Pat Nolan
Pat Nolan is President of Justice Fellowship, the criminal justice reform division of Prison Fellowship Ministries. Justice Fellowship works to reform the criminal justice system based on the principles of restorative justice found in the Bible. They work with government officials to find practical ways to apply restorative justice to help victims, reform the hearts of offenders and restore a sense of community to neighborhoods long plagued by crime. A major focus of Justice Fellowship's efforts is on insuring that offenders are better prepared to live healthy, productive, law abiding lives on their release.
Pat brings a unique background to Justice Fellowship. He served for 15 years in the California State Assembly, four of those as the Assembly Republican Leader. He was a leader on crime issues, particularly on behalf of victims' rights. Pat was one of the original sponsors of the Victims' Bill of Rights (Proposition 15) and was awarded the "Victims Advocate Award" by Parents of Murdered Children. He was named Legislator of the Year by many groups including the Amvets for his work on behalf of Vietnam veterans.
Pat was targeted for prosecution for a campaign contribution he accepted. The contribution turned out to be part of an FBI sting. He pleaded guilty to one count of racketeering. He served 29 months in a federal custody.
Before entering prison a friend of Pat's told him that "for centuries Christians have left their day-to-day world, humbled themselves, done menial labor, prayed and studied their faith. We call that a monastery. View this time as your monastic experience." Pat credits this friend with helping him enter prison in a frame of mind which allowed him to put the time to good use. Pat says he drew great comfort from the story of Joseph in Genesis. "Man intended it for evil, but God intended it for good."
Pat is the author of When Prisoners Return, which describes the important role the Church can play in helping prisoners get back on their feet after they are released. His opinion pieces have appeared in numerous periodicals including the Los Angeles Times, the National Law Journal and the Washington Times. He has coauthored articles for the Notre Dame Law School Journal of Law, Ethics and Public Policy and the Regent Law School Law Review. He is a frequent guest on talk shows, including Hannity and Colmes, Fox Network News, Michael Reagan, Montel Williams and Ollie North.
Pat is a much sought after speaker on issues of justice and faith. He was selected by Governor Geringer of Wyoming to be the speaker at his annual prayer breakfast in 2002, and has testified on several occasions before Congressional committees on prison work programs, juvenile justice and religious freedom. He has also lectured at judicial conferences and legal conventions.
Pat serves on the nine-member U.S. Prison Rape Elimination Commission, appointed by the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Dennis Hastert. Justice Fellowship worked very hard to pass the legislation which established the commission. Pat also serves on the National Commission on Safety and Abuse in America's Prisons, co-chaired by former Attorney General Nicholas Katzenbach and former Chief Judge of the Third Circuit Court of Appeals, John Gibbons.
Pat is the sixth of nine children, and was born and raised in Southern California. He earned both his Bachelor of Arts in Political Science and his Juris Doctorate at the University of Southern California. He also rode as Tommy Trojan, USC's mascot in the 1974 Rose Parade. Pat and his wife, Gail, have three children: Courtney, 17; Katie, 16 and Jamie, 12. The Nolans live in Leesburg, Virginia and are members of the St. John the Apostle Parish.