The Archbishop of York, Dr John Sentamu questioned the deterrent effect of imprisonment, severity of sentencing, the pivotal role of communities and the need for restorative justice in his Prisoners Education Trust Annual Lecture. Dr John Sentamu said, ‘We should be pained and troubled by the size of our prison population in Britain, the sheer number of individuals who have given up on community – and feel that community has given up on them. We need to show love and compassion while ensuring justice is served and seen to be served’. Dr Sentamu outlined that reintegration should be the stated aim of all justice and penal systems; and that a culture of blame and condemnation alienates both the victim and offender. The Archbishop said: ‘Putting more and more people away behind locked doors, for longer and longer sentences, does not help society. Neither does it help the individual’.

Pray: for a wider range of sentencing options that will better serve society and the individual. (Ps.11:7)

More: http://www.archbishopofyork.org/3000