PRISONERS

TEXT: (Matthew 25:36-40)

·      Why Prison Sentences?

sentences are given to:

1 punish offenders

2 protect the public

3 change the offender's behaviour

4 reduce crime in the future

·      Population and Capacity Briefing for Friday 29 July 2016

Total Population (85,112)

Male population (81,233)

Female population (3, 879)

·      Top common effects of prisons sentences facing Prisoners in England and Wales;

1: Mental Health

The Prison Reform Trust estimates that 15 percent of men and 25 of women in Prison report symptoms indicative of psychosis. 49 percent of women and 29 percent male prisoners were assessed as suffering from anxiety and depression

2: Suicides

highest number of suicides recorded since 2005 in our Prisons in England and Wales

3: Drugs and Alcohol

25 percent of new arrivals at Prisons were substance abusers and 19 percent misused alcohol

4: Children

More than 12.4 percent of children's population have lost one or both parents to imprisonment

5: The truth about re-offering: (421,000)

While punishment is an important way of dealing with crime, and one of the 5 purposes of sentencing, on its own it is often not enought to stop criminals re-offering.

2013: there were 514,000 Adult and Juvenile offenders, 136 000 of these offenders committed a proven re-offence within a year

·      Positive approaches (1John 3:8 )

If we are concerns enough, you will agree with me that the only tool that can bring transformation to the lives of any individual's born of a woman, is at Calvary by means of PRAYER and by the WORD of God (Jeremiah 20:9) and (Hebrew 4:12)

Because we are of the Father, we shall pray this morning for revival in the lives of our Prisoners in England and Wales and all over the world.

PRAYER

1. Isaiah (49:24-25)

God is ever faithful to His word hence let us pray to God to honour this word in the lives of our Prisoners: deliverance from depression, anxiety, hopelessness, drug and alcohol, and from the hands of the wicked one which is the enemy of God (the devil).

2. John (1:12; 14)

Let pray for our Prisoner for grace to receive Jesus and believe on His name: hence they receive power to become the sons of God (Acts 4:12)

3. Let pray for more open doors to take the Word to our Prisons and Vessels that the Lord will uses to go for Him. pray that the word of truth will be heard and lives saved.

4.  I have opportunity and grace to answered to his calling recently and now volunteering with Prisons Fellowship Charity Organisation. They are running a 6 weeks course titled a Sycamore Tree course in our Prisons and through this training we are having great testimonies from both male and female prisoners given their lives to Jesus and gets baptised.

5. Please let lift up this Ministry up in our prayer that Sycamore Tree will continue to bear more fruits and its fruits to ever abides in the Lord Amen (John 15:16)

6. Pray for Sycamore Tree course starting at HMP at Kennet/Stocken/Hollesley Bay/Whitemoor and Bullingdon. Let pray for Sycamore Tree course ending at HMP Onley and Wymott.

7. Let pray for our prison Chaplains and their teams: for the amazing unseen work they do; that God will strengthen and bless their ministry

8. Let pray for new prisons interested in sycamore tree and for volunteer teams to be recruited and trained up to facilitate the course. Amen in Jesus Mighty Name.