Latest and Upcoming Research

Affiliated Faculty and Research Fellows

Fulfilling the center’s requirement for high-caliber research and recognizing the inherent value of global learning and collaboration, faculty and research fellows from universities around the world will be invited to participate in the center’s research projects. Listed below are some of the center’s principal investigators.

Luisa Blanco, PhD, Professor of Public Policy, Pepperdine University School of Public Policy
Ken Canfield, Founder, National Center for Fathering
Dyron Daughrity, PhD, Professor of Religion, Religion and Philosophy Division, Pepperdine University Seaver College
Grant Duwe, PhD, Director of Research and Evaluation, Minnesota Department of Corrections
Cristina Gibson, PhD, Dean's Distinguished Professor of Management, Pepperdine University Graziadio Business School
Michael Hallett, PhD, Professor, Department of Criminology & Criminal Justice, University of North Florida
Michael Helfand, PhD, JD, Vice Dean for Faculty and Research, Brenden Mann Foundation Chair in Law and Religion, Co-Director Nootbaar Institute on Law, Religion and Ethics, Pepperdine University Caruso School of Law
Sung Joon Jang, PhD, Research Professor of Criminology and co-director of the Program on Prosocial Behavior, Distinguished Senior Fellow, Family & Adolescent Delinquency, Baylor University
Andrew Johnson, PhD, Associate Professor, School of Law Enforcement and Criminal Justice, Metropolitan State University in St. Paul Minnesota
Carol Lusk, Executive Doctor of Business Administration Program student, Pepperdine University Graziadio Business School
Elizabeth Mancuso, PhD, Professor of Psychology, Social Science Division, Pepperdine University Seaver College
Eric Rassbach, JD, Director Hugh and Hazel Darling Religious Liberty Clinic, Visiting Professor, Pepperdine University Caruso School of Law
Brian Swarts, Director, Washington D.C. Program, International Programs, Seaver College
Knox Thames, Senior Fellow, Caruso School of Law, School of Public Policy, Pepperdine University; Director, Program on Global Faith and Inclusive Societies, Templeton Religion Trust

Research Projects

Research conducted at the center will explore outcomes related to prison incarceration and other social and behavioral services. The center, which merges Pepperdine's faith-centered mission and its commitment to rigorous academic pursuits, seeks to examine critical questions to ultimately impact the common good and society at large.

Matthew 25 Project: Safeguarding Religious Freedom in US Prisons: A Multisite Evaluation of Prison Seminaries

Hard Pressed, but Not Crushed: Spiritual Practice Inside of Prison

The Importance of Religious Faith for Correctional Leaders and People in Prison

Publications

The Impact of Bible Use on Human Flourishing Among U.S. Military Members"

Johnson, B.R., & Jang, S.J. (2024). The impact of bible use on human flourishing among U.S. Military members. Open Access Government, (January 2025), 226-227. https://doi.org/10.56367/OAG-045-11562

"Capitalizing on Religious Pluralism in U.S. Prison Ministry: Lessons from LSP Angola’s Inmate Seminary"

Hallett, M., & Johnson, B.R. (2024). Capitalizing on Religious Pluralism in U.S. Prison Ministry: Lessons from LSP Angola’s Inmate Seminary. Religions, 15(10), 1220. https://doi.org/10.3390/rel15101220

"Transforming Prison Rehabilitation with Inmate-led Religious Movements"

Johnson, B.R. (2024, September 24). Transforming Prison Rehabilitation with Inmate-led Religious Movements. Scientia. https://doi.org/10.33548/SCIENTIA1094

"Religiosity, transcendent accountability, and civic engagement"

Jang, S.J. (2024). Religiosity, transcendent accountability, and civic engagement. Open Access Government, (July 2024), 238-239. https://doi.org/10.56367/OAG-043-11562

"Can religious programs change prison environments? Pepperdine studies Parchman for answers"

Beveridge, L. (2024). Can religious programs change prison environments? Pepperdine studies Parchman for answers. Clarion Ledger. https://www.clarionledger.com/story/news/local/2024/04/21/pepperdine-studies-parchman-faith-based-programs/73259135007.

"Religion and accountability for restorative offender rehabilitation"

Jang, S.J. (2024). Religion and accountability for restorative offender rehabilitation. Open Access Government, (April 2024), 342-343. https://doi.org/10.56367/OAG-042-10816.

"Assessing the role of religion in restorative justice approaches to crime"

Johnson, B.R., & Jang, S.J. (2024). Assessing the role of religion in restorative justice approaches to crime [eBook edition]. Open Access Government. https://edition.pagesuite-professional.co.uk/html5/reader/production/default.aspx?pubname=&edid=09e9d37a-4ec6-4a9a-bafb-57cebf8f402c.

"Offender-led religious movements: Why we should have faith in prisoner-led reform"

Johnson, B.R., & Jang, S.J. (2024). Offender-led religious movements: Why we should have faith in prisoner-led reform. Open Access Government, (January 2024), 326-327. https://doi.org/10.56367/OAG-041-11349.

