Time to re-visit the Role of faith in Transforming Offenders

Prison Fellowship New Zealand National Director, Kim Workman, is of the view that it is time to re-visit the role of faith in transforming prisoners.

Speaking at the Fellowship’s National Conference, he referred to the current difficulties with gangs, and points to the impact of faith on reducing offending behaviour. “The government and public are desparate for solutions and answers. Faith has always been important to prisoners, and offenders, with around 20% of all offenders entering prison, identifying they have a spiritual need. “

“In two recent pieces of New Zealand research, the role of religion in motivating people to leave gangs was considered. One researcher found that half of his participants were strongly engaged with some form of religion at the time interviews took place. They acknowledged that religion played a part in their departure from the gang lifestyle. A separate report on female gang associates reported that over half of the female participants gave credit to religion for the life changing experiences which led them to leave gangs. In both cases they developed their faith either while in prison, or through people who had developed a faith while in prison. “

“We need to publicly acknowledge the role of faith in transforming lives. We need to start thinking outside the secular box. Christian prison volunteers understand that Jesus ate bread and drank wine with victims, prostitutes, thieves and murderers – the least, the lost and the lonely. He didn’t condone – but he didn’t condemn. And in a special way, he showed people a new possibility. Today, as imitators of Christ, we share our bread and wine and seek dialogue with those who live outside the mainstream of New Zealand life. We share the same “possibilities” that Jesus did. And we share them with prisoners, paedophiles, and members of the Mongrel Mob.”

“Why? Because within every criminal sub-culture there exists a small group of people who want to change for the better, but have no paradigm around what “better” is. Every time we talk with a gang family, we witness mothers who want their children to succeed and be healthy, fathers who don’t want their sons to end up in prison. So we share possibilities. Every now and then we witness a miracle. And if the miracle taker is a leader within the group, there is every possibility that he or she will impact others toward positive change.”

“The solution lies in our own capacity to put emotions and anger on hold – to turn ourselves from becoming a nation of carpet biters, to a society prepared to share our pain, trauma and personal paradigm – and move beyond that point to engaging one another in possibilities, the production of small miracles, and performing the occasional big one.”

ENDS

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