“Remember those in prison as if you were there fellow prisoners” from Hebrews 13:3 may at first blush seem to encourage us to minister to our brothers and sisters in Christ who are jailed for their faith. Certainly we are to do what we can for our spiritual siblings and remember them in prayer, responsibly using our rights as citizens, and marshalling resources and allies (especially for those imprisoned by anti-Christian regimes). That is appropriate and our sense of decency and empathy for the underdog is sparked and inflamed.
     But what about the guilty so-and-sos? You know the despicable sorts I mean. The ones who deserve to be behind bars. The ones whose evil is unmentionable and perhaps even deserving of death. The ones imprisoned beyond the pale of our good taste and decorum. The Bible never makes light of sins and in fact used Christ's corrupt trial and capital punishment on an excruciating instrument of torture to redeem the world. Without minimizing the catastrophic effects of evil or suggesting criminals should evade the consequences of their actions, God does not desire the death even of the wicked, but seriously, sincerely, eagerly wants all people to repent and come to the knowledge of the truth.
     If you cannot enter a prison yourself (and not everyone can) pray for those in prison and for Christian chaplains and deaconesses and lay people who are able to reach out. Pray for the Word of God to move mightily among the men and women behind bars who are sharing God's Word. Pray for their families and for the newly converted who are often sorely tested by unbelieving prisoners and perhaps even by guards to see if their conversion is real. Remember that we all stand guilty of breaking God Law in thought, word, and deed, actions, and inaction and without a heavenly pardon graciously offered for  Christ's sake, we would all be imprisoned in hell eternally.