Curriculum Suggestions for Correctional Ministry

This listing of curriculum suggestions from CMCA members includes tools used by chaplains, jail/prison ministry workers, church volunteers, and reentry specialists in their programming.  CMCA provides this listing as a resource only and is not able to endorse all the recommended curriculum suggestions.

Spiritual Growth

Alpha – Answering Questions about God – For unbelievers in any setting.  Youth and adult curriculum.
Cost for Materials

Answering the Call –In Prison Training
Free 11 Week In Prison Training for Christ followers to live focused lives of witness and discipleship (used with Christians in over 100 prisons) https://correctionalministries.org/ (under trainings)

Capstone Curriculum of The Urban Ministry Institute –Bible, theology, and ministry leadership
This curriculum from TUMI develops and equips leaders for the church, inside and outside of prison, at extremely low cost.

Courage for My Life –for men & women (English & Spanish version) in prisons, jails, reentry homes, and residential program homes
Emotional Health & Spiritual Growth: Courage For My Life resources are designed with accessible lesson content, practical exercises, easily transferable steps to real-life situations, a supportive video series, and questionnaires to measure life impact and resource effectiveness.

Every Man a Warrior in jails/prisons
Cost for Materials 

Guerilla Bible Studies Series(used in jails/prisons/communities)
Cost for Materials

“Taking Responsibility For Your Life” by Andy Stanley
This is a 4 part sermon series. I describe it as “everything your parents never taught you”. In these sermons, Andy is winsome and funny. He holds us accountable in a way that is not offensive. I have a dvd and study guide.  Even juvenile boys like this lesson series! Just really good PRACTICAL and BIBLICAL advice without being heavy handed and preachy.

Unbound –Can be used in jail, prison, reentry, & church.
Unbound is a Biblical Counseling and Discipleship tool to help people discover and live-out true freedom in Christ.

Your Spiritual Journey (webinar)
Free CMCA Members Resource page.

Life Skills

Changed for Good (Anger Management)
Free (for CMCA members) This curriculum can be used with men and women, Christians or General Population (used in jail and prison).  Student workbook and instructor manual.  Located on the CMCA Members Resource page.

Emmaus Road
Bible books, anger management, forgiveness, ethics, return to free world.  Emmaus Worldwide distributes Bible correspondence courses to more than 100 countries in 84 languages.

Lifeblood Reentry for jails/prisons, reentry
Rebuilding understanding of Family, Influence, Hope, Power, Self-reliance, Second Chances, Loyalty, Doing the Right Thing, Transformation.

LifeEdit for incarcerated men & women
Personal Development Mindset and Thought Management, Building Healthy Relationships, Decision Making, Hope and Motivation, Goal Setting, Incremental Progress, Overcoming Distractions, Life Planning.

Life Recovery – Prison, Church
Biblically-based 12 step program.  We have seen God work in the lives of those inside and out of prison (church) through this material.

Navigating Your Finances God’s Way –jail or reentry (halfway house)
This is a good introductory financial course that gives a good overview of what the Bible says about handling your finances.

New Beginnings –Jails, prisons, churches, small groups, re-entry, youth facilities
Life recovery. Trauma, anger, Bible based, relationships, leadership, job readiness, parenting, budgeting,  This curriculum has the participants look at their past trauma and relationships and how they got where they are. It then takes them to the next step of looking to the future and giving them new skills (coping and behaviors) to have a better future and overcome their past.

Starting Over on the Inside
Starting Over practically equips inmates and addresses loss, identity, forgiveness, assuming new responsibilities and personal leadership to enable to think differently about their past, present, and future providing open doors for reconnection with their families, communities.

Starting Up Now: Behind the Walls Prison, Youth Facilities, Reentry, Churches, Nonprofits, Ministries
Entrepreneurship, Business Ownership, Business Coaching, Startups.  The curriculum provides guidance to help individuals create a business plan, an operational plan, and a financial plan using tablets, whether connected to the internet or not. SUN BTW simplifies the process of starting and launching a business.

Stepping Up: A Call to Courageous Manhood Used in prisons or reentry programs with men.
Cost for Materials

Trauma

Healing the Wounded Heart Inmate version
This trauma healing program incorporates proven mental health practices and a time-tested library of resources. But all of that is built on one foundation: the wisdom of the Bible.

Overcoming a Difficult Childhood can be used in jails, prisons, reentry, churches
Biblical principles to overcome the emotional, physical, and spiritual effects of abuse and dysfunction. Trauma, anger, anti-social behavior, resilience, brain development, neuro–science, emotional suppression, cognitive reappraisal, mindfulness

SING- Stories in Grace For women who have been trafficked, raped, or abused-used in jails/prisons/safe houses
Curriculum offers emotional healing & spiritual growth Cost for Materials