The United States makes up just 5% of the world's population yet accounts for 25% of the world's prisoners. In fact, the U.S. has the highest incarceration rate in the world - about 716 out of every 100,000 residents - higher than Russia, Iran, or Rwanda. The majority of this growth in the country's prison system has come about in the last 40 years, giving rise to the term 'mass incarceration.' The Rev. Ryan Grace, senior pastor at Maize Manor United Methodist Church, and his wife, Mariellyn Grace, a Global Ministries missionary in the West Ohio Conference, have spent the last year and a half researching the history of mass incarceration and the criminal justice system. When the shooting of Michael Brown took place in Ferguson, MO, a year ago, they traveled to Ferguson to witness first-hand how the criminal justice system affects local communities and relationships with law enforcement. A documentary entitled, "One Day in Ferguson," chronicles the journey they took into the system of mass incarceration and what they learned along the way. A showing of the documentary will take place
Monday, August 31, at 6:30 pm at Maize Manor UMC, 3901 Maize Rd., Columbus. A panel discussion will follow the showing, with opportunities for questions and conversation. Panel participants include Dr. Townsand Price-Spratlen, Professor of Sociology at OSU; Tim Young, Director of the Ohio Public Defenders Office; Ed Rhine, long-time Ohio Department of Rehabilitation & Corrections employee, now a professor at OSU; Harris Tay, Director of Diversity for the West Ohio Conference; and Dee Stickley-Miner, Director of Connectional Ministries for the West Ohio Conference. For more information, email
mgrace@wocumc.org.