FAMILIES FOR LIFER'S REHABILITATION MISSION STATEMENT

FAMILIES FOR LIFER’S REHABILITATION

P.O. Box 530861

Saint Petersburg, Florida 33747-0861

(727) 712-7379

Families For Lifer’s Rehabilitation, is a grass-roots Political Committee. Set up by a group of prisoner’s, and their families to bring change to the current excessive Sentences. Our goal is to reach out to like-minded families, and to use the Florida initiative Petition Process, to amend the Florida Constitution. Article 1 Section 17 to add Commutation of Sentences, and require that all Life Sentences be Commuted to 40 years.

“We Serve A God of Second Chances”

The aim of Families For Lifer’s Rehabilitation is to educate the public on the need of real prison reform. The lock them up and throw away the key approach doesn’t work. We have witness, and some of us have become the victim of this get tough or prisoner’s approach without addressing the core problem of why prisoner’s re-offend once they get released.

The answers can be found right in the prison themselves. We ask our love ones why do they repeat and we got the real honest response. There is no rehabilitation in prison. The men we spoke with all say they leave worse that when they enter. So our aim at Families For Lifer’s Rehabilitation is to take what we know to be the truth and campaign for true reform of what’s wrong with the system. We know that longer prison terms only make angrier releases. So we will, by the Initiative Petition Process, petition to change or Amend Our Florida Constitution to add commutation of Sentence. And to commute all Life Sentences to 40 years. Now we know there will be opposition to our plan but our way is less costly, and more efficient. In our proposal to become eligible, a prisoner must have served no less than ten (10) calendar years, and have completed one of the Mandatory Rehabilitation Programs. Any Sex Offender serving a Life Sentence and becomes eligible shall still be subjected to the civil commitment under the Jimmy Ryce Involuntary Civil Commitment for Sexually Violent Predators Treatment and Care Act and must have also completed Sex Offender Mental Health Treatment. So to kill all the myths before they get started. We aren’t out to free any Sexual Predators. But we do want to give them a chance because “We Serve a God Of Second Chances” our motto. For all drug offenders there’s Tier. For prisoners who committed Murder or Robbery there’s Anger Management, Life Skills, Guides for Better Living, and Faith Based programs such as T.r.i.p.p.i.n.g (Together, Respectfully, Individually, Pursuing, Positive, Influential, New, Goals). We at Families For Lifer’s Rehabilitation, believe in providing a second chance to men who have made mistakes, terrible ones, and understands that there has to be accountability for actions, but our men believe that, they are new men when they accept Jesus into their lives if they are Christians, and rely upon that changing experience that only God can bring for non-Christians. Our men have also shown remarkable empathy for those they hurt and we as a Family with members incarcerated have to rely upon each other’s Faith, Strength, Love, and Finances to further our common cause to make sure we are safe as a Society, but to have humane Sentencing Laws which focus on rehabilitating Souls.

Families For Lifer’s Rehabilitation, believes that our fallen sons, husbands, brothers, uncles, wives, sisters, mothers and daughters contributes best of our society doing Mandatory Community Services about the wrongful things they did in hopes of saving just one person from the same Faith.

1. What about those prisoners who will use the Faith Based programs and don’t change but return only to rape and murder or rob again? We asked our prisoners to answer this question and they all said that if one of them abuses this second chance policy and re-offend they all agree that person should die in prison. If their actions they took were senseless. And wasn’t to protect their families.

2. What about Sexual Predators? Again our prisoners answered that any Sex Offender who re-offends should be chemically castrated. Some say keep them locked up for life. But they all agree that any Sex offense is deplorable, and there should be Mandatory treatment for all of them now.

3. Why should prisoners be given a second chance when my family member is dead? Our prisoners all responded that they empathized with the families of those who have lost family members. They ask for forgiveness and know that there are no words that can bring the love ones back. They all say they pray for those families that God softens their hearts.

4. How can we know we can trust prisoners just because they say they have changed with Jail House Religion? The men all responded by saying the prison ministry is real. That Jesus Christ is real in their lives, those that are non Christian say that God knows their heart, and he is real to them.

