RESOURCES AND MORE INFO
"… the opposite of poverty is not wealth, the opposite of poverty is justice. Finally, I've come to believe that the true measure of a commitment to justice, the character of our society, our commitment to the rule of law, fairness, and equality cannot be measured how we treat the rich, the powerful, the privileged, and the respected among us. The true measure of our character is how we treat the poor, the disfavored, the accused, the incarcerated, and the condemned. We are all implicated when we allow other people to be mistreated. And absence of compassion can corrupt the decency of a community, state, and nation. Fear and anger can make us vindictive and abusive, unjust and unfair, until we all suffer from the absence of mercy, we condemn ourselves as much as we victimize others. The closer we get to mass incarceration, extreme levels of punishment, the more I believe it is necessary to recognize that we all need mercy, we all need justice and perhaps we all need some measure of unmerited grace."
“After trauma the world is experienced with a different nervous system. The survivor’s energy now becomes focused on suppressing inner chaos, at the expense of spontaneous involvement in their lives. These attempts to maintain control over unbearable physiological reactions can result in a whole range of physical symptoms, including fibromyalgia, chronic fatigue, and other autoimmune diseases. This explains why it is critical for trauma treatment to engage the entire organism, body, mind, and brain.”
People Serving Life Exceeds Entire Prison Population of 1970
by The Sentencing Project
“The United States now holds an estimated 40% of the world population serving life imprisonment and 83% of those serving life without the possibility of parole. The expansion of life imprisonment has been a key component of the development of mass incarceration. ... A misinterpretation of the connections between the seriousness of an incarcerated person’s crime and their recidivism risk after release often justifies policymakers’ endorsement of life imprisonment. Most people serving life, including for murder, will not forever present a risk to public safety. Even so-called “chronic-offenders,” people who have committed repeated crimes, gradually desist from criminal conduct so that their public safety risk is substantially reduced by their late 30s or 40s. Therefore, from a public safety perspective, life imprisonment is an unwise investment.”
“People in jail often have serious physical and mental health needs. They are five times more likely than the general population to have a serious mental illness, and two-thirds have a substance use disorder. They also are more likely to have had chronic health conditions and infectious diseases. Moreover, many people experience serious medical and mental health crises after they are booked into jail, including withdrawal, psychological distress, and the "shock of confinement."
Prison Policy Initiative
ABOUT THE JESUS INFUSION
The Jesus Infusion is a faith based non-profit women's prison and jail ministry in north central Florida. The ministry was birthed after the founder, Nicole Dyson, served her own sentence in federal prison. She believes the more Jesus is infused into even the darkest of times and places, the more His glorious plans shine.
For over eight years, through TJI's prison and jail programs, reentry support and Pen Pal ministry, women are discovering grace, hope and a new kind of freedom. Thousands of women a year participate and thrive because of these efforts.
The work of The Jesus Infusion began unofficially in 2012. Nicole and a team of volunteers steadily ushered the gospel behind bars. Lives were being impacted and the work became a non-profit in 2015. Collaboration with other local programs and organizations such as the Alachua County Reentry Coalition, Career Source and churches, give even more strength to efforts to reduce recidivism in our area.
INVITE An average of >3,000 women are not just touched but greatly impacted- even radically changed- each year by TJI. With life skills classes, chapel services, and Bible studies, women are better equipped to walk in freedom once released or to function if the freedom only of the gospel while serving a life sentence. TJI attends court appearances all over the state on behalf of women.
INVEST Pen Pal ministry is a form of discipleship and friendships to sow hope and encouragement. Women are written to, prayed for, visited, loved and not forgotten. This is a beautiful way to remember those in prison as directed in the Bible.
The Jesus Infusion is saving towards opening a small transition home to house up to four women upon their release from prison. The TJI investment of love and discipleship for each woman is personal and thorough therefore the home will best serve only a few women at a time. After a prison sentence and participation in TJI programs while incarcerated, women have completed detox, learned life skills and have the foundation of the gospel.
These well vetted women are supported through mentoring, jobs, clothing, hygiene needs, food and bus or transportation assistance while they learn to get back on their feet- as a new and improved version of themselves. Residents of this future home will be those whom TJI has already discipled, invested in and developed personal relationships with over the years. Mental health, parole, probation and counseling are already addressed with those released that TJI is currently serving and will continue to be areas addressed with the growing support network.
INSPIRE Lives are being renewed and women are being equipped to live in a new way. Inspired by the newly discovered love of their Heavenly Father, support from Pen Pals, TJI prayer warriors and the TJI team, they can live a new life.
HOME The Jesus Infusion is saving towards opening a small transition home to house up to four women upon their release from prison. TJI's investment of love and discipleship for each woman is personal and thorough, therefore, the home will best serve only a few women at a time.
After a prison sentence and participation in TJI programs while incarcerated, women have completed detox, learned life skills and have the foundation of the gospel. These well vetted women are supported by TJI through mentoring, jobs, clothing, hygiene needs, food and bus or transportation assistance while they learn to get back on their feet- as a new and improved version of themselves. Residents of this future home will be those whom TJI has already discipled, invested in and developed personal relationships with over the years. Mental health, parole, probation and counseling are already addressed with those released that TJI is currently serving and will continue to be areas addressed with the growing support network.
With your prayers and support, TJI can bring hope to incarcerated women and reduce recidivism in our area.