How the Knights Program Can Positively Impact Men in Prison

No one begins their life saying: “Someday, I want to end up in prison.” Yet despite this, our prisons are filled and overflowing with males who have failed to achieve their potential. The culture continues to struggle with this waste of human potential as the cost of housing males – who do little to contribute to their stay – escalates. No one enters the prison as an act of manhood, despite what one’s distorted self-image or thought processes may claim. The immature options of alcohol abuse, drug addiction, sexual obsession, domestic violence, physical domination, not providing for one’s children, gang membership, and theft are not in keeping with what a man has been called to be. Our present communities have failed to point the way in relevant education and in principled leadership, as they no longer provide a safety net to catch the young males, without a man’s influence, who are spiraling out of control and making numerous wrong choices. Our prisons are filled with immature males, not men.

The Knights of the 21^st Century study materials attempt to change this depressing picture by providing a male the option to achieve manhood instead of just pretending to be one. It presents the male with a high view of what is expected of a man and attempts to get the male to find a reason to believe in his calling for self-value and nobility of action. This material portrays the belief that there is an underlying inner voice within all males that points the way toward manhood, and the male is taught how to hear his voice and to accept the manhood changes that are required of him. The material challenges the male to take responsibility and develop a new choice pattern so that he can optimistically define his future. It accurately helps him understand his previous life experience and teaches him inner skills so that he no longer has to view himself as a victim within it. In other words, this program mentors males into manhood.