Prison Fellowship

Remember Those in Prison

  • DONATE
    • One-Time
    • Monthly
    • Angel Tree
    • Other Ways to Give
  • GET INVOLVED
    • Volunteer
    • Subscribe
    • Angel Tree Christmas
    • Pray With Us
    • Justice Action Center
    • Share on Social
  • STORIES
    • Stories
    • Blog
    • Videos
    • The Restoration Series [Videos]
  • WHAT WE DO
    • Why Help Prisoners?
    • What We Do
    • In-Prison
      • Prison Fellowship Academy
      • In-Prison Programs
      • Hope Events
      • Inside Journal
      • Women’s Ministry
      • Create: New Beginnings
    • Preparing Prisoners for Reentry
    • Angel Tree
      • Register your church or group for Angel Tree
      • Angel Tree Overall
      • Angel Tree Christmas
      • Angel Tree Camping
      • Angel Tree Sports Clinic
    • Justice Reform
      • Second Chance Month
      • Sign the Justice Declaration
      • Get a Copy of Outrageous Justice
    • Warden Exchange
  • RESOURCES
    • Subscribe to Our Email
    • Support for Friends and Family of Prisoners
      • Coping with Incarceration
      • Resources for Prisoners
      • Resources for Children of Prisoners
      • Supporting Successful Prisoner Reentry
    • Resources for Churches and Volunteers
      • In-Prison Ministry
      • Reentry Ministry
      • Family Ministry
      • Justice Reform
      • Mentoring Ministry
    • Resources for Angel Tree® Church Coordinators
    • Resources for Chaplains
    • Resources for D.O.C.
    • Justice Reform Resources
    • For Media Outlets
  • ABOUT US
    • Leadership
    • Chuck Colson
    • Our Beliefs
    • Financials
      • 2020 Annual Report
    • Employment
    • Contact Us
    • In The News

Values & Capitalism: The American Criminal Justice System Needs Reform

March 31, 2017 by Emily Harris Greene

Heather Rice-Minus, director of government affairs at Prison Fellowship®, joined Values & Capitalism's Meredith Schultz to discuss the core principles of restorative criminal justice reform and how Christians should act to advance it. Justice reform is a bipartisan issue in which the Church needs to be a partner and leader. 

A BIPARTISAN EFFORT

"As a result of our over-criminalization of America, [we all] have been touched by this issue in some way," Rice-Minus explains. "Budget crunches across the states have forced legislators to [question], 'Are we really getting a return on investment for the people we incarcerate? Are these sentences not only disproportionate but ineffective?'"

In the end, America's criminal justice reform is a bipartisan effort. "We're really here for the same reasons," Rice-Minus says. "We may express them differently, but we have a shared value of seeing people restored."

WHAT DOES JUSTICE REFORM LOOK LIKE?

Justice reform supports accountability. "It's not a matter of whether we should punish for criminal acts, but how do we do that?" says Rice-Minus.

The goal of justice that restores is to validate victims and hold accountable those responsible for crime, while giving opportunities for those responsible to earn back the public's trust and be able to re-integrate within society. 

HOW CAN THE CHURCH ENGAGE?

In addition to the work that Prison Fellowship does with prisoners and their families—preparing prisoners for reentry, teaching Bible-based life-skills classes, servings as mentors, and more—we also want to encourage the Church to play a leading role in serving the victims of crime.

"Nowadays there are resources available to victims through the government, but sometimes that doesn't cut it," Rice-Minus explains. "It's important for us as the Church to be on the alert for people who share with us that they have been a victim of crime, and be on the alert for people who might not be ready to say that they're a victim."

Jesus' Parable of the Good Samaritan should be our model, Rice-Minus adds. "We need to be there just like the Good Samaritan for [victims'] physical needs, their financial needs; and we need to be there for their emotional needs. One of the most important things we can do for victims is to validate their experiences. Tell them this is not okay that this happened to you."

BE ENGAGED

Why help prisoners? Because no one is beyond hope and redemption. At Prison Fellowship, we believe that every life has value and dignity.

For more than 40 years, Prison Fellowship has been going into correctional facilities, sharing the Good News of Jesus Christ with those behind bars, and offering the hope of true transformation. Through the use of Bible-based programming, and with the help of thousands of committed volunteers, the cycle of crime is being broken and replaced with a cycle of renewal.  Will you join us?


ABOUT VALUES & CAPITALISM

Values & Capitalism is part of the American Enterprise Institute. Their goal is to engage Christian higher education to advance a moral case for free enterprise and cultivate an understanding of the conditions necessary for human flourishing.

OTHER STORIES YOU MIGHT LIKE

PRISON FELLOWSHIP: PRESIDENT TRUMP, DECLARE APRIL SECOND CHANCE MONTH
People—created in the image of God, with purpose and potential—can be restored.

OUTRAGEOUS LAWS AND JUSTICE: COLLATERAL CONSEQUENCES IN AMERICA
Do we want people with criminal records to find legitimate means to support themselves? And if so, should we make it nearly impossible for them?

Filed Under: Advocacy & Reentry, Prison Fellowship News & Updates Tagged With: Heather Rice-Minus, Justice Reform, Meredith Schultz, Values and Capitalism

SELECT A TOPIC

  • Advocacy & Reentry
  • Angel Tree
  • Angel Tree® Stories
  • Families of Prisoners
  • Feature Stories
  • From the CEO
  • In-Prison Stories
  • Inside Journal
  • Press Releases
  • Prison & Prisoners
  • Prison Fellowship Academy
  • Prison Fellowship International
  • Prison Fellowship News & Updates
  • Reentry
  • Second Chance Stories
  • Stories
  • Uncategorized
  • Warden Exchange

MOST POPULAR

The Power of a Prisoner’s Prayer

February 24, 2021

Prison Fellowship Reacts to the Passing of John Baker

February 23, 2021

Update on Prison Fellowship and COVID-19

February 19, 2021

LATEST VIDEOS

WATCH ALL VIDEOS

RESOURCES & INFORMATION

  • For Families & Friends of Prisoners
  • For Churches & Angel Tree Volunteers
  • For Media Outlets
  • For Wardens & Prison Officials

PF®

NEW ON OUR BLOG

  • Alliance Defending Freedom to Purchase Lansdowne, VA Headquarters of Prison Fellowship
  • Virtual Reporters Roundtable to Focus on Crack/Powder Cocaine Disparities on Tuesday
  • A Desperate Prayer: How Teresa Stanfield Broke Free from Addiction
  • #EndTheDisparity Virtual Reporters Roundtable Scheduled Following Lobby Week

FIND US ONLINE

FACEBOOK
TWITTER
INSTAGRAM
YOUTUBE
LINKEDIN

RECEIVE UPDATES

Sign up to receive news, stories, and information based on your needs and interests.

SUBSCRIBE TODAY

PFM®

  • CONTACT US
  • EMPLOYMENT
  • PRIVACY
  • FINANCIALS
© 2021 PRISON FELLOWSHIP®

Angel Tree®, Angel Tree Camping®, and Warden Exchange® are programs of Prison Fellowship®.