I was surfing the web to try to find a new and interesting peace project to share with everyone. I came across an article on Words of Peace Global website. This website tells its audience about things that are going on the world, as well as events, webcasts, and television schedules on several continents.

The article that I found talked about a specific peace education program that came into the Dominguez State Prison in San Antonio, Texas. The major finding in the article was that for the inmates that attended the workshop, there was only a 1% that returned to the prison.

This program is based off of Prem Rawat’s message of peace.  Rawat has is own foundation called The Prem Rawat Foundation or TPRF. His message is simple. “Peace needs to be in everyone’s life. The peace we are looking for is within. It is in the heart, waiting to be felt. It is not the world that needs peace; it is people. When people in the world are at peace within, the world will be at peace.” 

For four years volunteers for the TPRF program have taught workshops at the Dominquez Prison. The Captain of the Prison, Captain Carter is the head of the Correctional Officers and Volunteer Services. He was quoted in an interview by saying, “The offenders who attend the program, their disciplinary record has gone down. They stay out of trouble. It has a positive impact on everyone who attends the class. It is one of my best classes because of the attendance rate and the turnout. Of the seven that I have, this is by far the best.”

I think it is important for inmates to learn the meaning of peace. The reason prisons are full of prisoners is because they have committed acts that are not viewed as peaceful. Giving the prisoners something to believe in and something to strive for is something that is so important in their rehabilitation. Most people do not realize the amount of rehabilitation that goes into the prisoner’s stay in prison. A lot of the inmates in prison will be released after they serve their time. Allowing them an opportunity to learn about peace, and how they can bring it into their life is important.

On the Words of Peace website there is an interview from the Captain, which I think is something worthwhile to watch.

Resources:

http://tprf.org/prem-rawat/about-prem-rawat.htm

http://www.wopg.org/en/news/around-the-world/1269-prison-official-speaks-about-tprfs-peace-education