Source: (2000) Washington, DC: United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, Office of Social Development & World Peace.
Calling for a new national dialogue on crime and corrections, justice and mercy, responsibility and treatment, the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops issued this statement to frame a Catholic perspective on those issues. Their statement addresses the following matters: crime and reasons why the Catholic community should involve itself in a faithful response to crime; dimensions of crime and punishment in the U.S; Scriptural, theological, and sacramental foundations for a Catholic perspective on and response to crime; foundations for social policies and directions on crime in the U.S.; and guidelines for the Church’s mission in relation to crime, offenders, victims, communities, and social policies. The text of the statement includes a renewal of the bishops’ call to end capital punishment, and an appendix provides suggestions for actions that Catholics can take.
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