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Discussionf Boardf 3
Historically,f criminalf activityf hasf beenf viewedf asf anf expressionf off af sinfulf naturef andf
thef accountabilityf forf thosef actionsf fellf onf thosef individualsf becausef off thef choicesf
theyf havef made.f However,f studiesf overf thef lastf centuryf havef shownf thatf inf somef
cases,f suchf asf mentalf illness,f thef personf isf notf necessarilyf responsible.f Robertsonf
McQuilkinf states,f “Thef endf resultf off thef generalf acceptancef off thisf approachf wasf tof
distinguishf betweenf criminalsf whof weref normalf andf thusf responsiblef forf theirf crimef
andf thosef whof weref abnormalf andf neededf treatment,f notf punishment.”[1]f However,f
inf lightf off thef Unitedf States'f battlef withf illegalf drugf use,f thef punishmentf doesf notf
alwaysf seemf tof fitf thef crime.
f f f f f f f f f f f f Anf increasingf numberf off thef countryf usesf orf hasf triedf anf illegalf substance.f Inf
2013,f itf wasf reportedf thatf “24.6f millionf Americansf 12f orf olderf (9.4%f off thef
population)f hadf usedf anf illicitf drugf inf thef pastf month.”[2]f Whilef illegalf drugf usef
normallyf beginsf withf peerf pressuref orf curiosity,f thef effectsf off thef drugf canf bef
addictingf leadingf tof thef userf experiencingf difficultiesf stoppingf thef usage.f Inf mostf
cases,f thef purposef off punishmentf forf illegalf drugf usef isf tof bef af deterrent,f McQuilkinf
proclaims,f “iff suref andf swiftf punishmentf isf thef greatestf deterrent,f ourf presentf
systemf canf hardlyf bef expectedf tof deter.”[3]f Yet,f whilef thef focusf off thef battlef shouldf
bef onf thosef providingf thef illegalf drugs,f thosef incarceratedf forf itsf usef withoutf properf
avenuesf forf treatmentf dof notf seemf tof fitf thef rehabilitationf purposef off punishment.f
Thef reason,f McQuilkinf explains,f isf thatf “mostf Westernf governmentsf havef
abandonedf suchf efforts.”[4]f Thoughf fewf incarceratedf personsf sufferingf fromf drugf
addictions,f thef NIDAf states,f “Initiatingf drugf abusef treatmentf inf prisonf andf continuingf
itf uponf releasef isf vitalf tof bothf individualf recoveryf andf tof publicf healthf andf safety.”[5]f
However,f rehabilitationf inf thef casef off illegalf drugf usef shouldf bef thef firstf responsef off
thef legalf systemf withf thef goalf tof providef af pathf forf thef personf tof bef af contributorf tof
society.f Becausef oncef labeledf asf af criminal,f thef chancesf off thatf aref slim.f Michellf
Alexanderf agrees,f “Evenf whenf releasedf fromf thef system’sf formalf control,f thef stigmaf
off criminalityf lingers.”[6]f Therefore,f thef Christianf responsef shouldf bef tof advocatef forf
suchf responses,f especiallyf forf firstf orf secondf offenses,f inf lieuf off incarceration.
f f f f f f f f f f f f Thoughf thef Christianf shouldf advocatef forf rehabilitationf priorf tof incarceration,f
Christiansf stillf havef af responsibilityf inf participatingf inf thef rehabilitationf processf
whilef incarceratedf throughf sharingf Christ.f McQuilkinf agrees,f “thef churchf andf
individualf Christiansf mustf dof allf withinf theirf powerf tof promotef thef onef thingf thatf canf
rehabilitate—regeneration.”[7]f Likef Prisonf Fellowshipf mentionedf byf McQuilkin,f If havef
servedf withf thef Kairosf Prisonf Ministryf creatingf friendships,f sharingf thef gospel,f andf
thef forgivenessf thatf isf foundf throughf Jesusf Christ.f Itf isf af powerfulf ministryf thatf hasf
notf onlyf impactedf thosef incarceratedf forf illegalf drugsf butf thosef whof havef
committedf moref heinousf crimesf suchf asf rapef andf murder.f If disagreef withf thef
authorf whenf hef states,f “Tof sayf ‘youf can’tf legislatef morality’f isf false.”[8]f Someonef
oncef said,f “Thef reasonf wef havef thousandsf off pagesf off lawsf todayf isf thatf humanityf
couldf notf followf 10.”f Itf isf thef powerf off af changedf heartf throughf Jesusf Christf andf thef
workf off thef Holyf Spiritf thatf uncoversf thef moralityf off God’sf image-bearer.f Asf af result,f
whilef manyf off thesef menf mayf neverf seef thef otherf sidef off thef fence,f theirf
rehabilitatedf lifef providesf themf anf opportunityf tof contributef tof thef causef off Christf
whilef inside.f Therefore,f whilef thef Christianf responsef includesf thef desiref forf justicef
andf thef protectionf off thef innocent,f thef churchf andf thef individualf Christianf mustf seekf
outf thef lostf sheep,f goingf tof wheref theyf are.
