Incarcerated women are, for the most part, ill equipped to successfully cope with mainstream life. A substantial number are victims of poverty, abuse, and/or neglect. Most are perpetrators of victimless crimes committed to support drug/alcohol habits acquired as a result of having inadequate coping mechanisms. They are often caught in a cycle of addiction and failure. This cycle is difficult to break but a growing amount of research has shown it can be interrupted and the likelihood of recidivism reduced via a woman’s participation in spiritually- based programs. The programs provide an opportunity for incarcerated women to draw strength from themselves and their spiritual beliefs, connect with their communities and learn how to make responsible choices.
In the spring of 2002, the Reverend Laurie Etter, a Connecticut prison chaplain for more than 30 years, invited a group of women with extensive experience (over 200 years among them!) working in the criminal justice system to meet and exchange ideas for enhancing the lives of incarcerated women in Connecticut. During this gathering of women of different faiths, careers, ideas for programs to promote spiritual growth, emotional and physical wellness were proposed and A Sacred Place was created to consolidate and implement them. It was incorporated as a nonprofit organization in April of 2003.
