PARCHMAN – Two years into a continuing research study at the Mississippi State Penitentiary at Parchman, a new film offers a glimpse into the early transformation and cultural changes observed so far. The film premiered at the Museum of the Bible in Washington, D.C.

The significant role the seminary program plays in reshaping prison culture is the primary focus of “Faith and Flourishing: Parchman Farm,” which was shown on September 30. The film was shared with the Mississippi Corrections and Criminal Justice Oversight Task Force.

The study, led by Pepperdine University President Jim Gash and Dr. Byron Johnson, a distinguished researcher in criminal justice at Baylor University, examines the impact of voluntary participation in the prison seminary on rehabilitation and prosocial behavior

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