Canada's Prison Plan

Prisons, police and public safety. Canada makes them a spending priority. But critics ask - what about the criminals behind the problems? We explore the controversy from our Christian perspective. 

Question of the Week: Canada's crackdown on crime. Right or wrong? Why? Talk to us at listenup@listenuptv.com.  

Lorna's Wrap

Justice is important. Just ask any five year old. It’s closely linked in their minds to an understanding of right and wrong. Simply give somebody else a bigger piece of cake and wait for the cries of, “that’s not fair.”
So what accounts for the sense of justice as something so intuitive?
Christians believe God is just, and that God calls us to justice also. Crime is punished in God’s justice. The pain caused is lamented. But Biblical justice is also relational. It’s rooted in the belief that all people are created in the image of God.
So justice is also pro-active. It involves working towards restoration and reconciliation. Mending the broken, and making wrong things right.
Impossible? Not with God. Compassion for victims and recovery for criminals are part of the God’s care.  

Resources

Norway Builds the World's Most Human Prison

Wilma's Journey Toward Forgiveness

The Bible League of Canada
http://www.bibleleague.ca/prison-ministry.php

Prison Fellowship Canada
http://www.prisonfellowship.ca/

Our Daily Bread Ministries: Prison Ministries Program
http://www.ourdailybreadmissions.org/pfellowship.htm

Correctional Service Canada adopts the practices of the faith community

Guests

MP Chris Warkentin
Public Saftey and National Security Committee

Bishop Gary Gordon
Bishop of Diocese of Whitehorse

Chris Cowie
Executive Director, Community Justice Initiatives

Julie Thompson
Director of Programs, Community Justice Initiatives

Philip Fernandez
Volunteer with Stride Circle inside women's prison

Elisa McBride
Volunteer with Stride Circle inside women's prison

Wilma Derksen
Daugher, Candace, murdered

Carol Kent
Son serving a life sentence 

Context

Canada’s federal government is relentlessly pursuing its crackdown on crime. Continuing a long line of legislative actions intended to keep those convicted of serious crimes behind bars longer.

They’ve tightened bail restrictions, made it more difficult to qualify for early parole and are exploring making it more costly to apply for a pardon. They’ve poured millions into crime prevention programs and pledged millions more to expand the prisons and penitentiaries that house Canada’s inmates.

All this has not gone unnoticed by Canada’s churches, who warn such changes will actually make streets more dangerous while draining tax dollars.