included MRT (Moral Reconation Therapy) and computer classes. Outside volunteers and correctional supervisors taught the MRT classes, which were based on cognitive-behavioral concepts. The computer course was taught by an outside volunteer who taught computer courses at a nearby college. The basic computer course was added to give participants a general orientation to computers and how computers are used in homes and businesses to enhance reintegration success.

On Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays, participants attended faith services conducted by leaders of the various faith groups represented: Christian, Jewish, Muslim, and Native American Spiritualists.

Participants were also encouraged to use the weekend time to write letters to their families and set up visitation. Stamps were provided to each participant to encourage communication with their family. A one-time event, Family Day, was organized toward the end of each class to reward program participation and reinforce family ties and promote family unity.

PROBLEM STATEMENT

A major problem exists in the lack of programs that effectively (1) reduce the number and frequency of offender misconducts, thereby improving the safety and environment of the institution; (2) address the problem of increasing prison populations by reducing recidivism, (3) encourage positive lifestyle and behavior changes, and (4) positively change the perspectives of incarcerated fathers toward their children. National and state economic downturns have resulted in existing programs being cut or eliminated altogether. Remaining programs are often inadequate in addressing the multiple needs among increasing prison populations. New programs are needed, including faith-based programs, properly designed and administered, that will address these fundamental issues.

PURPOSE

The purpose of this study was to determine the efficacy of the Horizon program’s ability to: (1) improve the safety and environment in the prison by reducing the misconduct rate during and after the program, (2) reduce the increasing prison population by reducing the recidivism rate, (3) foster self-perceptions of positive changes in lifestyle and behavior, and (4) positively change the perspectives of incarcerated fathers toward their children,

METHODOLOGY

Participants in the study group were self-selected. Each inmate volunteered for the program with no promise of reward or favorable treatment. An announcement of a 10 month, faith-based program was posted and inmates were allowed to sign up for the program. They were told it would involve an introductory weekend and evening classes, four days a week. They were told the classes would include outside visitation, faith study, character building and fathering from prison.

The control group was simply told they would fill out a questionnaire concerning fathering from prison. They were reassured when they came to fill out the questionnaire that it was totally voluntary and the information would be completely confidential. No promise of reward or favorable treatment was made. The control group consisted of inmates from the entire prison who had children.

Misconduct and recidivism data were collected over the five-year period from 2003 through 2008. This data was collected from the prison and Department of Corrections records. This data was presented descriptively, using descriptive statistics, tables and charts. Offender misconduct data was collected and analyzed comparing frequencies of participant misconducts before, during, and after the program, as well as institution-wide misconducts over the same five-year study. These were reported using numbers of misconducts and percentages of reduction. Recidivism rates were obtained from the Oklahoma Department of Corrections for graduates of the program released from prison over the five-year period and then compared to state and national rates during the same time.

Perspectives of changes in lifestyle and behavior, and of incarcerated fathers toward their children were only collected over the three year period from 2003 through 2006 due to administrative limitations for that part of the study. Data were analyzed both qualitatively and quantitatively. The quantitative portion of the study utilized comparative statistics of the first three classes of Horizon, comparing pretest and posttest measures of fatherhood perspectives. Quantitative statistical methodology included a t-test of survey data collected from each of the 84 participants before and after the Horizon program to determine changes in perceptions of incarcerated fathers.

The instrument used was a survey developed by a professor at Oklahoma State University and refined through administration to inmates in a pilot study at a medium-security prison with comparable demographics in the Arkansas Department of Corrections. The instrument was also examined by a peer-group of professional social workers to determine if survey items were relevant and if the instrument was valid. The instrument was also subjected to a Cronbach’s Alpha test to determine internal consistency and was found to be consistent with an Alpha=0.89. The instrument consisted of 33 items on a Likert scale designed to capture self-reported perspectives of incarcerated fathers toward their children. The survey was administered as a pretest and as a posttest to the study group.

Qualitative data were collected during interviews by investigators over the first three years of the Horizon programs and analyzed by researchers using the constant comparative method (CCM) of analysis and reported in a Grounded Theory Model (Figure 2). These data were used primarily for a qualitative understanding regarding inmate self-perceptions of positive changes in lifestyle and behavior and for anecdotal evidence in corroborating related findings.

