Individual Activities
CJM provides a wide variety of individual activities for inmates at the Howard County Detention Center (HCDC). These include One-on-One Discipleship Training, Pastoral Counseling, Bible Correspondence Courses, Christian Literature, and Ice Breaking/Personal Work:
One -on-One Discipleship Training
A volunteer meets with the same inmate each week for a structured discipleship study using the New Christian’s Survival Kit and to develop a supportive, encouraging relationship with the inmate. About half of the hour the volunteer spends with his inmate involves the structured study and the other half is spent sharing experiences, prayer, and concerns. Often this relationship continues after the inmate returns to the community, sometimes with the volunteer serving as one of the mentors for the former inmate in CJM’s After Care Program.
Pastoral Counseling
By CJM chaplains and local clergy.
Bible Correspondence Courses
CJM provides two series of Bible correspondence course lessons for HCDC inmates. One series studies different books of the New Testament. The other series studies topics from a Biblical perspective. Inmates who complete all of the lessons in both series are awarded a very nice study Bible. These lessons are graded locally by CJM volunteers at a grading center located in Bethel Baptist Church (Ellicott City, MD). Inmates likely to be at HCDC for a prolonged period who have completed all of these Bible correspondence courses and who are interested in in-depth study of the Bible can be enrolled in correspondence courses from various Bible colleges (such as the Moody Bible Institute in Chicago or the Washington Bible College).
Christian Literature
CJM provides a variety of religious books, tracts, and Scriptures for HCDC inmates without charge.
Poetry Program
The CJM Poetry Program is both an individual activity in which inmates provide poems for review by the Poetry Program leader, an award winning poet, and a group activity in which inmates share and discuss poetry.