You deserve a great big thank-you for restoring hope, rebuilding lives, and changing futures for multiple generations through spiritual growth, re-entry education, healing, and re-entry support.
The Impact We Make Together
“Programs that address criminogenic needs such as housing, employment, addiction, education, cognitive behavior, and social support consistently show the strongest outcomes in reducing recidivism and improving reintegration.”
— Council of State Governments Justice Center, 2025
The Foundation of Change and Transformation
One of the most important factors in reducing recidivism is specialized re-entry education that is relevant to individuals who are justice-involved. Effective re-entry education must do more than teach students what needs to change; it must also provide practical tools and instruction on how to change.
At SHIELD Ministries, our Cognitive Learning Program is integrated throughout the entire program. It serves as the foundation for lasting change, personal and spiritual growth, and transformation.
But education is only one part of the re-entry journey. Other contributing factors, known as criminogenic needs, can increase the risk of recidivism when left unmet. This includes anti-social behavior which is defined as criminal thinking, criminal behavior, and relationships or attitudes that support unlawful or harmful behavior — not being shy or unsocial.
SHIELD is one of the few programs intentionally designed to help students address all criminogenic needs through direct services and collaboration with community and government service providers.
Our belief and God-given calling is to provide comprehensive services that create the greatest possible impact in the lives of our students, their families, and the community.
Recidivism
“Recidivism reduction is one of the most important measures of successful reentry and public safety. Programs that address education, employment, cognitive behavior, and life skills significantly improve outcomes for individuals returning to the community.”
— National Institute of Justice
Understanding Recidivism
Recidivism refers to a person returning to criminal behavior after release from incarceration, often measured by re-arrest, reconviction, or reincarceration. Because there is no single national standard for calculating recidivism, rates can vary depending on the method used. Even so, recidivism remains one of the primary ways re-entry programs measure long-term success and positive life change.
How SHIELD Ministries Calculates Recividism
SHIELD Ministries measures recidivism based on re-arrests following a 3-year release period. While this methodology may overstate actual criminal reoffending because arrests do not necessarily result in convictions, it provides an important indicator of behavioral patterns, decision-making, and lifestyle changes.
Consideration must also be given to students enrolled in the SHIELD Ministries Prison Intervention Program who enter directly from county jails rather than state prisons. Many of these students have not yet been sentenced to a state correctional institution due to bond release, pending court decisions, or court-ordered placement into the SHIELD Ministries program. As a result, traditional “return to prison” measurements may not fully capture the impact and success of the program on this population.
We believe this approach offers meaningful insight into whether students are developing healthier mindsets, improving self-control, and making positive life choices that support long-term transformation and successful community reintegration. Read more on how SHIELD Ministries calculates recidivism data
South Carolina Recidivism Data
South Carolina currently reports one of the lowest recidivism rates in the nation (19.8%). Recent state and corrections data indicate South Carolina’s three-year recidivism rate for males was last reported in 2022 as being 20.5%. State leaders have attributed these improvements to expanded education, employment training, rehabilitation programming, housing assistance, and re-entry support services for formerly incarcerated individuals.
Recividism Rates
Program Graduates
1.6%
3-year Recividism Rate
Probation violation arrest not resulting in return to prison
34 Graduates completed between 5 and 8 classes in the program with the average being 7 classes and have spent and average of 1,427 days in the program. The classes for this group included Understanding Your Mind, Healing for Damaged Emotions, Healing of Memories, Think, Learn, Succeed, Work Ready, Career Ready, Celebrate Recovery and Finanical Management. All students participated in His Way Ministry mentor support group.
Data shows that re-entry education focusing on learning how to think to create healthy, growth mindsets which take time to develop, engagement and length of time in the program has the greatest impact on recividism.
Non-Graduates
18%
3-year Recividism Rate
New arrests
Minimum enrollment of 30 days with a minimum of 2 classes completed, average of 3 classes completed, with the majority completing workforce and career development and financial management classes.
The data highlights the importance of cognitive learning programming, as graduates who completed the program demonstrated a significantly lower recidivism rate of 1% who had completed cognitive learning classes compared to the 18% rate among participants with limited class completion and engagement in work and career related classes only.
“Programs that provide life skills, career readiness, and cognitive restructuring significantly improve reentry outcomes and public safety.”
— Bureau of Justice Assistance
SHIELD Ministries Recidivism Report and Program Analysis
SHIELD Ministries continues to demonstrate strong recidivism reduction outcomes among students enrolled in 2022, particularly for graduates completing five or more classes.
Overall Program Impact
Key Findings
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Students completing five or more classes demonstrated exceptionally low recidivism outcomes.
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Increased class participation and longer program retention were associated with improved post-release stability.
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Graduates averaged significantly higher educational engagement (Average # of Completed Classes: 7) compared to non-graduates (Average # of Completed Classes: 3).
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The progression in outcomes strongly supports SHIELD Ministries’ educational and cognitive intervention model as an effective reentry strategy.
Conclusion
The 2022 SHIELD Ministries cohort demonstrates a clear relationship between educational completion, sustained engagement, and reduced recidivism. Graduates who fully participated in the program showed dramatically lower recidivism rates than students with shorter engagement periods. These findings reinforce the importance of structured cognitive education, accountability, and consistent program participation in promoting successful community reintegration.
Re-entry Education
Certificates Earned
“Programs that provide life skills, career readiness, and cognitive restructuring significantly improve reentry outcomes and public safety.” — Bureau of Justice Assistance
Post-Release Services
Crisis Stablization Program
“Meeting basic needs such as housing, food, employment, and supportive services is critical to successful reentry because individuals who lack stability are at significantly higher risk of recidivism.” The National Reentry Resource Center notes that effective reentry programs must address these foundational needs to improve public safety and long-term outcomes for formerly incarcerated individuals."
— Office of Justice Programs / National Reentry Resource Center (ojp.gov)
Application Referrals
55%
22%
10%
13%
from state and federal law enforcement agencies
from public defenders, state and federal government agencies
from other non-profits
website and word of mouth
Post-Release Services
Work/Career Ready Services
“The best way to reduce recidivism is to provide individuals with hope, opportunity, education, and a pathway to meaningful employment.”
— Council of State Governments Justice Center
ESTIMATED 2025 ECONOMIC IMPACT
$2,105,142
Annual prison savings for students enrolled in the program
$1,045,989
Student Earned Income during enrollment
$ 610,625
Student Income who successfully exited program
$ 3,761,756
$ 574,873
Program Spending back into the economy
$ 4,390,890
ESTIMATED 2025 PROGRAM IMPACT
1,558.2%
Return on Investment based on Public Donations