This resolution was presented and passed at the 24th meeting of Convention in January, 2004.
Resolution: Calling on the 24th Diocesan Convention to Form Restorative Justice Ministries
Submitted by the Restorative Justice Commission, Peggy Thompson, Mary Souza, authors.
Resolved, That the 24th Convention of the Episcopal Diocese of El Camino Real, responsive to General Convention Resolutions A125, A126, and A128, urges congregations to become familiar with the criminal justice system and the concept of restorative justice, and form ministries which
- give victims of crime a voice, companionship, and hope for healing and restoration
- assist prisoners and their families during sentencing, while in prison, and during their readjustment period
- advocate for the needs of youth by commiting human and financial resources to programs and educational possibilities for the development of faithful, caring, loving young people as outlined in Gen Conv. Res A128 supporting community diversionary and mediation programs (eg. VORP, NABs) working for legislation that provides alternative sentencing for juveniles supporting establishment of intermediary facilities for incarceration for serious juvenile offenders
To this end, congregations of the Diocese of El Camino Real will
- study the impact of crime on its victims and the community, and seek ways that the Church might reach out as a resource for healing and restoration
- explore, study, and make plans for ministering to families and juveniles, drawing on the resources of the Offices of Youth Ministries, Peace and Justice, and Government Relations of the Episcopal Church and the Diocesan Restorative Justice Commission together with the Canon Educator
BACKGROUND:
Because the mission of the Church is to restore all people to unity with God and each other in Christ, we are called to address the wound to individuals and community created by crime with Christ’s ministry of healing, reconciliation, and restorative justice.
Resolution A125, passed by General Convention calls upon the dioceses and congregations of the Episcopal Church to know and serve our neighbors who are incarcerated and to care for their families. This is in fulfillment of our Baptismal Covenant: “to seek and serve Christ in all persons, loving our neighbors as ourselves, and to respect the dignity of every human being.” The formation of ministries to those who are incarcerated is essential to our Christian witness. Such ministries include assistance before, during, and after prison.
General Convention Resolution A128, recognizing that many aspects of our culture work to obscure the image of God in young people and render them “at risk,” reaffirms the Church’s commitment to support the development of caring, competent, faithful, and loving young people and provide sufficient human and financial resources to challenge and inspire dioceses and parishes in their work with youth. Further, the Convention commended the following programs and educational possibilities for local implementation:
- Literacy programs, including reading, cultural, social, spiritual, and computer literacy
- Mentoring programs
- Conflict resolution and anger management programs
- Religious education programs and curricula that recognize the socio-economic, ethnic, racial, linguistic, and cultural diversity of our Church.
- After School Programs
- Creation and maintenance of Episcopal Schools that provide access to all youth
- Development of Episcopal Camps to provide access to all youth
The recent school killings and other acts of violence perpetrated by youths have heightened awareness of our need to develop theological, psychological, and sociological understanding and methodology for addressing juveniles who are caught up in our justice system. There are no intermediary facilities or system to sequester youths charged as adults from the hard-core adult criminals in federal prisons.
Resolution A126, passed by General Convention directs the Office of Government Relations to work for legislation that provides alternatives to sentencing for juveniles and establishes intermediary facilities for incarceration (between farm schools and adult prisons) for serious juvenile offenders and directs the Peace and Justice Office to explore, study, and make available to dioceses and congregations resources for ministering to families and juveniles who are heading toward or caught up in the U.S. criminal justice system.
