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BERT THOMPSON PIONEER AWARD |
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BERT THOMPSON PIONEER AWARD FOR FAITH-BASED COMMUNITY AND RESTORATIVE JUSTICE
2009 Recipient: John Sage, Founder/Executive Director, Bridges To Life
After the brutal murder of his sister, Marilyn, John Sage was tormented for years by anger, grief and depression. When he could no longer engage his demons, and at the urging of a friend, John became involved in a Texas prison program that would bring together a handful of victims and offender in one Texas prison, and ultimately lead to the founding of a faith-based restorative justice organization known as Bridges To Life. Over the last decade, the Bridges To Life program has grown to include 600 volunteers and over 7,000 Texas inmate graduates from the unique 14 week victim impact process. It has spread to 30 Texas prisons, as well as correctional facilities in Louisiana, Colorado, Florida, and North Carolina. In an ongoing recidivism study of nearly 3,000 released BTL Texas graduates, to date, only 33 have returned to prison for committing a violent crime. The organization’s focus is “victim impact” and ministry to victims and offenders, teaching the transforming power of God’s love and forgiveness. The Bridges To Life program has connected Texas communities to offenders in hopes of reducing violent crime and enhancing public safety. Out of John Sage’s faith and trust in God, and his pioneer spirit in the midst of his own tragedy, was born Bridges To Life, a Faith-Based Community and Restorative Justice program that truly honors the life and work of Bert Thompson.
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Last Updated ( Monday, 06 April 2009 )
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