Women of Dawson Jail Learn to Govern Themselves    

Fruit of the Spirit - Unity City	Literacy Classes
Literacy Peer Educator and Student	Math Peer Educator and Student

New to Texas HOPE Literacy and the Texas Department of Criminal Justice is the concept of city governance whereby inmates learn to govern themselves while under the auspices of prison governance. Since Dawson is limited in programming space, HOPE was asked to implement the program in a selected dorm. In order to provide quality programming in this type of environment, there needed to be a harmonious structure so that the offenders would take ownership in the HOPE program. Giving inmates autonomy teaches them to co-exist in a community comparable to the free world. They are empowered to:

•   Practice appropriate attitudes and behaviors while incarcerated

•   Plan and think beyond their sentence

•   Learn to be positive leaders and role models

•   Learn to live in "Biblical Covenant Relationships"

•   Problem solve their differences by learning to "disagree without being
     disagreeable"

•   Improve themselves educationally

•   Explore new interests through holistic classes taught by HOPE collaboration.

•   Develop life skills necessary to compete in the home, workplace, community, and church.

In 2004, the first 54 female residents in Dorm 10A held an election to select a name for their city. They voted to name it Unity City. Volunteers, knowledgeable in city government, came to Dawson to help the ladies learn how to campaign to elect their own Mayor, City Council members, and City Manager.

Unity City Philosophy

·        We believe that the Bible is the inspired Word of God that gives us precepts by which to live. 

·        We believe that every person is a valuable human being, and is precious in God’s sight, and therefore must be treated with respect and dignity. 

·        We believe that there is growth in choosing to risk, that risking allows us to grow safely beyond preconceived limitations, and that there is dignity in risk. 

·        We believe that all people deserve the privilege to live in and be a viable part of a faith community program. 

·        We believe that the physical and emotional environment of a faith community program is to be a reflection of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, and that the dignity and worth of its individuals must be nurtured through His Word. 

·        We believe that all people deserve the right to participate in a faith community program, and those who choose this privilege are expected to accept and adhere to God’s precepts as the model by which they will live and direct their lives. 

·        We believe that those who create and cause dissention and disharmony should be given the opportunity to be restored to the faith community program through love, discipline, accountability, and consequence(s), and that those who are unwilling to accept spiritual precepts are to be dismissed from the community immediately.