Over two-thirds of the men Turner and his team work with had absent fathers themselves. During these times they follow a curriculum and read a discussion guide designed by NFI for the program. All group leaders are incarcerated peers who have been trained to lead the discussions. Men are required not only to do homework but also to read books on parenting. They start understanding how better to relate to their kids, and when they are transitioning out of prison Long Distance Dads starts preparing them for the challenges of being a dad in the real world.
Most participants report better relationships with their children.
Cards and letters start arriving, and many times dads see their kids for the first time in years. One inmate at Albion confessed that this program made him see for the first time the need to obey the law. It is not a magic bullet, but it is a start. A man is who he is until his heart begins to change. A recent study reports that even television makes it hard for men to be good fathers.