Prayer Vigil Changes Penal Reform Agenda

“Bishop Justin Duckworth’s prayer vigil for prisoners and their victims has reinforced the growing public view that a change is called for in the way we do justice”, said Kim Workman, spokesperson for Rethinking Crime and Punishment. “From the meetings and discussions I attended, there were three main themes that dominated the discussion.”

“First, those involved want the government to set a goal, not just to reduce crime and reoffending, but to reduce the level of imprisonment.  While there has been a significant reduction in crime, and in the number of people sentenced to imprisonment, the numbers in prison have remained the same.  We are currently at around 194 per 100,000 population, and in comparative terms, sandwiched between Namibia and Gabon, two West African autocracies.  The UK has 150 per 100,000, Australia has 130 per 100,000 and Canada about 111 per 100,000. 

What is needed now, is a government strategy to reduce the level of imprisonment.  That may require changes to sentencing legislation, and include a review of whether people are being sent to prison unnecessarily, whether we need to expand the range of options available, and whether an increase in filtering mechanisms, such as Drug Courts and Mental Health Courts, could make a difference.  It could also examine the reasons why some prisoners are denied  parole  due to the unavailability of rehabilitation programmes, and whether those programmes could occur after release, and as a condition of parole.  It may also require increased participation by community organisations in the Parole Board process.“ 

“Second, prison volunteers   shared their frustration at the increasingly hostile environment toward volunteer involvement in the prison system.  Five years ago there were 3000 registered prison volunteers, compared to 2,500 today.  Sixty five percent of those volunteers come from the faith community.  They desperately want to work in cooperation with Department of Corrections, but potential volunteers find it difficult to cut through the department’s bureaucracy.   There is a growing view  that the department would be better served by contracting volunteer coordination to an NGO or NGO’s with expertise in that area.” 

“Church involvement with prisons and prisoners is as old as prisons themselves and much of the discussion was about seeking new ways of supporting prisoners and their victims, to become fully fledged members of the community.” 

“Finally, there was an acknowledgement of the efforts by the Department of Corrections to improve prison conditions.  The main issues of concern were more fundamental than that.  There was discussion about the effectiveness of prisons as a place of rehabilitation, and general agreement that resources available for rehabilitation  would be better positioned within the community, given that for many, the experience of imprisonment increases the likelihood of reoffending.” 

“The Prayer Vigil and the resource material distributed by the church, were a successful catalyst to a wider public discussion.  It was never intended as a protest, but as a way to engage  the church and the wider public in an informed dialogue about a critical public policy issue.  All we can hope for, is that people in places of influence, take account of those views.” 

Kim Workman
Spokesperson
Rethinking Crime and Punishment
ENDS

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