Bridges To Life connects communities to prisons through a powerful 14-week program that reduces recidivism, brings healing to crime victims, and transforms lives on both sides of the bars.
In 1993, John Sage's sister Marilyn was murdered. From that unspeakable loss, John discovered that healing could flow from an unexpected place: honest conversation between crime victims and the people who had caused such harm.
In 1998, he founded Bridges To Life. Starting with 41 graduates in a single Texas prison, the program has now transformed more than 93,000 lives. Our mission is to connect communities to prisons — reducing the recidivism rate, decreasing the number of crime victims, and making every community safer.
Our Full Story"Bridges To Life has helped me change the way I view crime and how it affects the victims. Because of the testimony of the victims who visited my unit, I will never be the same."
— BTL Graduate, 12 years incarceratedOur faith-based model centers on responsibility, repentance, and restitution — giving participants the tools to genuinely change and make amends.
Over 14 consecutive weeks, volunteer facilitators and crime victim speakers guide small diverse groups of incarcerated men and women through a proven curriculum.
Weekly 2-hour sessions using the Restoring Peace book and Study Guide. Participants and volunteers do the same homework each week, building real shared understanding.
Crime victim volunteers share their personal stories directly with participants. This firsthand testimony is the heart of BTL — sparking genuine empathy and accountability.
Participants explore concepts from confession to restitution in diverse small groups. Volunteers report higher levels of fulfillment and hope in their own lives, too.
Independent research confirms what our graduates already know: BTL changes lives.
5-year average program cost: just $208 per graduate.