A recent editorial "Deal wisely with parole violators" (Nov. 26) raised a critical question: Can parole failures be reduced if parole boards enforce more parole violations or if we build more jails or develop better "re-entry strategies" for released convicts?

On Nov. 7, I for one was inclined to write in "Yes, but ..." on my ballot, for I don't believe for a minute that building a new jail will do enough to curb crime any more than building a new church will automatically produce new converts. Like many law-abiding citizens, I have limited faith in a justice system that releases convicted criminals to the streets only to commit further offenses against innocent victims.

While most state and county systems are governed by a department of "corrections," there is little "corrective" about most prison policies. As pointed out in the editorial, many parole systems could be labeled "perpetual prison machines" - revolving doors for repeat offenders.

Examples of successful re-entry programs abound. The Innerchange Freedom Initiative - formed in 1997 through Chuck Colson's Prison Fellowship Ministries - is one such program. Considered a faith-based transformational prison program, IFI is comprehensive in that it touches upon various aspects of rehabilitation including education, work, life skills, values restructuring, and one-on-one mentoring. Studies conducted since the program's inception have shown that recidivism rates (i.e., reincarceration) dramatically decreased for those individuals who participated in all aspects of the IFI program. Even more remarkable is that the IFI program is run mostly by volunteer lay people.

Within our own community, volunteer opportunities exist to visit, train, and mentor prisoners and families of prisoners. Organizations such as the Council of Christian Communions offer the Man-to-Man/Woman-to-Woman connection to minister face-to-face with inmates in local prisons. Prison Fellowship likewise sponsors numerous opportunities for individuals and groups to mentor, educate, and correspond with inmates.

To quote a famous movie line, it is true that "if you build it, they will come." Whether or not they return is another matter altogether - one in which healthy dialogue combined with the partnership of individuals, churches, and community groups can make a difference in the life of an ex-offender and in the overall wellness of our community.

William Bentley of Springfield Township is a school psychologist who is involved with the Prison Fellowship PenPal program.