Transforming the lives of prisoners

Rehabilitating prisoners with trauma-relief care and skill training.

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Challenge

Inmates stuck in a cycle of violence

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Strategy

Transforming inmates with proven techniques to reduce anger, stress & violence

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Outreach

Transformed 8 lakh+ inmates & staff worldwide with a global presence in over 65 countries

Overview

We believe that every person who had to resort to crime should be given an opportunity to change and start living a meaningful life. The Art of Living Prison Program is designed for both; those who are incarcerated in prisons and those who serve in the criminal justice system.  

This program has transformed lives by teaching skills that reduce stress, healing trauma, and providing practical methods of dealing with negative emotions.

The program helps prisoners and people with a history of violence to break out of the regressive cycle of crime. 

Working with various prison authorities and armed forces, we have conducted programs for over 8 lakh+ inmates so far worldwide. Many inmates whose lives we touched have now become teachers of the Art of Living programs and working alongside us to bring a positive change in society.

Inside every culprit, there is a victim crying out for help. When you heal the victim, the culprit disappears.

Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar

Challenge

Years of confinement results in greater loss of self-worth, a growing sense of anger, anxiety, and despair. Most inmates develop a firm belief that they will never be able to get out of the regressive cycle of crime. 

Upon their release, prisoners’ integration in mainstream society is a challenge as society fails to accept them. As such, many prisoners return to crime after their release forming a vicious cycle.

It is difficult for prison staff to change attitudes of inmates as they themselves are overworked and stressed due to constant work in tough conditions.

Cycle of violence

 

Strategy

Our Prison Program includes:

Healing inmates emotionally:  We teach special breathing techniques in our Prison program that helps inmates break out of the cycle of negative emotions like trauma, guilt, and anger. We conduct these programs on regular basis which eventually help inmates overcome these emotions. When prisoners get rid of anger and stress, they are more likely to contribute to society than return to crime upon their release.

Providing livelihood: We conduct vocational training for inmates so that they can go back to earning a living through dignified means after their release.

De-stressing prison staff: We conduct specially-designed programs for prison staff and others in the law enforcement agencies to help them de-stress and enable them to become more efficient.

Our three-step approach:

Healing inmates emotionally

with breathing techniques

Providing livelihood

by organizing vocational training for inmates

De-stressing prison staff

by conducting specially-designed programs

Impact

8 lakh +

experienced

transformation

7,000+

armed insurgents

Reformed

3.5 lakhs

inmates

In 100 prisons in India reformed

17

skill development centers

In prisons across India

60,000

convicts

In Tihar Jail benefited

65

Countries

across the globe run Prison Programs

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