Helping Prison Inmates make better Decisions
Thresholds of Chester County (Thresholds) is a non-profit organization that teaches decision making skills to interested inmates by developing and maintaining a group of volunteers. Through this program, Thresholds builds a constructive relationship between the Chester County Prison, Chester County Youth Center and the community.
Thresholds is a non-profit organization that teaches a six-step decision-making program to interested inmates in the Chester County Prison located in Pocopson, Pennsylvania. Through the use of a workbook, trained volunteers from the community teach inmates, or “clients,” how to define their situation, set goals, evaluate numerous possibilities for reaching their goals, and how to make use of techniques to stay focused until their goals are achieved
Thresholds is based on the belief that the image a person holds of him/herself in relation to society strongly influences his/her actions. By learning to problem solve and make better decisions, a person can raise their self-esteem. For the client, this enables him or her to be a more productive individual upon returning to the community.
Thresholds has been in existence in Chester County for over 30 years. The program was developed by Milton Burglass, himself a former inmate, who now holds graduate degrees in medicine, ministry, psychology and public health. Dr. Burglass is a living example of an individual who was able to transform the quality of his life through the decisions he made.
The Thresholds program is available to: • Eligible and interested men and women incarcerated in the Chester County Prison; • Eligible and interested women incarcerated at the Correctional Center; and • Eligible and interested youth incarcerated at the Youth Detention Center.