The Prisoner's Pledge

The following pledge is adopted by prisoners who recognize the responsibility they share for past behaviors that have harmed their victims, families and communities.

  1. I _____________________________________________ hereby pledge to dedicate a portion of every day while serving my sentence and after my release to diligently strive to improve myself spiritually, intellectually, politically and socially so that I will no longer participate in any lifestyle that makes me an agent of destruction in my community. I will not make any excuses for my behavior, recognizing that there is no justification for harming innocent people in any way, regardless of the things that happen in my life.
  2. I will continue to educate myself about the impacts of my actions on the victims, my family and the community. I will take seriously my responsibility to repair the harms that I have caused and to be in search of practical and symbolic ways in which to do so.
  3. I will make it my duty to become fully aware of the impact that drugs and other criminal activity have on the overall deterioration of the quality of life in my community. And, I hereby pledge to join the ranks of those that work to improve the familial and communal conditions of my society.
  4. I pledge whenever possible to write letters to my family members (and significant others), religious affiliates, individuals who have been impacted by my actions, and the City Council of my community, apologizing for my past behavior. I am seeking their forgiveness and asking for another chance to prove my love and dedication to my community. As a symbolic gesture, I will write a letter to my victim taking responsibility for my crime, even though I am not permitted to send the letter.
  5. I pledge to encourage my friends and associates to change their thinking and behavior as an effort towards improving the quality of life in the community, and to begin a genuine healing process. I promise to never allow peer pressure or popular opinion to deter me from the mission of convincing my associates that the welfare of the community is in the best interests of us all.
  6. I pledge that beginning today I will strive with those who value the community as I do, and figure out a way and means to support growth and progress in our communities. I will especially strive to assist the youth find a path unlike the one that I traveled.
  7. I pledge to do the following as a way of demonstrating a commitment to my responsibility for my actions and improving the quality of life:



    8. I pledge to recite my pledges (made above) to myself each day of my incarceration, and after my release, as a constant reminder of my duties and responsibilities to work diligently on improving the quality of life in my community.

I hereby state on the honor of my word that I will forever remain a part of the solution, and will never again live my life as part of the problem.

Signature: ____________________________________________________

Date: _________________________

Community Participant Witness: ____________________________________________________

Witness: ____________________________________________________