Prison Official Speaks About TPRF’s Peace Education Program

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Prison Official Speaks About TPRF’s Peace Education Program

Written by The Prem Rawat Foundation

Wednesday, 04 May 2011 10:17

Millions of inmates are crammed into overcrowded correctional facilities around the world with no educational programs addressing self-esteem or positive life skills. The rate of recidivism in some U.S. states is 75% or higher. In contrast, Captain Lorenzo Carter, of the Dominguez State Prison in San Antonio, Texas, recently reported that for inmates there who had attended the TPRF’s Inner Peace Workshop, less than 1% have returned to this prison.

For almost four years, TPRF volunteers Roberto and Chantal Piriz, Sherilyn Strickland, and Jim Clink have been presenting workshops for inmates based on Prem Rawat’s message of peace. In organizing the workshops, they have worked closely with Captain Carter, head of Correctional Officers and Volunteer Services at the Dominguez Prison. In a recent interview with Chantal and Roberto, the Captain spoke about the workshops: “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.”

Captain Carter started listening to the videos himself almost four years ago. In his words, “I wanted to listen to this. I wanted to find out more and more. So I listened coming to work, going home, at home. It has shown a lot within me … to make my life easier by understanding that you don’t have to be angry. You can have a peace within yourself.

“It seemed like he was speaking to me directly by his words,” he continued. “Everything I was going through, he was pinpointing it … and gave me ways to approach problems, to face it with peace. It changed me; it changed the way I deal with my kids and my relationships with other people. It’s been a great, positive impact on me totally. On a professional level, it has changed how I deal with offenders and management. It has been a very positive impact on my life by listening to him, and I continue to do it on a daily basis.”

After his own experience and seeing the enthusiasm of inmates, many of whom have written to Prem Rawat expressing their gratitude, Captain Carter sent TPRF a letter praising the program and inviting Prem Rawat to speak at the prison. “The Administration here would love to have him,” he said. “Whenever he’s ready, we’d welcome him here and put the word out for him to give his speech to our whole population—which is 2,200 offenders at this time. All we’re waiting for is a date.”

Watch the interview with Captain Carter:

19 Comments

Myriam makes this comment

Prison Official Speaks About TPRF’s Peace Education Program

Monday, 27 June 2011

It is true that having this experience of truth within, puts you in the present, and all about the past stays in the past and you learn to confront it with 'valor', and to learn to live in the present. For anyone who is in prison, it will liberate, the past, and learn to live in the present.
Myriam Arevalo makes this comment

Prison Official Speaks About TPRF’s Peace Education Program

Saturday, 25 June 2011

I am deeply touched by Captain Carter's words about feeling peace within and changing him in his relationship within his family, inmates, general public. It is a remarkable effect that Words of Peace has in people in prison and outside prison. I am working on bringing this message to the correctional, and prison system in Denver, Colorado.
Rodger UK. makes this comment

Prison Official Speaks About TPRF’s Peace Education Program

Tuesday, 31 May 2011

Wowwow Wow. Brings tears to eyes from the Heart.Wonderful. Thankkyou Prem.From Rodger.X
Zulayka Plasencia makes this comment

Un funcionario de una prisión habla sobre el programa educativo de TPRF

Saturday, 28 May 2011

Felicidades TPRF, por la labor que están y siguen realizando!!!! Les doy las más sinceras felicidades a los presos que ya han comenzado a oir a Prem Rawat, y que se encuentran en el mejor camino hacia la Paz interior. También Felicito al Capitán Carter por tan hermosa labor. Doy gracias a DIOS todo los días por haber colocado en mi camino a Prem Rawat, porque gracias al conocimiento experimento Paz, serenidad, felicidad... es decir es una fución de muchos sentimientos juntos encontrados que solo Dios no los puede dar. Las mensajes de Prem Rawat son tan sencillos, llenos de tanto amor y muy enriquesedores, por eso llegan con tanta facilidad a todo las personas.
Basil Augustine makes this comment

Prison Official Speaks About TPRF’s Peace Education Program

Monday, 23 May 2011

Programs where inmates raise and train puppies to help others is a wonderful way to bring comfort,care and positive structure to lives in trouble. This TPRF program seems so vital to so many...animal lovers or not. When I viewed this I thought: "This is 'Peace Behind Bars'. I would love to see this in all prisons where "rehabilitation" ( meaning 'to restore') is an ultimate goal. The possibility of 'restoring peace' to those in prison is in itself the truest rehabilitation.
Carmen makes this comment

Un funcionario de una prisión habla sobre el programa educativo de TPRF

Friday, 20 May 2011

Hola! Quiero daros la enhorabuena por este increíble proyecto que está llevando Esperanza a personas muy necesitadas de ello.. Hoy empezamos este proyecto en una cárcel de una ciudad cercana a la ciudad donde vivo y esperamos tener tanto éxito en ello como lo estáis teniendo vosotros, de momento se han apuntado 17 internos..¿Seria posible que nos facilitarais información de como lo habéis llevado a cabo?...Espero vuestras noticias y de nuevo mi más sincera enhorabuena!!!por vuestra labor...
Howard Zmudy makes this comment

Prison Official Speaks About TPRF’s Peace Education Program

Sunday, 15 May 2011

Very inspiring. How might I get in touch with the TPRF volunteers of this program, Roberto and Chantal Piriz,Sherilyn Strickland, and Jim Clink?
Kali makes this comment

Prison Official Speaks About TPRF’s Peace Education Program

Sunday, 15 May 2011

Bring it on. lets have this start in the UK. Very good and useful for the now, and coming events in the very uncertain future. I'm involved with a wee tad of this myself with mentally disabled. Best wishes to all involved. Kali
bob lesch makes this comment

Prison Official Speaks About TPRF’s Peace Education Program

Sunday, 15 May 2011

kudos to the volunteers for sticking with it for four years. dedication in this arena takes fortitude and focus beyond our normal comfort zone.
Rebecca Loprinzi makes this comment

Prison Official Speaks About TPRF’s Peace Education Program

Saturday, 14 May 2011

I will foward this to the Oregon State Prisons, hopding they may be interested in starting a program, with Words of Peace. WE have a working relationship with the prisons, gave over 4,000 educational books and Words of Peace books, magazines in the last few years. Hoping they may want to take it to the next level. You folks are the best in the world. Thank you. much love and light, Rebecca