Servant Forge

In November 2004, The ICPC Board of Directors welcomed the US-based Servant Forge as a new member organization. 

Servant Forge is a newly formed non-profit organization based in Washington, DC USA. Established in August 2004, Servant Forge through its programs and efforts, focuses on developing in the various service professions such as law enforcement, education, social service, public health, and faith-based professions an attitude of servant hood that encourages actions that strengthen the individual’s search for freedom and belonging. 

Servant Forge Fellows and participants promote and encourage open and free exchange of ideas that enhance one’s personal and social development.  In order to promote personal and social development in the broader culture it is essential that service professionals acknowledge and promote five principles or liberties.  These liberties and rights apply in all settings and within all cultures.  The following five rights/liberties are the foundation of Servant Forge:

1. The right to live in a world free of crime and victimization.
2. The right to worship without terror or coercion, according to conscience and tradition.
3. The liberty to study, learn and inquire and the liberty to write and speak from the honesty and purity of one’s own heart and beliefs
4. The liberty from poverty and from want .
5. The liberty from torture, tyranny, and arbitrary autocratic government, so that all the human,  civil, and political rights of citizens are respected everywhere in the world.

The Servant Forge programs and initiatives work to promote these liberties and rights by encouraging the service professional to embrace an attitude of service in the work environments that support citizen involvement in law enforcement, education, worship, government, and in supporting the general welfare of our neighbors.  Servant Forge activities and training promote the value of service through servant hood in all spheres and domains of life.  Servant hood is operationalized through the five principles outlined above. 

Some of the project activities planned in relation to the prevention of crime and victimization include: 

1) Train law enforcement officials, community leaders, and crime prevention specialists in strategies to prevent crime and reduce victimization in local communities and at both the national and international levels. 
• Conduct training and community development and coalition building
• Assist organizations and communities in problem identification and problem analysis
• Work with individuals and organizations in building partnerships around crime prevention and victimization
• Partner with other NGOs who have an interest in crime reduction and reducing victimization in the world community for the purpose of sharing information, expertise and knowledge

2)  Policy development in the international community to examine current policies and practices to sustain and enhance crime prevention practices.
• Conducting seminars and collaborating with other like-minded organizations for the purpose of examining best practices and working at replication in the world community

For more information on these activities, and/or activities  planned in relation to the other principles of Servant Forge, contact:

Steven W. Edwards, Ph.D. at sedwards@sai-dc.com or 202-359-5124.