Rewriting Lives with Scriptures: Faith Journeys and Life Reorientation of Persons Deprived of Liberty (PDLs) in Dasmariñas City Jail, Cavite
Keywords:
Community reintegration, Faith-based programs, Institution, Moral transformation, Religious copingAbstract
This study examined how faith-based programs in Dasmariñas City Jail, Cavite contribute to life reorientation, identity reconstruction, community reintegration, and reduced recidivism among Persons Deprived of Liberty (PDLs), guided by Pargament’s Religious Coping Theory. Addressing the limited local research on the lived experiences of PDLs in Philippine city jails, the study used a qualitative narrative design involving nine PDLs actively participating in faith-based programs. Data were gathered through a validated researcher-made interview guide and analyzed using thematic coding, with expert validation to strengthen rigor and limit bias. Four themes emerged: active sacred engagement for personal and spiritual growth; collaboration between institutions and service providers; rediscovery of life purpose and moral transformation; and spiritually guided pathways to community reintegration. Findings showed that spiritual involvement provided emotional grounding, stabilizing structure, moral guidance, and renewed personal responsibility. Institutional support, organized religious activities, and volunteer facilitation further strengthened participants’ transformation. The study affirms the role of faith-based initiatives as a complementary component of correctional reform by supporting rehabilitation, family reconnection, and societal reintegration. Its findings may guide correctional institutions and service providers in improving program implementation and sustaining support for PDLs’ long-term positive behavioral change.
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