NCJ Number
100929
Date Published
Unknown
Length
106 pages
Annotation
This report to the Presbyterian Synod of the Northeast advocates alternatives to incarceration and community corrections alternatives to incarceration and community corrections and suggests ways for Presbyterian constituencies to support the implementation of such policies.
Abstract
After discussing the failure of imprisonment and punitiveness to reduce crime, the report reviews the history of the religious community's involvement in criminal justice issues and the rationale for religious groups' commitment to addressing such issues. An explanation of the dilution and misuse of alternatives to incarceration precedes a proposal for a new model of alternatives to prison. The new model includes a moratorium on new prison construction, diversion or decarceration programs, release programs, and the development of a caring community that provides both victim and offender services, as well as a commitment to reducing criminogenic social conditions. Suggestions for citizen or church action toward these ends include information gathering; court watching; and support for programs that emphasize community service, weekend sentences, diversion, and crime prevention. Sample programs are summarized, and a directory lists the names, addresses, and phone numbers of organizations that can assist citizen groups in mounting reform programs. A 38-item selected bibliography.