WORDS BEYOND BARS PROJECT INC

What they do

THE PRIMARY PURPOSE of THE ORGANIZATION is to INCREASE THE LITERACY RATE AMONG ALL of COLORADOS QUALIFYING PRISON INMATES. THIS WILL BE DONE THROUGH PROVIDING BOOKS and PERIODICALS for CRITICAL READING and SHARED INQUIRY VIA A COMMUNITY DISCUSSION TWICE A MONTH. THROUGH FACILITATION and CAREFUL SELECTION of READING MATERIALS, THE PROGRAM WILL INCREASE THE LITERACY AMONG ALL PRISONERS PARTICIPATING, THEREBY INCREASING THEIR OPPORTUNITIES for EMPLOYMENT UPON THEIR RELEASE and LOWERED RECIDIVISM.THERE WILL ALSO BE STRONG MOTIVATION to PARTICIPATE IN SMALL DISCUSSION GROUPS. THIS is IMPORTANT, NOT ONLY to STIMULATE THE PRISONERS MENTALLY BUT ALSO to PROVIDE A VEHICLE for THEM to INTERACT WITH THEIR FELLOW INMATES and UPON THEIR RELEASE, WITH SOCIETY IN GENERAL. MEASURABLE OUTCOMES INCLUDE IMPROVED COMMUNICATION and LITERACY SKILLS, BREAKING DOWN of RACIAL BARRIERS, PRO-SOCIALIZATION and SELF-ESTEEM.