Global Perspectives on Redemption

Recently, I had the privilege of sitting down with Tom Horton from His Majesty’s Prison and Probation Service in England and Wales. Tom is spending several weeks in the United States on a Churchill Fellowship, exploring how corrections, probation, and youth justice intersect with community involvement. His travels have already taken him to Japan to study community corrections, and now he’s here in Minnesota to learn more about how we build incarceration-to-community connections.

Our conversation was both inspiring and affirming. Tom shared his experiences working in the U.K. and spoke candidly about the challenges of creating safer neighborhoods through community development approaches. Listening to him, I was reminded that the barriers we face in reentry, building trust, fostering accountability, and ensuring people have consistent community support, are not unique to us. They are global challenges.

At The Redemption Project, we often talk about “The Power of Partnership.” That mantra came alive as Tom and I compared notes on how different cultures and systems are addressing the same core issue: people can only truly succeed in reentry when they are supported by strong, healthy community relationships. Whether in Japan, England, or Minnesota, the solution lies in partnership, between correctional systems, local organizations, and everyday people who believe in second chances.

What struck me most about our time together was Tom’s eagerness not only to learn but also to share. He emphasized that while systems may differ, the heart of reentry is universal: giving individuals purpose, belonging, and a path forward. It was an honor to be part of his journey and to see how our work here in Minnesota connects to a much larger, global conversation about redemption and restoration.

Encounters like these remind me that The Redemption Project is not just a local initiative, it’s part of a worldwide movement. And as we continue to walk alongside our Associates, I am encouraged to know that leaders across the globe are working toward the same vision: stronger communities where every individual has the opportunity to thrive.

Thanks,

Dwight