OUR PURPOSE

To provide to all persons who have been touched by the prison industry the opportunity to relearn the social living skills required for success in the outside world.

This process is one of education, reflection, reprogramming and responsibility.

Current and Long-Range Goals:
By continuing to develop strong and reliable ties in the local community, Living In Truth, Inc. is establishing the basis for the goals which remain foremost in our mission to make a permanent improvement in the lives of ex-offenders throughout the state of Arkansas.

A substantial part of our mission is working to reunite and assist families whenever possible, and to help them reconcile if such reunion is not possible. When a man is incarcerated, he is not the only one affected; his loved ones suffer too, emotionally, financially, and socially. They also need support. This is accomplished in a variety of ways, including counseling and working with area churches to help heal and hopefully strengthen family bonds.

Parolees are normally released with merely the clothes on their backs which may or may not be appropriate for their reintroduction to society, for events such as employment interviews. Through community donations of good usable clothing, each ex-offender has opportunity to put his or her best foot forward.

Vocational rehabilitation remains an important part of the process of returning to a world where reality is most often less than ideal, a means of breaking the cycle of crime and incarceration. The following are just a few examples of programs currently being developed.

In early pursuit of our ultimate goal for building and maintaining a self-sufficient community, we were not prepared for the unfortunate and even shocking reaction from a group of local residents. Fear based on misconceptions and misunderstanding was fanned into flames of abject prejudice and summary judgment.

From its very foundation, Living In Truth has always promoted programs into which only strictly pre-qualified ex-offenders would be admitted for a short-term transition into being productive citizens, most of whom would ultimately relocate far from the local area as they pursue employment and other opportunities.

Violent offenders or any others who could possibly pose any immediate threat to the safety and security of the local population were -- and are -- NEVER considered as worthy candidates for Resident Programs. After all, the Founding Director and staff are all residents of this rural community as well; it would be the height of folly to even consider admitting anyone who might pose any threat to safety, security and peace in a place where we have chosen to live and raise our families.

Even though our initial purpose and ultimate goal has of necessity become the long-term destination, we choose to light a candle of hope rather than to curse the darkness of unfounded mistrust, suspicion and despair.

Our primary long-range goal is to establish a functional working community, to effect a practical transition for each ex-offender to successfully reenter mainstream society. Learning to live with responsibility for performing useful and profitable work as well as to be fully accountable to ones' self and to others is the only basis for Living In Truth.

Current statistics reflect that a full 59% of prisoners released in the state of Arkansas return to prison. Living In Truth, Inc. seeks to reduce that number by investing the efforts and resources in our trust toward rebuilding broken lives while resurrecting shattered dreams. Living In Truth, Inc. seeks to reduce that number by investing the efforts and resources in our trust toward rebuilding broken lives while resurrecting shattered dreams.

Creation of a small rural self sufficient community within the community will foster the atmosphere necessary to effect the desired change in the thought patterns of the ex-offender. Former prisoners will be the force and energy towards the farm's success as well as their own. They will work together on the farm and on the outside. The quality of their efforts will be self evident through the product of their work and cooperation.

Overview: Multi-housing, communal living, vegetable gardening, livestock husbandry and maintenance, outside fence and hay crews, mechanics shop, kitchen, arts and crafts, community service as well as educational opportunities in every area.

Learning a craft and marketable skills are essential in true rehabilitation. With hands-on training in hand craftsmanship, both the soul and body are reformed in the process.

Living in Truth was begun in 2000 by a generous behest from the estate of Carol Curry’s mother, Charlotte Kraft. She wished to support her daughter’s dream of addressing the many issues of incarceration.

Living In Truth, Inc. was officially organized in 2001, in response to serious and pervasive social factors which contribute to perpetuating the cycle of repeated incarceration.

Living In Truth, Inc. is one of only a few state registered 501(c)3 prisoner advocacy organizations in the state of Arkansas.

The decision to locate in the most scenic and beautiful part of Arkansas reflects the ultimate aims of Living In Truth, Inc. We seek to establish a living and working community where ex-offenders rebuild themselves and their lives amidst a quiet and peaceful rural environment.

Recognizing that extreme prejudice exists toward those who have spent time in prison, Living In Truth, Inc. actively seeks to improve both the lot of the prisoner and of his loved ones in tangible and practical ways, while fostering better understanding and relations in our local community.

Operating in Searcy County, Arkansas, Living In Truth is working diligently toward a log-term goal to offer resident program training in the necessary skills to lead a crime-free and productive life after incarceration. In this rural farm setting, men will have the opportunity to live and work together to reshape their lives in a positive, empowering and spiritual manner.

