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In Ministry to the Incarcerated, Dr. Henry G. Covert uses his experience as both police officer and prison chaplain to examine the problems of the incarcerated - people who are often misunderstood and forgotten. Dr. Covert addresses specific areas of inmate stress, such as low self-esteem, guilt, and unrealistic expectations, and explains how these can be major obstacles to a prisoner's personal and spiritual development. According to Dr. Covert, many inmates truly desire to change. The presence of the church can be their strongest form of encouragement and support. He gives examples of biblical themes that can promote healing and regeneration among prisoners, drawing specifically on the teachings of Jesus. He calls for staff education, environmental improvement, and a pastoral presence to enable our prisons to become sites of rehabilitation, rather than places of punishment.
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