Prison Reform
In the love Christ, who came to save those who are lost and vulnerable, we urge the creation of a genuinely new system for the care and restoration of victims, offenders, criminal justice officials and the community as a whole.
The Prison and Criminal Justice System is Broken
The United States has the world’s highest reported incarceration rate.
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Although it has less than 5 percent of the world’s population, it has almost one-quarter of the world’s prisoners.
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Now 1 in 100 American adults are behind bars.
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Many inmates are serving long sentences for nonviolent crimes, including minor drug offenses.
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We need to improve prisoner re-entry and to provide released inmates, who have paid their debts to society, help getting jobs, and help resuming productive lives
Goal of the Prison Reform Committee
Increase awareness and educate the community about what is happening within our prisons and the criminal justice system and what improvements can be made.
The committee has defined its work as providing information and solutions through sponsorship of community gathering.
Death Penalty vs Life Imprisonment
The Church and Society Commission is helping efforts to eliminate capital punishment as a sentence for murder convictions and replace it with life imprisonment without the possibility of parole. We will be collecting signatures for the petition after services on Sundays, February 5 and 12. As stated in The Social Principles of the United Methodist Church, 2009—2012, “We believe the death penalty denies the power of Christ to redeem, restore, and transform all human beings……We believe all human life is sacred and created by God and therefore, we must see all human life as significant and valuable. When governments implement the death penalty (capital punishment), then the life of the convicted person is devalued and all possibility of change in that person's life ends. We believe in the resurrection of Jesus Christ and that the possibility of reconciliation with Christ comes through repentance. This gift of reconciliation is offered to all individuals without exception and gives all life new dignity and sacredness. For this reason, we oppose the death penalty and urge its elimination form all criminal codes.” Members of the local Quakers group will be with us to answer questions about the initiative measure.
Rebuilding Lives and Making Communities Safer was the theme for a public forum held on September 19, 2010, sponsored by the Church and Society Commission and the Friends Meeting.
130 members of the community came together to hear featured speaker, Ms. Jeanne Woodford, former warden of San Quentin prison. Ms. Woodford shared her experiences on criminal justice and the need for reform. Afterwards, Leonard Moty, Shasta County Supervisor and former Redding Chief Police, addressed local concerns raised from the audience. The session ended by the group prioritizing the issues they feel are most important to address in the future. This was the first of a four part series.
OFF THE HOOK, a play performed by Poetic Justice Project, was held on May 26, 2011 to a nearly full house in our sanctuary. This original musical drama explored the culture of prison and the choices prisoners and staff make to survive, and the consequences of those choices. The performance was followed by a talk-back with the audience.
The play, set in a California prison, featured a 15-member cast of formerly incarcerated people. The performance was co-sponsored by the First United Methodist Church, Church and Society Commission, Pioneer High School and the Redding Friends Meeting.
Alternatives to Violence Project (AVP) will be offering a conflict transformation workshop November 18-20. This workshop is cosponsored by the Church and Society Commission and Redding Friends Meeting. Trained AVP facilitators will conduct the experiential workshop to develop participants' abilities to resolve conflicts without resorting to manipulation, coercion, or violence. More details will be forthcoming.
