About

Bridges To Life (BTL) was founded in 1998 by Houstonian John Sage after the brutal murder of his sister, Marilyn, in 1993. Based on the principles of restorative justice, and with the help of courageous victim volunteers, BTL reduces crime in the community by lowering the recidivism rate of the offenders who complete the 14-week program. BTL accomplishes its goal of empowering victims and rehabilitating inmates by showing offenders the impact that their actions have had, not only on their families, but also on the families of the victims, their friends, and the community at large.  

The mission of BTL is to connect communities to reduce the recidivism rate (particularly that resulting from violent crimes), reduce the number of crime victims, and enhance public safety.

More than 25,500 offenders have graduated from the BTL program with the help of over 1,600 volunteers. Recent statistics indicate that there is a direct correlation between the successful graduation from BTL and a lower rate of recidivism. These statistics, verbal and written testimonials from offenders and community stakeholders, and other research projects exhibit proof that the program is accomplishing it's goal to change the lives of inmates who participate. The impact of BTL on improved inmate behavior inside the prisons has prompted wardens, chaplains, and prison officers to request and implement the BTL program in their prisons.