Florida's Prison Inmates Back Up Criminal Reform

What would happen if Florida's prison inmates worked one-on-one to get their fellow inmates to reform?

Right now Florida prisoners are helping Criminon® Florida get 10% of the state’s prison population involved in the Criminon program.10% has been shown to be the make-break point. When that target is met in a single prison the entire prison calms down significantly with dramatically lowered acts of violence and much improved guard and inmate relations.

Criminon (which means “no crime”) is a non-profit, non-religious public benefit corporation dedicated to addressing the causes of criminality and restoring an inmate’s self-respect. Criminon Florida has 100 volunteers who deliver 7 life-skills correspondence courses to inmates throughout the state. The courses teach common sense values and educate about drugs and addiction, study skills and other key life skills. But most importantly Criminon graduates recover their self-esteem and are able to become ethical and productive members of society.

With a total state inmate population of 100,000, Criminon Florida has the target of 10,000 students on their roll call. With that target in mind, a game was announced in January of 2009 to the then 500 Criminon students throughout Florida’s nearly 100 prisons. The game challenged them to sign up 5 new inmates to start their first Criminon course, thus bringing the total number of students to 2500. When those 2500 students sign up 5 more the goal of 10,000 students will be met.

Since January the number of students participating in the game has climbed steeply to 50% or 250 students now actively playing the game. The number of new students signed up by current students is now close to 500.

A spokesperson for Criminon told us, ”We divided Florida into 4 teams and they compete against each other for how many new people they sign up. They are showing their friends and cellmates the Criminon courses and talking about their personal successes with Criminon. The word is getting out that something can be done about it. The inmate's help is making a big difference. I don’t think I am exaggerating when I say that these men and women could make a significant and very positive change in the Florida state prison system in just a few years."

Any public person who wishes to help as a course supervisor for new students or who wishes to make a much needed donation can contact Criminon Florida at http://www.criminon-inc.org/ or email This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it .

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Heather Smith   |Your IP Address :173.170.176.xxx |2009-08-24 00:22:40 I wish the Criminon program were in every prison! Man, would it help a lot! The program is great and when run properly really helps a person get back his OWN self-respect - it can save a person - and thus save others and thus make Florida a better place to live.

Ken Howe   |Your IP Address :70.127.243.xxx |2009-08-05 16:44:34 After being a Criminon Supervisor for over ten years I can say that a very large majority of inmates want to live a better way than through crime. One example of that is the fear they talk about if their lessons are delayed and they think they have been abandoned. I have seen so many changed lives that I have no doubts about the effects of good techniques in making a person more able to function in society in spite of their past mistakes. If you can help us with time or funds or just good wishes it is very important that you do so.

Dorothy L   |Your IP Address :24.164.6.xxx |2009-08-05 15:35:13 I have worked in a prison, and have seen first hand how easy it is to help someone who really wants help. These people are not odd individuals, unlike any other "normal" person. They are people who have made some poor choices. Most of them can be rehabilitated, and they can help each other get "out of the mess." I've seen it happen.

Karen   |Your IP Address :72.184.236.xxx |2009-08-05 15:10:54 Inmates are just people! Yes, they've made bad decisions in life, but there is still a desire to be good. If this is nurtured and if the person is given the data they need to make right decisions there is no reason why the criminal population cannot be significantly decreased.

John Sewell   |Your IP Address :96.254.203.xxx |2009-08-05 13:50:41 This is exactly the type of program which is needed in the justice system. The present method of "rehabilitation" is not workable. Increasing the self esteem seems like the right way to rehabilitate.

Peter   |Your IP Address :65.32.104.xxx |2009-08-03 20:14:52 I didn't have any idea that there was such an active group working in our prisons. This is really good news and a relief to hear. That the prisoners are involved in the game makes a lot of sense.

Greg Cap   |Your IP Address :69.108.24.xxx |2009-07-31 16:06:49 This is fantastic to see Floridians working to help the community and the government with prisoner rehabilitation. Its great to see that the prisoners learn how to how help each other to bedcome ethical and productive again!! Go Florida!!! Maybe other states will follow your lead. Best, Greg

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