f
f f f f f f f f f f f f f f f [1]f Robertf McQuilkinf andf Paulf Copan,f
Anf Introductionf tof Biblicalf Ethics:f
Walkingf inf thef Wayf off Wisdom,f
(Downersf Grove:f IVPf Academic,f 2013),f 429.
f f f f f f f f f f f f f f f [2]f SAf Contentf Team,f Illegalf Drugf Abuse:f Whatf isf Illegalf Drugf Abuse?,”f
Substancef Abuse,f
Janf 22,f 2020.f https://www.substanceabuse.com/drug-
addiction/illegal-drugs/f (Linksf tof anf externalf site.)f Accessedf Aprilf 29,f 2021.
f f f f f f f f f f f f f f f [3]f McQuilkin,f
Anf Introduction,f
432.
f f f f f f f f f f f f f f f [4]f Ibid.
f f f f f f f f f f f f f f f [5]f NIDA.f "Whatf rolef canf thef criminalf justicef systemf playf inf addressingf drugf
addiction?."f
Nationalf Institutef onf Drugf Abuse
,f Junef 3,f 2020,f
https://www.drugabuse.gov/publications/principles-drug-addiction-treatment-
research-based-guide-third-edition/frequently-asked-questions/what-role-can-
criminal-justice-system-play-in-addressingf Accessedf Apr.f 29,f 2021.
f f f f f f f f f f f f f f f [6]f Michellef Alexander,f
Thef Newf Jimf Crow:f Massf Incarcerationf inf thef Agef off
Colorblindness
,f (Thef Newf Press,f 2012),f 141.
f f f f f f f f f f f f f [7]f McQuilkin,f
Anf Introduction,f
441.
f f f f f f f f f f f f f [8]f Ibid.,
f
431.
f f f f f f f f f f f f f f f f f f f f f f f f f f f f f f f f f f f f f f f f f f f f f f f f f f f f f f f f f f f f f f f f f f f f f f f f f f f f f f f f f f f f f f f f f f f f f f f f f f f f f f f f f f f f f f f f f f f f f f f f f f f f f f f f f f f f f f f f f
f f f f f f f f f f f f f f f f f f f f f f f f f f f f f f f f f f f f f f f f f f f f f f f f f f f f f f f f f f f f f f f f f f f f f f f f f f f f f f f f f f f f f f f f f f f f f f f f f f f f f f f f f f f f f f f f f f f f f f f f f f f f f f f f f f f f f f f f f f f f f
Bibliography
Michellef Alexander,f
Thef Newf Jimf Crow:f Massf Incarcerationf inf thef Agef off
Colorblindness
,f Thef Newf Press,f 2012,
McQuilkin,f Robert,f andf Paulf Copan.f
Anf Introductionf tof Biblicalf Ethics:f Walkingf inf thef
Wayf off Wisdom.f
Downersf Grove:f IVPf Academic,f 2013.
NIDA.f "Whatf rolef canf thef criminalf justicef systemf playf inf addressingf drugf addiction?."f
Nationalf Institutef onf Drugf Abuse
,f Junef 3,f 2020.f
https://www.drugabuse.gov/publications/principles-drug-addiction-treatment-
research-based-guide-third-edition/frequently-asked-questions/what-role-can-
criminal-justice-system-play-in-addressingf Accessedf Apr.f 29,f 2021.
SAf Contentf Team,f “Illegalf Drugf Abuse:f Whatf isf Illegalf Drugf Abuse?,”f
Substancef
Abuse,f
Janf 22,f 2020.f https://www.substanceabuse.com/drug-addiction/illegal-
drugs/f (Linksf tof anf externalf site.)f Accessedf Aprilf 29,f 2021.f f f f f f
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