Federal prisons blocking faith groups from helping offenders overcome criminal past: senators

Two senators are demanding answers from the Federal Bureau of Prisons about why it rejected several offers from faith-based organizations looking to help convicted offenders avoid relapsing into criminal behavior. 

Sens. James Lankford, R-Okla., and Gary Peters, D-Mich., requested documents detailing the BOP's process for selecting applicants and other information in a Tuesday letter to the agency's director, Colette Peters.

At issue is the agency's implementation of the First Step Act, signed into law in 2018 by former President Donald Trump.

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The act, which seeks to reduce recidivism rates, called for the development of policies for prisons to partner with "nonprofit and other private organizations, including faith-based, art, and community-based organizations that will deliver recidivism reduction programming on a paid or volunteer basis."

A 2022 First Step Act annual report shows that BOP received 11 external applications to provide "Evidence Based Recidivism Reduction" and "Productive Activities," according to the letter. The agency approved four, one as an EBRR and the others as PA, and only one approved program was faith-based. 

A 2023 First Step Act annual report does not provide the number of external applications received and approved by BOP, according to the letter. Through communications with BOP, however, the bipartisan pair of senators noted that the agency has received eight faith-based applications since the First Step Act became law. 

"Of the eight external faith-based applications, five were denied, two were approved, while another remains pending review," the letter stated. "To the best of our knowledge, the two that have been approved are PAs, meaning there are currently zero external faith-based EBRRs operating within BOP."

"These numbers are concerning, particularly at a time when individuals across the BOP system are on waitlists to participate in EBRR programming."

The politicians did not name the faith-based groups who submitted applications that the bureau denied. According to the letter, the BOP has until Dec. 13 to provide all of the requested information. 

In addition to requesting all documents related to the selection process for EBRRs and PAs, the lawmakers asked for complete data on all applicants selected or rejected since the First Step Act passed. The senators also requested documentation of BOP's policies regarding the law and the results of a 2023 independent program review.

The Christian Post reached out to the Bureau of Prisons. The agency said that it responds directly to members of Congress and their staff. 

"Out of respect and deference to Members, we do not share our Congressional correspondence with the media," BOP replied. 

Family Research Council President Tony Perkins, a former commissioner on the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom who once served in the Louisiana House of Representatives, called the report "concerning" and thanked Lankford and Peters for raising awareness about the situation.

"During my time in office, I helped expand the prison access of faith-based groups and recidivism rates dropped significantly," Perkins said in a statement provided to CP. "Life change — built on the foundational knowledge of God's love and forgiveness — can have lasting effects."

In a Thursday X post, Perkins highlighted a report from the nonprofit organization Open the Books about the Department of Health and Human Services' budget, stating that the agency employs 294 diversity, equity and inclusion staffers at an annual cost of $38.7 million. Another $29.4 million goes toward the payroll of seven Offices of Minority Health within several HHS agencies. 

"Biden's HHS Dept. will spend $67M on payroll for DEI but rejects the help of faith-based groups in federal prisons — despite evidence showing faith-based programs reduce recidivism & save taxpayers money," Perkins tweeted.