But for the grace of God

I was listening to a young adult recently who was expressing some regret about decisions made. "If only I'd decided differently. If only I'd known differently. I wouldn't have done what I did and I wouldn't be where I am today". If only I knew then what I know now. I could relate.  I'm sure we all could. Hindsight is a wonderful teacher.

The young person went on to tell me of hopes and dreams to become an artist and a sportsperson - about the joy gained from the pursuit of art, and the dedication with which sporting activities were undertaken, training hard every day. Perhaps different decisions will mean that these hopes and dreams are realised in the future. I certainly hope and pray that they are. I hope beyond hope that this young person is able to realise full potential and discover a sense of true identity beyond the decisions of the past.

You see this young person is an inmate in a Yatala Correctional Facility. He was first imprisoned at the age of 16. When he was released he tried to live a different life and start afresh.  But because he didn't know what else to do, he started hanging out with his old friends and soon enough he was 'back inside' serving another prison sentence. 

Sadly, this story is not unusual. The South Australian Council of Social Services reports that South Australia has one of the highest rates of prisoner recidivism in Australia. In 2005-06, 41.1% of South Australian prisoners released returned to prison within two years.  

Our politicians seem fond of 'talking tough on crime' and are quoted as saying things like 'rack 'em, stack 'em, pack 'em' in relation to prisoners. In this context it would be easy to go along with the hype and believe that prisoners are 'bad' people and deserve to be 'locked up'.

But there's more to the story. Consider the following information drawn together from a range of sources by the South Australian Council of Social Services in their 'Blueprint for the eradication of poverty in South Australia':

• Issues related to poverty and disadvantage account for a 56% higher chance of participating in offending behaviour later in life.
• Correctional Services estimates that between 60-80% of prisoners have problems with literacy.
• Many prisoners have mental health and psychological issues. Between 1990 and 2005-06 there were 39 recorded suicides in South Australian prisons.
• Indigenous Australians are over-represented in our prisons, an indicator of disadvantage and marginalisation.
• South Australia currently has the longest average prison term of any state in Australia.
• Numbers of prisoners in South Australia are currently at a 'record high' and expected to reach 2000 by the end of the year (up from 1435 in 2000-2001).

If our society was serious about 'getting tough on crime' wouldn't we be focussing on what leads to crime in the first place?  Wouldn't we be implementing early intervention programs to support vulnerable, disadvantaged and marginalised families and communities and 'break the cycle'?  Wouldn't we be implementing 'rehabilitation' programs which actually worked and led to lower levels of recidivism? Wouldn't our prison numbers and length of prison terms be decreasing not increasing? 

But that is not the case. The current approach to 'law and order' is one which is victimising and oppressing those who are already marginalised in society. The current approach is not one which accords with a Christian view that human beings are created in the image of God, or the Uniting Church's commitment to stand in solidarity with the poor.

In a 'get tough on crime' climate it can be easy to forget this. We might like to think that 'they' are different from 'us'. That 'we' could never be like 'them'. That 'we' would never end up 'inside.'  And in some ways we are right. For we may have the privilege of a stable family, supportive friends, an education to Year 12 or beyond, gainful employment which provides us with enough disposable income for recreational activities, holidays, nice clothes and good, healthy food. In these ways, we may never be like most of those who do find themselves serving a prison sentence.  

But we are also wrong. There is no difference between that young man at Yatala and you or I.  He too was created in the image of God. He too is worthy of all the privilege and advantage which you and I may have been given. But this young man is faced with challenges that you and I can hardly imagine. Yes he made decisions he shouldn't have and he deeply regrets those decisions and hopes he will decide differently next time. But if we had been in his shoes would we have done any different? To quote those infamous words, 'But for the grace of God, there go I.'

Some suggested responses to issues raised in this article:

1. Get involved in initiatives which support a focus on prevention and early intervention for example, supporting families and communities who are marginalised and disadvantaged.
2. Write to your local MP, the Premier, the Attorney General and the leader of the Opposition, calling for better rehabilitation programs for prisoners and improvements in prevention and early intervention.
3. Support OARS SA (Offenders Aid & Rehabilitation Services of SA Inc.) http://www.oars.org.au or Prison Fellowship South Australia www.pfi.org.au/sa.
4. Educate yourself about the true state of our prison system and then educate others.
5. Speak to Bill Reddin, Uniting Church chaplain at Yatala Correctional Facility about the new post-release prisoner program 'U-Turn' being piloted at Aberfoyle Uniting Church Ph: 8343-0469.
6. Investigate Kairos Prison Ministry Australia http://www.kairos.org.au. Kairos Prison Ministry Australia is an interdenominational Christian ministry reaching out to incarcerated individuals, their families and those who work with them, to bring sustainable meaning and hope in place of loneliness, isolation and despair.    

(See also the  December 2008 edition of New Times (4.95 MB), pp.3-4)

Solidarity and Justice Officer
Mission Resourcing Network
Uniting Church Presbytery and Synod of SA