Corrections Concepts, Inc.

Chuck Colson, the Chairman and founder of Prison Fellowship, says that there are two reasons an offender would not return to prison: (1) they would have a change of mind and heart and (2) someone is waiting for them when they are released. The faith-based community is spending a lot of energy toward the first goal but very little toward the second.

Corrections Concepts, Inc. through a management contract with the City of Wakita, Oklahoma would devote more than 10% of the per diem to After Care.

Dialogue has been opened in Oklahoma with the Oklahoma Conference of Churches, the Oklahoma United Methodist Conference, individual churches, such as Eagle Heights Church in Oklahoma City and Metro Church in Edmond and Oklahoma Prison Fellowship. Representatives of these groups pledge their wholehearted support toward a coalition to meet these needs.

In Texas, written commitments have been made by the Coalition of Churches in Prison Ministry, Exodus, The Association of Ex Offenders (TAX), and Operation Oasis to begin their after care programs with the residents arrival in Habilitation House and continue upon his release as long as necessary for a successful reintegration.

In Wisconsin, the post-release (aftercare) services will be provided by MANTLE (Mentoring and Aftercare Network Teaching, Leading and Equipping).

Overall Michael Lee and Operation Oasis will provide coordination of Aftercare.

Principle goals of Post Release Services are: reconciliation between ex-offenders and their families and reintegrating him into the real world as law abiding, drug free, tax paying citizens.

A plan to accomplish these includes:

1. A program coordinator in every releasee’s community;
2. Each program area sanctioned by the Department of Corrections/USBOP office of Parole and/or Probation;
3. Involvement of 5 churches per program with advisors from each church as well as outside advisors from program site;
4. Matching of 4 to 5 men per offender after they are released from Habilitation House;
5. 3 mentors per offender, 1 primary, 2 secondary, mid-incarceration and post-incarceration;
6. Training of mentors to equip offenders before and after they leave Habilitation House on how to apply their beliefs to life situations in order to solve them.

The CCI post-release program, administered by Operation Oasis is a collaboration of ministries, agencies, and individuals who recognize that the present "aftercare" system is insufficient and choose to use this common organization to address this need by establishing working relationships in solving them without losing their autonomy.

Operation Oasis’s mission statement is to establish and maintain a network of people who will lead, teach, and support individuals in need of life transformation using faith-based principles and practices.

The practical application includes:
... And the Parole/Probation Officer is always the head of our ministry.

These coalitions can meet the offender upon release to offer housing, job placement, mentoring, monitoring, discipling, counseling and family reuniting.

When a caring church and a caring community, their opportunities for a law-abiding embrace the releasee, drug free, and contributing life style are greatly enhanced.

This is the goal of the CCI's Post Release Services effort funded by more than 10% of its per diem.