Project

HORIZON is a leader in the field of preparing the incarcerated for re-entry into society, sponsoring year-long, interfaith, residential programs in prisons. Volunteer-led programs, stressing personal and family responsibility, citizenship and employability, are under-girded by spiritual growth. Named "A Model For the Future" by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services in 2001, Horizon continues to gain experience and accumulate accolades in this uncharted field.

HORIZON OFFERS

International recognition
Programs designed for a variety of security-level prison populations, all aiding re-entry to society
Programs designed for available space within an institution
Recruitment and training of volunteers, who facilitate most of the programs
Work with administration to meet the needs of both the institution and inmate population
Bring together corrections, other governmental agencies and local resources to secure adequate funding
Reporting and accountability to funding agents
Local public relations for the program
A nationally recognized and approved program

HORIZON'S FIVE TRACK GOALS

   Personal Responsibility
   Family Responsibility
   Education
   Employability
   Citizenship

THE FACTS

Recent research and awards for Horizon projects since 1999 are clear evidence that Horizon faith-based communities work to ease the re-entry process. Success has been measured in the betterment of prison environment, family reconciliations, society’s adjustment to the incarcerated, and even the almost intractable recidivism. Secular teachings delivered by volunteers within a faith context work!
Horizon has limited capacity for expansion without financial sponsorship.
Federal faith-based and community initiatives offer financial support for secular deliverables from faith communities. Horizon is positioned to build better demonstration models designed to meet the needs of an expanding number of inmates being released to society.

KEY COMPONENTS

Re-entry begins, not in the last year of incarceration, but as a mid-stream experience – as soon as the inmate realizes he or she is not in control and is willing to change.
The project must utilize the widely diverse talents and organizations of collaborating participants, each held in mutual respect.
Programs must be presented by volunteers from the faith community surrounding the institution rather than by institutional employees.
Emotionally mature and stable inmates are used as peer facilitators, working with volunteer free-world facilitators. Inmate peer facilitators are the full-time, 24-hour, 7-days, community-standards guardians. They work without legal position or power, but woo all participants into acceptance of the positive peer culture of the community.

ARCHITECTURE OF A HORIZON DEMONSTRATION MODEL

Start a standard Horizon Faith-based Community utilizing free-world mentors, presenting courses in anger management, family reconciliation, victim awareness, dependency recovery, community responsibility and citizenship. Add:

Education

Average education level of the incarcerated in many state institutions is 7th grade and dropping.
Encourage coordinated mentoring of identifiable children of program participants via Children of Promise type programs (in Florida), or The Dream Academy.

Work Skills

Many who enter prison today have never held a real job other than peddling drugs
Require all participants to become acquainted with Microsoft Office procedures and attain at least minimal computer skills
Work with the Department of Labor and HUD to provide construction skills programs. The “Coral Project” builds panelized construction components for worthy not-for-profit charitable organizations in cities close to the prison, allowing inmates to give back to the community and for the community to see visible evidence of restitution

Transition

Cooperate with Ready4Work and/or Labor Line job placement mentoring
Coordinate transition with program providers under Access To Recovery Voucher Program
Facilitate connection to "going home" mentors working with Restorative Justice Network of North America.

The Horizon program stresses education in all facets of life, at the academic and psycho-social levels, which Horizon prefers to consider the spiritual and soul levels. It is open to participants of all major faith traditions that are well supported in the community surrounding the prison. While the largest majority (over 95%) of the participants are Christian, no effort is made for conversion toward those who are not. To date, the experience of this multifaith approach has built bridges of respect and understanding among inmates, volunteers, staff and clergy far beyond anyone’s expectations.