"What Do Correctional Leaders Think About Faith-Based Programs? Results From a National Survey"

Duwe, G., Johnson, B. R., & Hallett, M. (2023). What Do Correctional Leaders Think About Faith-Based Programs? Results From a National Survey. The Prison Journal, 103(6), 707-727. https://doi.org/10.1177/00328855231208001

"Beyond a single story: The hetrogeneity of human flourishing in 22 countries"

Case, B., Counted, V., Ritchie-Dunham, J., Cowden, R., Gibson, C. Koga, H., Lomas, T., & Padgett, N. (2023). Beyond a single story: The hetrogeneity of human flourishing in 22 countries. International Journal of Wellbeing, 13(4), 3555, 1-35. https://doi.org/10.5502/ijw.v13i4.3555

"The relevance of human flourishing to offender rehabilitation"

Jang, S.J., & Johnson, B.R. (2023). The relevance of human flourishing to offender rehabilitation. Open Access Government, (October 2023), 352-353. https://doi.org/10.56367/OAG-040-10816.

"Religion promotes prisoner well-being"

Jang, S.J., & Johnson, B.R. (2023, November 10). Religion promotes prisoner well-being. Open Access Government. https://www.openaccessgovernment.org/religion-promotes-prisoner-well-being/169880.

"Virtuous effects of religion on negative emotions among offenders in a Colombian prison"

Jang, S.J., & Johnson, B.R., & Anderson, M.L. (2023). Virtuous effects of religion on negative emotions among offenders in a Colombian prison. Journal of Crime and Justice, 47(2), 280-298. https://doi.org/10.1080/0735648X.2023.2249439

The Spirituality of Carceral Citizenship: "Making Your Test Your Testimony"

Video Abstract in Symbolic Interaction

Hallett, M. (2023). The Spirituality of Carceral Citizenship: “Making Your Test Your Testimony”. Symbolic Interaction, 46(4), 473-494. https://doi.org/10.1002/symb.669

"A new strategy for failing prisons: hiring former inmates"

Hallett, M. (2023, August 14). A new strategy for failing prisons: hiring former inmates. America Magazine. https://www.americamagazine.org/politics-society/2023/08/14/prison-ministry-rehabilitation-education-mississippi-245738.

"Why correctional agencies should consider the religion of the incarcerated in the effectiveness of their programs"

Duwe, G, & Johnson, B.R. (2023, May 25). Why correctional agencies should consider the religion of the incarcerated in the effectiveness of their programs. The London School of Economics and Political Science. https://blogs.lse.ac.uk/usappblog/2023/05/25/why-correctional-agencies-should-consider-the-religion-of-the-incarcerated-in-the-effectiveness-of-their-programs.

"New Insights for 'What Works'? Religiosity and the Risk-Needs-Responsivity Model"

Duwe, G., & Johnson, B. R. (2023). New Insights for “What Works”? Religiosity and the Risk-Needs-Responsivity Model. Crime & Delinquency. https://doi.org/10.1177/00111287231160736

"Religion and Rehabilitation in Colombian and South African Prisons: A Human Flourishing Approach"

Jang, S. J., Johnson, B. R., Anderson, M. L., & Booyens, K. (2023). Religion and Rehabilitation in Colombian and South African Prisons: A Human Flourishing Approach. International Criminal Justice Review, 33(3), 225-252. https://doi.org/10.1177/10575677221123249

Press Releases

Events

Why Should Our Leaders Care About Human Flourishing?

Faith and Law | 15 December 2023 | Washington, D.C.

As a leader of the largest ever global study on human flourishing (results due in 2024), Dr. Byron Johnson (Pepperdine/Baylor) will help us understand why a "focus on flourishing" is important for all policymakers whatever their political party.

In conversation with Pepperdine School of Public Policy Dean Pete Peterson, Johnson will go beyond the theoretical to reveal what the latest data are telling us about the importance of faith in promoting healthy societies, and how policy decisions can either inhibit or promote human flourishing.

Human Flourishing and Justice: Offender Rehabilitation and Restorative Prisons

Pepperdine University | 26 October 2023 | Malibu, CA

Watch the Symposium now, or learn more on PFI's event page.

This first-of-its-kind, multiyear study in Colombia’s prison system measures the efficacy of international prison programs in offender rehabilitation, recidivism reduction, and general correctional reform. Led by Pepperdine University and Prison Fellowship International (PFI), in partnership with the National Penitentiary and Prison Institute of Colombia (INPEC) and Prison Fellowship Colombia (PFC), the research study partnership findings will be applied to identify best practices that drive meaningful change in the lives of prisoners and their families around the world. This unique endeavor will also position the Colombian government as a global leader in restorative programs.

Panelists:

Jim Gash, President, Pepperdine University and co-executive director of the Center for Faith and the Common Good
Andy Corley, president and CEO of Prison Fellowship International
Byron Johnson, co-executive director of the Center for Faith and the Common Good
Sung Joon Jang, visiting scholar at the School of Public Policy and research professor of criminology and co-director of the Program on Prosocial Behavior at Baylor University
Lorena Ríos Cuéllar, member of the Senate of Colombia
Lieutenant Colonel Daniel Fernando Gutiérrez Rojas, general director of INPEC
Lácides Hernández, executive director of Prison Fellowship Colombia
Cameron McCollum (JD ’17), director of the Pepperdine Caruso School of Law Sudreau Global Justice Institute and administrative director of the Center for Faith and the Common Good

The Impact of Faith on Human Flourishing and the Common Good: A Conversation with Byron Johnson

Pepperdine University | 10 March 2022 | Malibu, CA

Byron Johnson, Distinguished Professor of the Social Sciences at Baylor University, led the second installment of the President’s Speaker Series with a discussion on the impact of faith on human flourishing and the potential for religion to facilitate and contribute to the common good of all humanity.

Watch now