While in prison his faith matured, and when he came out he founded the organisation Christian Prison Fellowship, which ministers to prisoners world-wide. In an article in Christianity Today he tells of visiting a prison in Brazil called Humaita. Twenty years ago this prison, in the city of Sao Jose dos Campos, was turned over to two Christian laymen. Every prisoner is assigned an inmate to whom he is accountable. In addition, every prisoner is assigned a volunteer family from the outside that works with him during his term and after his release.
Every prisoner joins a chapel programme, or else takes a course in character development.
Wherever I walked I saw men at peace. I saw clean living areas, people working industriously. The walls were decorated with biblical sayings from Psalms and Proverbs. Humaita has an astonishing record. I saw the answer when my guide escorted me to the notorious punishment cell once used for torture.