From time to time I come across a news item in one of my journals that stops me in my tracks. A recent paragraph in the Christian Century is in that category. It quoted law professor and author Michelle Alexander whose research shows that there are more African American men in prison today than there were enslaved in 1850, before the Civil War. There are harsh prison terms in many states as part of the war on drugs, which is focussed in poorer communities. These men of colour have trouble finding work and housing upon their release, and 70 percent return to prison within two years.
We know that there were many Christians who spoke and worked for an end to slavery in the United States, including those who were part of the Quaker movement. And we are aware of the Civil Rights movement in the 1960's which found much of its strength in churches. Yet is would seem that these freedoms have not translated into equality of opportunity. I wonder what the role of religion is in the States today to bring about a new order? Here in Canada statistics tell us that there are a disproportionate number of aboriginal people in our jails and prisons, our own legacy of subjugation. When I worked in Kingston Pen as a student chaplain my eyes were opened to this disparity.
I really don't have much to say about this -- I just thought I would bring it to your attention. Any thoughts or comments?
6 comments:
Many thoughts on this subject. Have been involved with the justice system for years. We are doing so much damage to people with our system, yet it is considered one of the better in the world(wait till Harper ruins it with his new crime laws). I in 3 black American males ends up in jail at one time in their life. I in 4 native males in Canada end up in jail.
The right wing born again Christians in the States have done a lot of damage to their system, they hold a lot of power and have a great deal of money(scary bunch). I will stop as I tend to get carried away with this issue.
It is an unfortunate fact that our "justice" system seems to pick on the least fortunate in our society. It is proof that mandatory minimum sentances do not work and restorative justice programs do. It also shows how punishing for crimes that do not deserve harah punishments is putting nom violent offenders in the best incubator for crime known to man.
Our high proportion of aboriginal inmates is definitely problematic, and there is no easy answer.
I recall working in an isolated reserve in northern Sask. and having to bring back an inmate who had been sent to the federal pen. to face additional charges on an unrelated incident.
Before proceedings in court commenced, I asked him how things were for him. His answer surprised me. He said he enjoyed getting three meals a day, recreation time, and most of all, privacy.
When he was in the community, he was in a small, badly damaged house with about 20 others. He was surrounded by drunkeness and fighting.
I often wondered how I would have turned out if I had been born and raised there.
Something needs to be done - but like I said, I don't think there are easy or quick answers.
I recently read some commentary by Bill Cosby pertaining to meetings he'd held with Robert Kennedy back in 1968 as part of a larger task force on race/poverty issues in the US during the Johnson administration.
He pointed out (and still does today) that part of the problem outside of the system and its flaws is the ingrained cultural impact that prison, drugs and gang violence holds over pockets of the African American population. For many, it's all they've ever known.
Imagine how difficult it must be combating the way someone was brought up; the way possible generations of their family were brought up.
Daunting stuff.
No quick fix for sure. We are talking about a problem that will take generations to fix.
Like Johnny says, How would any of us have turned out growing up in such a harsh reality.
There is something to be said for Nuture over Nature, but if there is no Nuture, Nature will prevail.
Thank you for these responses. I agree with all of them. There are no easy solutions, to be sure. The challenge when the penal and correctional systems are not "front and centre" for most of us is to be informed and realize that injustice exists in our supposed justice.
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