Christian and the Problem of Crime - What We Can Do About It (From Crime and Punishment in Modern America, P 259-272, 1986, Patrick B McGuigan and Jon S Pascale, eds. - See NCJ-103913)

• NCJ Number: 103927
• Author(s): D W Van Ness
• Date Published: 1986
• Length: 14 pages
• Sale Source: Free Congress Research and Education Foundation
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

Incarceration and a number of crime-related issues are discussed within a biblical framework, and the Old Testament alternative of restitution is supported.

Abstract

In America, imprisonment has come to be synonymous with punishment. However, an examination of the major rationales for imprisonment -- incapacitation, deterrence, rehabilitation, and punishment -indicates that these goals often are not met by the workings of the current criminal justice system. In the Old Testament, punishment was equated with justice and involved restitution. Restitution, by providing a more certain form of punishment, can have greater deterrent value. Its emphasis on personal responsibility can serve rehabilitative goals. Further, it provides a means of ensuring victim's rights, while also reducing prison overcrowding. It is urged that Christians take action in this matter. Reform of the current situation requires that Christians get the facts, know the arguments for reform, talk to others, and work with others for specific change. 29 notes and references.