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Christian Worldview
LeAndra N. Jackson
Liberty University
CJUS 400: Criminal Law
Judge Scott Naus
June 25, 2025
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Christian Worldview
In my opinion, criminal law serves its purpose in society by prohibiting criminal conduct
and protecting the vulnerable and the innocent. The laws and statutes criminal law set, keep
people within each community safe from dangerous criminals and it fosters a thriving society by
punishing those who commit crimes. The laws within criminal law are made to influence the
decisions of others and encourage them to make morally correct choices (Gardner & Anderson,
2018, p. 2). This is something that should not be changed and should remain the purpose and
goal for criminal law as the Bible highlights the importance of deterring crime by making the
consequences of breaking the law clear and severe in Ecclesiastes 8:11. In this verse, it states,”
When the sentence for a crime is not quickly carried out, people’s hearts are filled with schemes
to do wrong” (New International Bible, 1978/2011, Ecclesiastes 8:11). This verse shows that
people will not learn from their crimes unless a consequence is quickly carried out. For example,
a sexual offender may feel encouraged to repeat their actions if the consequence of their crime is
delayed. A slow legal response to the sexual offenders’ actions will cause them to lack fear of
punishment. In Proverbs 31:9, the Bible also shows that criminal law should serve its purpose
and goal of protecting the innocent, as it states, “Speak up and judge fairly;>defend the rights of
the poor and needy” (New International Bible, 1978/2011, Proverbs 31:9). Criminal law has
successfully aligned with biblical principles on upholding justice, fairness, and facing the
consequences of wrongdoing and it should continuously be enforced.
I believe restorative justice should play a complementary and transformative role in the
criminal justice system. According to Steve Kirkwood, in his article A practice framework for
restorative justice, restorative justice is a value-based approach to justice that solely focuses on
repairing the harm caused by crime and other wrongdoings (Kirkwood, 2022, para. 1). He
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emphasizes that restorative justice is supposed to focus on the principles of accountability,
inclusion, dialogue, and healing thus addressing the needs of the victims, offenders, and the
community. This approach would enhance victim satisfaction by giving them a part in the justice
process when they are able to express their needs and feelings and it will heal the social impact
of crime within communities by encouraging a culture of support and accountability. Going
beyond punishing criminals for the crimes they commit, restorative justice can complement
criminal justice by offering solutions through community restoration programs and mediation
programs for the victim and the offender.
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References
Gardner, T. J., & Anderson, T. M. (2018).>Criminal law>(13th ed.).>Cengage Learning.
https://ng.cengage.com/static/nb/ui/evo/index.html?
deploymentId=5680542456081257383138347567&eISBN=9781305966413&id=246745
3692&snapshotId=4648202&
Kirkwood, S. (2022). A practice framework for restorative justice. Aggression and Violent
Behavior., 63. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.avb.2021.101688
New International Bible. (2011). The NIV Bible.>https://www.thenivbible.com > (Original work
published 1978)
Discussion post 300-500 words. Have 1 scholarly citation from the last 5 years and 1 scripture
quote. Reply 150-250 words.
Hello Matthew,
Great job! I agree that the primary goal of criminal law should be to protect citizens from
individuals who intend to harm them and to punish those who have caused harm to others. I also
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agree that the criminal justice system should create a rehabilitation program for people who have
committed crimes so they can reintegrate into society after being separated from the world for
more than three years. Helping them reestablish themselves, I believe would act as a prevention
method in showing them life outside of crime and encourage the offenders to pursue a better life.
It is sad to think about this, but most criminals would rather stay in jail because they do not know
how to live outside of the confinement of a prison. When it comes to restorative justice, I believe
that it should complement and transform the criminal justice system. As you mentioned,
restorative justice should not require every victim to come face-to-face with their offender for
several reasons; however, it can be beneficial if it is done by willing victims who want to
participate in the justice process. According to Steve Kirkwood, restorative justice is a value-
based approach to justice that solely focuses on repairing the harm caused by crime and other
wrongdoings (Kirkwood, 2022, para. 1). Restorative justice is not just for the victims, but for the
affected communities as well. What role do you think community organizations could play in
implementing restorative justice programs?
Hello Lindsey,
Great job on your discussion post! I agree that criminal law should protect the rights of
individuals and hold offenders accountable when those rights are violated. Unfortunately, I have
also seen where offenders are exempt from liability. This is where I believe that the criminal
justice system should be a lot stricter with criminal laws to ensure growth, healing, and
transformation within communities. For example, in certain neighborhoods, drugs are sold
openly, harming the community while offenders receive minimal consequences or inadequate
prison sentences. As you mentioned, many rehabilitation programs lack accountability and real
influence, further preserving these issues. According to Steve Kirkwood, restorative justice is a
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value-based approach to justice that solely focuses on repairing the harm caused by crime and
other wrongdoings (Kirkwood, 2022, para. 1). He emphasizes that restorative justice is supposed
to focus on the principles of accountability, inclusion, dialogue, and healing thus addressing the
needs of the victims, offenders, and the community. Implementing programs that are grounded in
these principles could transform communities by creating meaningful changes for the victims
and the offenders.
What steps would you take to ensure these principles are implemented and that restorative justice
programs meet their goals of transformation and healing?
