Our Burden

The Youth in America today are in a battle like never before. The break down of family, apathy in our churches, and Satan-the adversary, are all major factors contributing to the delinquency of our youth.

We at Lighthouse have a sincere burden to reach out to these troubled young people. It is our heart-felt desire to make a difference in the life of every young person or adult, and to bring them into a personal relationship with Jesus Christ.

 

The Problem

States have allocated greater portions of their budgets to building and operating prisons, but there has been virtually no allocation for additional offender assessment and interventions. Regardless of the method of release (mandatory release, maximum expiration or parole), offenders return to their communities with the same problems and needs they had when first incarcerated.

Today’s correctional system does little to prepare inmates for their inevitable release. Offenders’ unmet needs include drug and alcohol treatment, mental health care, medical care for long-term illnesses, job training and placement, education, housing, family issues, and criminogenic risk factors include: anti-social attitudes and values, poor problem solving skills, and criminal associations.

While many agencies have a stake in the transition process their priorities, polices and procedures regarding transition often are inconsistent or countervailing. The flow of information among these agencies is impaired by systems or conflicts in priorities. When offenders are released to community supervision, too often there is little continuity between prison programs, activities, re-entry plans and types of supervision and services received.

 

Statistics of a Growing Corrections System

- In 2004 over 3.5 million Americans are being supervised by correctional system.

- If current trends continue, 1 to 20 Americans will be incarcerated in their lifetime.

- The prison population has more than doubled in the past 10 years.

- There are at least 2.5 million children in this country who have incarcerated parents.

- America spends over $30 billion a year to incarcerate prisoners.

- In 2000, more than 600,000 offenders left prison and returned to their communities nationwide.

- Between 1995 and 2001, the increasing number of violent offenders accounted for 63% of the total growth of the State prison population; 15% of the total growth was attributable to the increasing number of drug offenders.

- In 2004, there were estimated 486 prison inmates per 100,000 U.S. residents – up from 411 at year end 1995.

- Out of the entire prison population, approximately 51% to 53% of inmates were incarcerated for what is classified as a non-violent offense. Over 20% of today’s inmates were sentenced for drug-related crimes, and 30% were for non-violent property or public order crimes.

- At midyear 2004 there were 4,919 black male prison and jail inmates per 100,000 black males in the United States, compared to 1,717 Hispanic male inmates per 100,000 Hispanic males, and 717 white male inmates per 100,000 white males.

- As of 2003, the United States prison population is the world’s largest in absolute numbers, according to available statistics.

 

Make a Disciple

 

Mentoring Program

(Laying the Foundation with the Local Church)

 

We see an increasingly greater need for strong church-centered discipling of inmates as we work each year in the Department of Corrections. Incarcerated inmates have a need to tear down the barriers and be discipled, in order to understand how to truly be released from the bondage of their past.

As an answer to these needs, we have found that inmates who are brought into the local church, discipled and mentored in Christ, have a better chance of not returning to prison. We have established the Make a Disciple mentoring program to meet the needs of the incarcerated and to help make them accountable to their area local churches. After they establish relationships with Godly individuals, the released inmates begin to make wise decisions in everyday life.

A shocking 4 out of 5 inmates return to the prison system within three years of being released. The local church needs to take their God-given authority and use it for the edification and restoration of the inmates and their families.

 

Testimonials

 

- “I really love your preaching thank you for coming here. You have touched me with your preaching. Thanks for that, everything you talk about touches me deeply!”—Shawn (JacksonCorrectional)

-“I appreciated you guys coming around and helping me when I was low or upset, thank you.”—Alex (PontiacCorrectional)

- “… [We] are keeping the faith by praying and reading the bible every day ….. Thanks.” – Lance (StatesvilleCorrectional)

- “…you truly were a blessing to me sent from God. I thank God that I was given the opportunity to meet you. …. I have grown tremendously in the last two years…. – Richard (Stephenson County Jail)

- “I really appreciate on how you had time to see my husband Graig… your family are in my prayers.” – Lora (Inmate Family Member)

- “Kevin has the ability to reach these kids not only in a spiritual way, but also as a friend. At times, this program can get very rough for these young men and Kevin has always been able to give them peace of mind and to help them through their difficult times.” – Lt. Mark Groves, YouthLeadershipTrainingCenter

- “Evangelist Lawver has been helping the incarcerated youth in our program turn their lives around by his faithfulness in providing a Bible study every week.” – Orman House (YLTC Chapel Coordinator)

- “I feel we have been blessed to have the volunteer services of Calvary's Justice Ministry… Through working with him, I have found him to be faithful, consistent and committed in ministering to the young men at our correctional facility… Evangelist Lawver’s “Make a Disciple Program” has been successful in helping Lincoln Hills place young men into churches when they are released—Chaplain Mitch Ungerer (Lincoln Hills)

 

Did You Know?

 

- Every 30 minutes a teen attempts suicide

- Every 15 minutes a teen commits suicide

- 7 million teens are drug and alcohol dependent

- 1 in 4 children are growing up without a father. (about 15 million)

-1 in 7 boys are sexually abused by age 5.

- 2 children under age of 5 are murdered each day.

- 3,000 teens a day drop out of school.

 

- TheUnited States incarcerates more children than any other country.

 

Time is Running Out!

 

American Teenagers Every…

 

· 8 seconds- drop out of school

· 15 seconds- run away from home

· 47 seconds- are abused in the home

· 3 minutes- lose their virginity

· 5 minutes – has a baby