One of the great joys of working at the Rescue Mission is welcoming men and women from jail (or those facing potential incarceration) into the New Life Program. Over the past few decades, the criminal justice system has increasingly offered individuals struggling with addiction opportunities to avoid jail or prison by entering recovery programs like the Mission’s New Life Program.

While our program is unapologetically faith-based, judges, legal defenders, prosecutors, and probation/parole officers sometimes include us as an alternative to incarceration. If someone is open to trying a faith-based program, they might choose us from the available options.

I’m proud of the success of our program and grateful that the justice system and individuals struggling with addiction are willing to give our team the opportunity to help. By my last calculation, we save Utah taxpayers approximately $1.2 million annually in costs that would otherwise be incurred by people in jail or in the criminal justice system as opposed to on our New Life Program.

While it’s encouraging to help incarcerated individuals find new life and save taxpayer dollars, this also means that our New Life Program is at full capacity. Right now, there are five individuals in jail, waiting for a spot to open in our program. When space becomes available, those on the waiting list can meet court or parole requirements and be released to join us.

Those coming to us from jail are indigent and at times either do not qualify for or cannot get into a fee-based program. We work hard to maximize the space in our New Life Program and balance the number of people who are coming to us from incarceration diversion programs with our commitment to helping people off our streets. The sad fact is many people are released from jail directly onto our streets and become homeless.

Your support helps us provide as much space as possible in the New Life Program and enables a high-quality program that works. It’s this quality that allows judges, legal defenders, prosecutors, and parole/probation officers to trust that we can help incarcerated individuals find a new life.

Please consider giving to our ministry this February. As we’re currently at full capacity, we are constantly exploring creative solutions to help as many people as we can, and we need your support today to continue this vital work. Thank you for your continued gifts and prayers as we strive to save taxpayer dollars while introducing those struggling with incarceration and addiction to the love of Jesus and a new life in Him.

God Bless,

Chris D. Croswhite

Executive Director