Source: (2004) In Peter Sedgwick, ed., Rethinking sentencing: a contribution to the debate. A report from the Mission and Public Affairs Council. London: Church House Publishing. Pp. 68-76. Downloaded 16 September 2005.
The case for making restoration the primary objective of a criminal
justice system is so obvious that it is perhaps important to include in
this collection some suggestions about the obstacles that prevent people
from accepting it, and how they can be overcome. Even such moving,
and widely publicized, approaches to criminal acts as the Truth and
Reconciliation process in South Africa are often described as ‘idealistic’
(in a clearly pejorative sense). That is, they are thought to belong to a
world that is in principle unrealizable. The real or imagined failures of
such processes are often recounted, it would appear, for the purpose
of providing comfort to those who would wish to remain clear that ‘in
the real world’ such an approach will never work. (excerpt)
Your donation helps Prison Fellowship International repair the harm caused by crime by emphasizing accountability, forgiveness, and making amends for prisoners and those affected by their actions. When victims, offenders, and community members meet to decide how to do that, the results are transformational.
Donate Now