Southern bishops call for alternatives to imprisonment

Published: 2004-05-10

MARTIN, Ky. (CNS) -- The fourth in a series of criminal justice statements from the Catholic bishops of Southern states calls for alternatives to incarceration to be used whenever possible. "Prisons, like wars, are public admissions of defeat for humanity," said the statement: "'I Have Come to Heal ...' Restorative Justice." Alternatives to imprisonment "must be searched for and implemented," it said, explaining that the criminal justice system was created in the face of violence, as a way to provide public safety. The statement issued in April is part of a planned six-part series on criminal justice issues from the bishops of 12 Southern states. The schedule is to release the last two statements around Advent and Lent in the coming year. Previous statements have dealt with juvenile justice, the privatization of the prison industry and an overview of criminal justice problems in the South.

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