Our main focus remains to create and develop personally designed transitional living programs for those who have been recently released from prison.

All programs operate under the core concepts of awareness, honesty and personal responsibility.

The process of imprisonment, rather than rehabilitation, too often prevents the development of appropriate problem solving, interpersonal and job skills. In most cases, this makes ex-offenders more likely to return to prison than to successfully re-enter society.

The U.S. prison population has tripled to over 2 million since 1980, while funding has been reduced for education and other services vital in the efforts to support rehabilitation. Of this population increase, 84% are non-violent offenders who are incarcerated instead of being offered alternative programs.

Most of these crimes are minor in nature; only a small percentage are violent acts. While an individual’s behavior and actions may set them on the road to prison, such incarceration -- versus rehabilitation -- is much more costly to our society, financially and socially in terms of disrupted lives of offenders and their families.

Although implementation of our Resident Programs have been necessarily delayed and deferred, Living In Truth establishes and maintains close contact with those who have expressed an interest in participation under the strict guidelines. Ex-offenders are encouraged to address their personal issues as they are identified during the application and negotiation process for entry into the program. Living In Truth provides support and opportunity for ex-offenders to develop a program to address their spiritual, psychological, emotional and social needs during this process.

Once accepted into the future Resident Programs, they will become part of a small therapeutic community in which responsibility, honesty and communication are both facilitated and supported. In the process, they are taught to examine and accept the rewards or consequences of their own decisions, and to develop better decision-making strategies.

Only by identifying and addressing each participant’s destructive values can they then replace them with behaviors and approaches that lead to successful and productive lives. At Living In Truth, our goal is to replace these negatives with self respect, personal responsibility, positive interpersonal relationships, spirituality, and independence.

With our ultimate goal in view, the beautiful setting of our working farm is key to the residents’ long-term recovery. Fresh air and honest labor are just what the resident’s body, mind and soul require to heal and learn the essential social, personal, spiritual and vocational skills to live a productive life in free society.

A substantial foundational part of our programs is working to reunite and assist families whenever possible, and to help them reconcile if such reunion is not possible. When a man is incarcerated, he is not the only one affected; his loved ones suffer too, emotionally, financially, and socially. They also need support. This will be accomplished in a variety of ways, including counseling and working with area churches to help heal and hopefully to strengthen family bonds.

We are also establishing and expanding a family network to help with various needs. This project, People Visiting Prisoners, includes pertinent information and services for the families of prisoners. This service offers shared rides to visit loved ones in prison and education with regard to prisoners’ rights. A nationwide networking system is being established to share information and options with groups already working on behalf of inmates. ( See the "recommended weblinks" page for a partial listing of some of these groups.)

Another vital aspect of the ex-offender's recovery and restoration is in "giving back" to the community, in gratitude for the blessings which are bestowed through those who remain unselfish in their continuing help and support. We are continuing to develop various opportunities for these men to provide valuable services in and for our local community. These will include, in part, highway and park clean-ups, forest reclamation, recycling projects, and distribution of donated goods to community organizations and individuals. This gives the participants a chance to deal with society in a new and positive manner while having the value of their own contributions recognized and acknowledged. This is absolutely essential for true rehabilitation.

Living In Truth is about learning how fulfilling life can be when we recognize and begin to experience our own spiritual and economic potential. That becomes the motivator: the ex-offender gains confidence in becoming responsible for the successful execution of productive enterprises

A variety of economic development projects are being established by Living In Truth. Some will be determined by the talents and abilities of potential residents; others will be developed from a wide range of small rural businesses. Presently included among these are plans for a production canning kitchen, woodworking, furniture making, organic farming, a recycling/reuse program, carpentry and other trades, and small animal farming.

The physical activity, participation in the decision-making process, and seeing direct results from their entrepreneurial actions will promote the development of productive values and approaches.

They will be immersed in an environment conducive for learning the necessary skills to live and work in a cooperative and creative manner, and in turn to become positive role models to other ex-offenders. They will be assigned daily chores, including housekeeping, budgeting, and farm upkeep. They will work on their spiritual selves, parenting skills, and other aspects of their individual personal growth.

We are working with a growing number of various community, school and church organizations and individuals to help participants develop the character and skills necessary to prevent a return to the prison environment. The yearly cost of this program per man is much less than their incarceration; the saving of a human life is incalculable.

For more information, please write to us or call us, or correspond via e-mail: