Topic: Christian Responsibility for Criminal Justice
The Christian response to criminal justice has to be fair and
balanced. Even for the most disturbing crimes sometimes rehabilitation
should be the focus. Many states still make use of the death penalty for
murder, yet God chose rehabilitation and punishment for Cain concerning
the murder of his brother Able. Many other Christian characters in the
Bible were spared the death penalty for murder including King David. The
death penalty is not immoral by biblical standards because God supports
its use when absolutely necessary, however, rehabilitation appears to be
the main goal if possible. “Capital punishment cannot be inherently
immoral because God mandates this for universal application (Gen 9:6).
On the other hand, God himself did not insist on it, either for the first
murderer, Cain, or for the most prominent, David.”[1]0The four main goals
of the Christian response to justice are rehabilitation, punishment,
protection of the innocent, and deterrence. Again the key focus is on
rehabilitating the person that committed the injustice if possible.
00000000000 The punishment needs to fit the crime to be considered fair and
balanced. One such example is America’s war on drugs, rehabilitation is
almost nonexistent when lending aid to those that commit a crime that is
widely considered as unimportant when compared to other more vicious
crimes, provided no one was harmed in the act. Michelle Alexander
believes crime law reform and rehabilitation are the keys to making
headway in America’s war on drugs. “We've got to find a way to do both,
we've got to work for the abolition of the system of mass incarceration
and the war on drugs while providing desperately needed aid, love,
support, health care services, mental health support to people who are
struggling to survive in the era of mass incarceration.”[2]0Church
involvement in rehabilitation efforts in prison show to benefit those
incarcerated for a multitude of crimes. Many efforts have been made to
keep religious organizations out of actual state-sponsored rehab
programs, mainly due to religious bias due to the separation of church
and state, however, church-sponsored rehab organizations like Alcoholics
Anonymous have proven results. “The overall and ultimately important
consensus reached in the literature is that prisoners who actively engage
in religious activities and/or consider themselves religious are likely to
derive significant benefits both while incarcerated and post-
release.”[3]0These positive results occur while offenders are in prison and
once they are released. Many of these church-based programs start with
the concept of forgiveness and build the offender's confidence in who they
are in Christ and give them hope for the future.
00000000000 In the case of minor drug possession offenses, it appears a church
rehab program that is state-approved would be a better course of action
than incarceration. Churches with Christian counseling programs should
be the first choice in assisting those that have been arrested for minor
drug offenses. Christian counseling programs have been successful in
aiding failing marriages as well as those that suffer from addictions like
drugs and alcohol. Many of these offenders end up as victims of sex
crimes and other abuses, further stripping their dignity and self-worth that
has already suffered the stigma of being called a felon. Crimes, where
there is no victim, should not turn the offender into a victim during
incarceration. “Strong movement has emerged toward decriminalizing
“victimless” crimes—crimes in which there is no complainant. These
include drug use, drunkenness, gambling, vagrancy, prostitution, and
pornography.”[4]0In James 5:16 (ESV), part of rehabilitation is confessing
sins and praying for healing. Ezekiel 36:26 makes another strong case for
Christian rehabilitation as it testifies the repentant person will be given a
new heart and spirit to replace the old self, this passage also echoes 2
Corinthians 5:17 concerning repentance leading to a new creation.
Addressing any criminal behavior starts with addressing the root cause,
sin. The only answer for the forgiveness and defeat of sin is the saving
grace of Jesus Christ. True repentance and rehabilitation depend on a
heart change that can only take place with the guidance of the Holy Spirit.
It is for these reasons rehabilitation efforts that include Christian programs
have a higher rate of success. Every effort should be made to aid the
rehabilitation and restoration of nonviolent criminals and the evidence
supports the use of Christian rehabilitation programs for positive
outcomes after the offense.
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Bibliography
Akunesiobike, Chibueze Adindu, M.Sc. "The Role of Religious Groups in
Offender Reformation: A Study of the Port Harcourt Prison in Rivers State,
Nigeria."0The Journal of Pan African Studies (Online) 9, no. 10, 2016: 108-
21, http://ezproxy.liberty.edu.
McQuilkin, Robertson.0An Introduction to Biblical Ethics: Walking in the
Way of Wisdom.0Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 2014.
Stopford, Annie and Llewellyn Smith. "Mass Incarceration and the “new
Jim Crow”: An Interview with Michelle Alexander. "0Psychoanalysis, Culture
& Society 19, no. 4, 2014: 379-391.
Unless otherwise noted all Scripture references are taken from the ESV
Bible.0n.d.
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[1]0Robertson McQuilkin.0An Introduction to Biblical Ethics: Walking in the
Way of Wisdom..Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 2014, 440.
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[2]0Annie Stopford, and Llewellyn Smith. "Mass Incarceration and the “new
Jim Crow”: An Interview with Michelle Alexander. "0Psychoanalysis, Culture
& Society 19, no. 4, 2014: 379-391.
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