Hi, my name is James Anthony. I am 42 years old. I have to say that even I hated me. I was arrested in the city of St. Petersburg, FL. At the age of 24 years old on charges of Sexual Battery, Armed Robbery, Armed Kidnapping, Aggravated Assault. I was sentenced to Life in prison, and rightly so. I was a really bad person. I hurt my family, my victim’s family and orphan two kids who didn’t have a father. I am not asking for sympathy or anything like that. But the bio I just gave you of that young man, he died in January of 2004. I grew up knowing about God, but never took time to allow God to work in my life it was only after receiving a letter from a young woman that said Dear Daddy, you write me but I don’t know you. I visit you what, 3 or 4 times but I don’t know you. But when I cried out to Jesus Christ to save me. To completely change me. My daughter responded that I don’t know what happened but I love you. I miss you, and could you be home by my high school graduation. I prayed and asked God to deliver his will on the matter. I was a man with no control. Now I am in complete control of my life. I am a Soldier for Christ and I believe I deserve a second chance, because I serve a God of Second Chances. I want to be a loving father for my children and it’s never too late to bear fruit for God. I have started an outreach program along with several other God fearing men to help teens. I am co-founder of Tripping. A faith based self-betterment program. I also write poetry to inspire change in others. This one I would like to share is called if I were God.

If I were God, no one would be saved, there would be no second chances, because I would only be able to judge by my own short comings. I would not be able to forgive you for your envy and strife. I would refuse to forgive you for telling even the smallest white lie nor will I be sympathetic to your fantasies about other people, that is not your married spouse. If I wee God your prayers would be useless, because I would see you as I see myself, not worthy of my grace. Your selfishness and hardheartedness would guide my judgements. If I were God hell would be enlarged because not one of you would ever be good enough in my eyes. So my brother’s and sister’s in Christ, judge not so that you may not be judged because in the end we all need forgiving. Thank God that I am not him, because I needed saving from myself.

As an incarcerated member of Families For Lifer’s Rehabilitation, God is real, give him a chance to work in your lives and you all will see that his promises will happen. In the latter days he promises that the doors of this place will be open. I trust God at his word that he will looseth the prisoner ( psalms 146:7) and open the door of the prisons. (Acts 5:19) Don’t allow Satan to win this battle. Yes prisoners should do time for the crimes they commit. But when Jesus pardons, he will make a way. Our fight is not with the God fearing public, because we are brothers and sisters. Our fight is with those who lie, distort God in public. Those who claim the grace of God have to be tested. I don’t want sympathy but forgiveness. If we need a boogieman to hate, try Satan. Because he hates us all. Jesus heals. Jesus is real. Jesus changes lives. I am a real person and we need your help. Our theme is: The take back our life crusade of 2006-2007. Jesus Christ the God of second chances.

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My name is Jere’ Walker. I’m here to testify that I don’t feel that no one had a more nastier attitude now quicker temper than me, sadly my temper caused me to be charged with violent crimes in Dade and Hillsboro County. During my prison bid I realized that a change needed to be made before I’m given another opportunity to be in society. So I accomplished every self-betterment program that was offered. (Still I felt empty)

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Hello, my name is Ezra Naylor. I was a lost soul in a large world of confusion. My transgression to the world was and is sin. I was young and foolish. Not having the mental capacity to make proper decisions and having my morals and values screwed up. My heart and loyalty belonged to the streets and even though I had a praying and saved Grandmother I wasn’t saved. I loved money and I had to have it. And yes, I got it but with it came a lot of trouble and more bad decisions. And there still was a lot missing in my life, things money couldn’t fulfil. And every time I tried to find that missing piece to my life that I know would have made me whole. Repeat obstacles turned my degree of bad decision making up a notch. It wasn’t until I made that last decision that God said enough is enough. And put me in a place where it is either, or. And after years of running I finally made a good decision, the right decision. And now I have peace within. God put brothers around me to convert my way of thinking. And after a while he took them away from me and told me that he’s all I need. Turn to me for any and everything. And when you knock my son the door will open. And if you ask it shall be given.

Now I review my life after God’s hand touched me. I’m now a positive young man who is helping institute positive thinking and positive programs into Institutions of bad decision makers. And if not for that missing piece in my life, my God, who blessed me by punishing me and renewing my mindset and forgiving me and giving me a second chance, I can now right the wrong I’ve caused.

Our goals at Families for Lifer’s Rehabilitation is to promote fairness, accountability, and a second chance to men who have accepted full responsibility for their actions, to get treatment while doing their sentences, and having the opportunity to come home and be a loving husband, brother, uncle, father, sister, mother, wife, aunt, and become a model for other prisoner’s who haven’t quite reached that point of being released.

Our short-term goal, amending the Florida Constitution to include Commutation of Life Sentences to 40 years.

Our long-term goals are the continuing success of any early releases by rehabilitated men, to become active members in their Churches, communities, and beyond. We believe in the faith based programs, because we believe in God. Come join us, help us become the voice of so many who have hurt and been hurt, victimized and were victims, to educate our public that prison is the hell it was made to be. And the only way to save souls is to join the fight to. “Jesus is my Therapist” and he declared me healed. James Anthony. When God is for you, who after that can be against you