Founded in São José dos Campos / SP on July 9, 1995, the journalist and lawyer, Mário Ottoboni, of the Brazilian Fraternity of Assistance to the Convict Persons – FBAC, is a non-profit association, under private law, that brings together, guides, provides training and supervises the Associations of Protection and Assistance to the Convict Persons in addition to advising the application of APAC Method in other countries.

FBAC also acts in the mobilization of municipal, state, federal and international institutions, aiming at the opening of new APACs. This articulation takes place with members of organized civil society, Judiciary, Executive and Legislative Branches, Churches, businessmen, authorities and interested in implementing APACs in their respective districts.

As a vision, FBAC seeks through the APACs, to humanize the fulfillment of custodial sentences, offering to the condemned the conditions to recover themselves also, to protect society, to rescue the victims and to promote Restorative Justice.

APAC, Association for the Protection and Assistance of Convicted Persons, in turn, is a civil entity under private law, with its own legal personality, dedicated to the recovery and social reintegration of prisoners to custodial sentences. Born on November 18, 1972, in São José dos Campos (SP), APAC, as well as the FBAC, was also conceived by Dr. Mário Ottoboni and a group of Christian friends, with the aim of alleviating the afflictions experienced by the prison population, family members and the local community.

Composed of 12 fundamental elements, the APAC Method proposes to the prisoner called “recuperando” the opportunity to be co-responsible for its recovery and reintegration into society. In APACs, administered without the participation of the police or prison agents, prisoners themselves hold possession of the keys, and daily activities include work, study, spirituality, human valorization, professional training, mutual help, family integration, and others, making that the methodology presents excellent results. Proof of this, the rate of recidivism, that is, the return to crime, is around 20%, while in the conventional Brazilian system, it is around 85%; and the cost per capita of each prisoner (recuperando) costs only 1/3 to the public coffers compared to the same prisoner in the common prison system. In addition, no rebellions or acts of violence have ever been recorded during its 45 years of existence.

Faced with the greatness and complexity of the work, FBAC and APACs have raised partners as: Court of Justice of Minas Gerais, Maranhão, Paraná, Rio Grande do Norte and Rondônia; State Secretaries of Prison Administration of Minas Gerais, Maranhão, Paraná and Rondônia;  General Attorney of the states listed above; Association of Volunteers for International Service – AVSI Brazil; Minas Pela Paz Institute – IMPP; Prison Fellowship International – PFI; Gruppo Dirigenti FIAT; Isvor; Betania Tanure Associates; Uncle Flávio Cultural; Women’s Group of Brazil; SENAC; among others. 

The main goal of this campaign is to raise the amount of US$200.000,00 , which will be reverted to the construction of the International Center for APAC Method Studies – CIEMA.

This Center will have of great importance in the development of the APAC Method in Brazil and abroad, as it will provide scholars, researchers, volunteers, authorities and society in general with an infrastructure for conducting research, studies and events around the APAC method. There will also be accommodation available for the reception and of national and international visitors who have the desire to deepen in the study and to replicate the Method.

CIEMA will be directly connected to the Center for Justice and Reconciliation of Prison Fellowship International, based in Stuttgart, Germany, and other universities around the world, in order to establish partnerships so that more and more people can learn about the methodology, disseminate it and implement it in their cities.

We would like to count on your valiant collaboration with our campaign because you will certainly be contributing to the rescue and recovery of lives, leading to a safer and more peaceful society for all. Come and join us! Collaborate with us!

With the theme “As long as the person lives, the person can change,” the journey was very exciting and fruitful. It called the attention during the journey the discipline of the recuperandos, attention and active participation in groups. Noteworthy is the dedication of all staff and volunteers.

Throughout the day several groups of various churches were interceding for the recuperandos in the chapel. This ecumenical experience is a great sign of love and forgiveness of God.

FBAC thank the direction of this APAC and make themselves available to contribute whenever necessary. We are together!

The FBAC, through Marcelo and Simone, organized in the brazilian state called Maranhão the Week of family and meeting fot the methodology inspectors. It was very precious moments to improve the knowledgement of APAC’s methodology and sharing experiences. We are together!

Foto: APAC de Caratinga

On 1st April 2016, 54 recuperandos received the Certificate of Completion of The Program The Journey of the Prisoner. FBAC is very pleased with this news and encourages all APACs to make this program a reality for all recuperandos. With God’s grace, the program also will be extended to all prisons in Brazil. We are together!

Fotos: Ubirajara APAC Pirapora

Mr. Mauro is a board member of APAC directory and Mr. Jaime is an architect of the Public Prosecutor of the RS.

The purpose of the visit was to know better the methodology as well as the standard architectural design for APAC Reintegration Center (CRS) Building, as they will start the CRS construction of the Canoas APAC.

Mr. Mauro said to the recuperandos of the Closed Regime of Itaúna´s APAC Itauna: “In Rio Grande do Sul we have one of the largest prison of Brazil and the presence of many factions. We want very much to build the CRS APAC and start getting recuperandos in it. This will be the first APAC without police. I believe in APAC and the recovery of the human being. Certainly doors will open for many other APACs in RS.”

FBAC is very happy with this visit and make themselves available to help in whatever will be needed. We are together!

It is not dificult to imagine the joy of the angel announcing this wonder for women desperate for the death of the Savior, Jesus Christ. Given the uncertainty about the future, about God and about life itself, a simple sentence opened new horizons: “He is alive.”

Many times, the APAC receives men and women buried in the tomb of addiction, drugs, disillusionment, crime and hopelessness. They are dead, although alive.

And God takes them in His hands, changes them, helps them and frees them from their graves, to become new men and women, raised without the smell of the tomb rot.

And you, recupernado, volunteer, employee or partner becomes the angel who will give the great news for desperate people: parents, children, wives and husbands. You simply says: “He / she is recovered”.

At this precise moment the resurrection of Christ is renewed and the fallen tears show the kindness and love of God and the certainty: “APAC is the Work of God.”

FBAC wishes everyone a Holy and Happy Easter!

Was arranged the surveying of the land, the transfer object, so that, with the support of the Public Ministry architecture industry, we can make progress in the design and drafting of agreements with a view to obtaining funds for construction.

It took place an audience with Dr Marcelo Dorneles, Attorney General of Justice of the Public ministry of RS and other authorities like Mrs. Marli Ane Stock. Dr. Gilberto Schäfer and Dr. Vera Deboni, enabling us to deepen our relations and prospects for partnerships.  

For the next few days, meeting with canoense community will be carried out in order to inform the local community about the project. The meeting will take place on 22/03 and will be attended by Dr. White Bernardi, Law Judge of the District of the city of Barracão, that is localized in the Brasilian state called Paraná, who will share about their specience of APAC´s implementation.

FBAC received this news with great joy and make themselves available to contribute to the building of this new APAC. We are together!