Inmates, Jail Authorities and Academics

Applaud Peace Education at San Antonio Jail

受刑人、監獄官員與學術界

對聖安東尼歐監獄舉辦和平教育的讚譽

San Antonio, Texas: A Peace Education Program (PEP), based on Prem Rawat’s message of peace and sponsored by The Prem Rawat Foundation (TPRF) , has been one of the most popular classes at the Fabian Dale Dominguez State Jail in San Antonio. Jail authorities have reported a significantly positive impact upon the over 1,000 inmates who have participated in the program since it began in 2007 and a marked reduction in recidivism.

普仁羅華基金會所贊助的「和平教育節目」是基於普仁羅華和平的訊息來舉辦的，這個節目是聖安東尼歐的多明克茲監獄最受歡迎的課程之一。監獄官員報告這個課程對一千多位受刑人有非常正面的影響，這些受刑人自從2007年便參與本課程，因此慣犯就很明顯地減少了。

The success of the program in San Antonio has recently attracted the attention of the Department of Criminal Justice at the University of Texas, San Antonio (UTSA), where particular attention is being given to addressing the problem of repeated re-incarceration of released offenders.

最近這個教育節目的成功，吸引了德州大學聖安東尼歐分校刑事司法系的注意，他們特別談到出獄後的受刑人重覆入獄的問題。

Last week, Prem Rawat spent two days in San Antonio, first speaking to the PEP class at the jail on January 25 and the next day at an event called Peace on the Inside, hosted by the Criminal Justice Department at UTSA. Speaking to the inmates who had written to him of their appreciation of what they had discovered for themselves through the PEP classes, Mr. Rawat said, “Ultimately, you did not give up on yourself. And that’s the only thing that’s going to allow you to transform and rise above like the phoenix from the ashes. Not crumpled or slightly burnt but from the ashes rises the phoenix. Be the phoenix.”

上星期，普仁羅華花了兩天的時間在聖安東尼歐，在1 月25日先對獄中參加「和平教育節目」課程的人談話，隔天26日的節目是由德州大學聖安東尼歐分校刑事司法系所舉辦的，普仁羅華對寫過信給他的受刑人談 話，他說：「你終究沒有放棄你自己，這是唯一能允許你轉變的東西，並像鳳凰從灰燼中復活，不是粉碎，不是燒傷，而是像鳳凰一樣死灰復燃，做一隻鳳凰吧！」

After his talk, Prem Rawat responded to questions and expressions from nine of the inmates.

在演說之後，普仁羅華對9位受刑人的問題與表達做回應。

Prem Rawat was the keynote speaker at the Peace on the Inside event at UTSA for professors, students and representatives of local groups with an interest in criminal justice. Panel member Dr. Michael Gilbert, an expert in the new field of restorative justice, said of the PEP program, “We think something very positive is happening here. Offenders seem to find clarity. They seem to find understanding of themselves and a personal sense of inner peace, all of which may be needed for them to break destructive cycles and behavior patterns that have led them time and time again to jail and prison.”

參加這場演說的人包括德州大學聖安東尼歐分校的教授、學生與當地對刑事司法有興趣的團體代表。在座有位座談小組的成員，修復司法這個新領域的專家紀博特博 士，說：「我們認為有件非常正面的事情在發生，受刑人似乎找到一份清楚，他們似乎找到對自己的明白並感覺個人內在的和平。這似乎就是讓他們打破自毀的惡性 循環與導至重蹈覆轍的行為模式所需要的東西。」

In his address, Prem Rawat spoke of how honored he felt to have been invited by the inmates at Dominguez Jail to speak to them and how moved he was by their comments. Asked by a UTSA student what advice he gave to the inmates, he responded, “Not to forget themselves, because while their liberty might be gone, their humanity nobody can take away from them. They need to make that humanity prosper in their lives, to make sure that it grows.”

在普仁羅華的談話中，他談到感覺多麼地榮幸能被受刑人邀請到多明尼茲監獄，他對於受刑人向他所表達的話深受感動。在座有位德州大學聖安東尼歐分校的學生問他 說：「他對受刑人可有任何建議？」他回答說：「不要忘記自己，因為當他們沒有外在的自由時，並沒有人能拿走他們的人性，他們需要在一生中使自我的人性閃 耀，確保人性的成長。」

At the end of the event, State Representative Joaquin Castro awarded Mr. Rawat with a state resolution and the title of Honorary Mayor of San Antonio in recognition of his work with the Dominguez Jail inmates and his continued work in helping all humanity.

節目之後，州代表卡斯托先生贈送羅華先生獎狀與聖安東尼歐榮譽市長的頭銜，以表揚他為多明克茲監獄的受刑人和所有人類所做的事。

TPRF-sponsored Peace Education Programs are taking place in 25 prisons in 10 countries with over 3,000 inmates participating each month, and there is a growing demand for the program internationally.

在10個國家的25個監獄裡都舉辦了普仁羅華基金會所贊助的「和平教育節目」，每個月大約有3000位受刑人來參加，這是國際間頗受歡迎的節目。

普仁羅華:

感謝你專程來到我們的監獄，自從我首次聽到你的訊息，我的生命從此就做了很大的改變。

傑克 敬上