The Problem


  IMAGINE: "Hitting bottom" and facing the justice of "doing your time" in prison... now imagine your friends are not there to help or are not the kind that can be turned to in a time of need... and worse than anything your family has been "burned" to the point they don't meet you at the exit door... imagine leaving in your prison blues- maybe not marked with the numbers you have come to be recognized by, yet feeling marked for life. Questions rattle you as you contemplate starting over with no money, no resources, and a reputation in the form of a record you must disclose. Wanting to start a new life is your heart's desire... you don't want to be one of the 7 out of ten individuals going behind those bars again. Where do you go?


  THE COST: According to the National Institute of Corrections, the crime rate for the State of Tennessee is currently 23.66% higher than the national average. The state of Tennessee has projected that the inmate population will increase another 22% over the next six years, with costs skyrocketing 40%. In January 2006, 26,380 felons were housed by the state of Tennessee at a cost of $50.50 per day, for a total of more than $1.3 million per month. Many of these incarcerated felons will be repeat offenders. For the welfare of all citizens in our state, we absolutely must break this destructive cycle.





  Tennessee state documents show that since 1998 the inmate population has increased 22%, and the cost of incarceration has increased 40%. Many felon admissions are return violators. Prisoners are simply not getting the help they need to break this vicious cycle. Crime not only affects the lives of those who are incarcerated, it affects the lives of all citizens-as our feelings of safety are eroded and our hard-earned dollars go toward taxes to house these prisoners. It completely disrupts the lives of prisoners' children, whom statistics predict will be more likely to become felons themselves.


  The great majority-97% or more-of incarcerated felons will be released from prison. What type of person do we want released back into society? The same person who went in, who is now even more full of anger, resentment and rage and even more likely to commit serious crimes? Or a person changed and committed to living a positive, honest life?


  Men of Valor is committed to winning men in prison to Jesus Christ and discipling them. Our purpose is to equip them to reenter society as men of integrity-becoming givers to the community rather than takers.



CONTACT US!

Men of Valor
1420 Donelson Pike, Suite B-6
Nashville, TN 37217
phone: 615.399.9111
fax: 615.361.8544
Email us at carl@movnashville.com.