RESULTS

The numbers of offender misconducts were examined by year group between 2003 and 2008. The year one group reported an overall decline of 89% fewer misconducts between the year prior to the Horizon program and the year following. The year two group reported an 80% decline in misconducts; year three 85%; year four 75%; and year five 55%. This represents a mean percentage decline of 75.8% among Horizon participants between the year prior to the Horizon program and the year following the program. The greatest impact on the facility appeared to be the significant reduction in offender misconducts committed by graduates of the Horizon program during and following the program (Table 1).

Table 1

­­­­­Total                            Number  Number  Number   Before to During       Before to After

Participants     Year    Before    During    After            Decrease                   Decrease         

36                    One        18            2            2                   89%                           89%            

51                    Two        25            1            5                   96%                           80%

51                    Three      19            0            3                 100%                           84%

56                    Four        16            5            4                   69%                           75%            

44                    Five        11            2            5                   82%                           55%

A second area of inquiry involved recidivism rates. Recidivism data collected over five years indicated a recidivism rate of 17.2% for the Horizon Community graduates released from prison. Of the 238 program graduates, fifty-eight graduates were released. Forty-eight of the 58 released successfully reintegrated, while 10 reoffended. Overall, recidivism rates among program graduates were 17.2%, or 12.8% better than the Oklahoma state average of 30%, and 34.6% better than the national average of 51.8% (Spivak & Sharp, 2008) (Figure 1).

Figure 1. Recidivism Chart for Horizon Program Graduates through November, 2008.

The third area of inquiry involved qualitative data collected by institutional interviews for three years of Horizon programs. This data indicated that the majority of participants made positive statements regarding the impact of the Horizon program on their lifestyles and behavior. The Constant Comparative Method (CCM) was used to examine the qualitative data. Findings indicated that common categories existed between each of the three year groups. Those were (1) Spirituality (2) Interaction (3) Self-examination (4) Perception, and (5) Life-changing experience. The levels or strengths of each category were compared both internally and among year groups (Figure 2).

The largest disparity was discovered between the year two and year three groups. The greatest strength of year two appeared to be Self-examination, while this was the lowest category for the year three group. The highest category among year two and year three was the category of Interaction (Figure 2).

The category of Spirituality was high among all three categories coming in as the second strongest category of year one, the third strongest category of year two, and the second strongest category of year three. Overall, Spirituality was the second-strongest category of all three years. One way to interpret this finding is that when combined with positive interactions, spirituality held an important place in the lives of all participants in the program. The self-reported data showed the high degree to which individual perceptions toward positive changes in lifestyle and behavior occurred, with few exceptions (Figure 2).

It was powerful to read the transcripts of the participants’ own words. The reader was left with a feeling of hope and confidence that the Horizon program had a potential to change lives in a meaningful way so that both rehabilitation and reintegration might occur and graduates might become well-adjusted, law-abiding citizens with a positive attitude toward their families.

The fourth and final area of inquiry involved changing the perspectives of incarcerated fathers toward their children. In this analysis, initially, it appeared there were no significant differences between pretest and posttest scores on the Perspectives instrument. However, when skewness of the data was examined, data were discovered to be negatively skewed. Outliers were then identified. One outlier score from each year group was identified and removed as stated a priori. Pretest and posttest scores on the Perspectives instrument were again examined. It was found that the three years’ study groups combined data held significant differences between pretest and posttest scores at the .05 level (Table 2).

It should be stated here that while the scores were significant in this t-test, the practical significance of a difference between mean scores of 138 and 141 (n=84), would not, in itself, be conclusive without further findings to suggest that real differences had occurred. However, when taken within the context of the other three related areas’ findings, this level of significance has more meaning.

Table 2

Table 2

Three Year Combined Kairos Horizon Study Group t-test         

Pretest                                     84                    138.536           -2.532                .013*        .013

*p < .05

CONCLUSIONS

It was concluded that the Horizon Communities in Prison program was an effective program for reducing the number and frequency of offender misconducts, thereby improving the safety and environment of the institution. The program also addressed the increasing prison population by reducing recidivism among program graduates. The 17.2% recidivism rate compared very favorably to the 30.0 % state, and 51.8 % national averages. Qualitative participant responses indicated participants were making positive thinking changes and positive lifestyle changes during and after the program. This also enhanced the safety and environment of the prison. Further, it was found that the program positively changed the perspectives of incarcerated fathers toward their children and encouraged positive interaction with their children and families. Based upon the demonstrated family stability, successful employment, and low numbers of re-arrests among the graduates who have been released, we may conclude that Horizon was successful in promoting positive reintegration into their communities and families.

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