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IPCA co-hosts UN Side Event, New York, February 1, 2018

Interfaith Prison Partnership (formerly known as Presbytery Prison Partnership) has been approved to organize its second side event at the United Nations. The event is being co-hosted by:

  • The Permanent Mission of Denmark to the United Nations
  • The International Prison Chaplains Association (IPCA),which has about two-thousand members serving as Prison Chaplains

in more than fifty countries.

  • Citizens United for the Return of Errants (CURE), which has thirty-nine chapters in the US and representatives in close to thirty countries. CURE engages in legislative prison reform efforts in the US. To learn more about CURE, click here

 
Please join us for:

A Human Dignity and Faith Perspective on the Eradication of Poverty as One of the Main Root Causes of Incarceration.

Date: THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 1, 2018

Time: 3:00 – 4:30 pm

Location: United Nations Headquarters

First Avenue between 42nd Street and 48th Street, New York, NY

Worldwide Steering Committee meeting

Members of the World Wide Steering Committee with IPCA Europe vice-president, meeting in Woking, UK, September 2017.

This year’s IPCA Global Prayer Day resource has been prepared by Canada. Teresa Kellendonk has put together a prayer guide which can be used either as a standalone order of service or as a resource during times of prayer or worship services.

The Guide is available in various languages:

English: available here.

French: available here.

German: available here.

Arabic: available here.

Swedish: available here.

Chinese: available here.

Sinhalese: available here.

To request a version in another language, please contact your IPCA region.

If you can help with translation into another language, please offer your services, also via your IPCA region website.

IPCA co-organises UN side event on the Eradication of Poverty for the Incarcerated, Tuesday, 7 February 2017

The International Prison Chaplains Association (IPCA/Worldwide) and Citizens United for the Rehabilitation of Errants (CURE) has hosted a panel discussion on the direct correlation between poverty and those who comprise the prison population.  We have highlighted the fact that in most countries, the prison population is largely representative of the lowest economic strata within their respective countries.    Rehabilitation and Reentry Efforts for this population, while in prison, can significantly reduce their return rate to prison.  This reduced recidivism rate is especially successful in cases where Returning Citizens are exposed to faith-based organizations which provide guidance and support for their Reentry efforts.    Those who have been invited to be on the panel are leaders in this field with practical experience within the American system.  They have address various aspects of the aforementioned approaches ranging from artistic, vocational and academic exposure while in prison; to job skill training, interview techniques, and financial planning to improve their chances of success.  A model of this nature has been in practice for over twenty years in Sing-Sing prison.  While the national average of recidivism in the United States is about 50%, the recidivism rate of those who have participated in the Sing-Sing model is less than 5%.  With these documented results, this is one example of how it is possible to break the cycle of poverty – prison – poverty – prison – poverty – prison.

The IPCA-CURE statement on this occasion is to be found here.
A report on the side event is to be found here.

Left to right: Hans Hallundbaek, Jean-Didier M’boyo, H.E. Mr. Ib Petersen (Danish ambassador to the UN), CURE chairman Charlie Sullivan and Julie Garfieldt, Senior Human Rights Policy Adviser, Permanent Mission of Denmark.

IPCA statement accepted for circulation by UN ECOSOC

The International Prison Chaplains’ Association and Citizens United for Rehabilitation of Errants, as non-governmental organizations in consultative status with the Economic and Social Council, together submitted the following statement to its Secretary-General , on

A Human Dignity and Faith Perspective on the Eradication of Poverty for the Incarcerated Population of the World

In accordance with paragraphs 36 and 37 of Economic and Social Council resolution 1996/31, the Secretary-General has agreed to circulate this statement.

This is the first statement by IPCA to be accepted in this way, marking a significant milestone in IPCA’s nascent work as a UN-recognised NGO.

The full statement can be read here.

This page brings news from prisons around the world. Articles linked here do not necessarily reflect the views of IPCA

The Dutch prison crisis: A shortage of prisoners

While the UK and much of the world struggles with overcrowded prisons, the Netherlands has the opposite problem. It is actually short of people to lock up. In the past few years 19 prisons have closed down and more are slated for closure next year. How has this happened – and why do some people think it’s a problem?

  • Read this BBC article to find out more