It's Changed What I'm Living For
A study of transformation and human flourishing through theological education in prison.
This book draws on a multi-year evaluation of prison-based theological education, integrating data, interviews, and lived experience to explore how lives change—even within the constraints of incarceration.
What the Book is About
It’s Changed What I’m Living For brings together research and narrative to examine how theological education shapes identity, relationships, and purpose among incarcerated men and women.
Drawing on both qualitative and quantitative data, the book offers a detailed account of transformation in a context where change is often overlooked.
Why This Work Matters
Conversations about prison often focus on punishment or reform. This work shifts attention to what is already happening inside—where education, community, and faith contribute to measurable and meaningful change.
It offers a different way of understanding impact: one that takes seriously the possibility of human flourishing, even in the most constrained environments.
What You'll Find in the Book
- Findings from a multi-year evaluation
- First-person narratives of transformation
- Insights into identity, purpose, and relationships
- A framework for understanding human flourishing in prison
About the Research
This book is based on a mixed-methods study involving surveys and in-depth interviews with incarcerated individuals participating in seminary-level theological education programs across multiple states.
The research integrates statistical findings with narrative accounts to provide a fuller picture of how change takes shape over time.
ABOUT ROBIN
PRESIDENT, LABARBERA RESEARCH & EVALUATION
Robin LaBarbera is an independent evaluator specializing in human flourishing, with over two decades of experience in program evaluation across complex social contexts.
