The Rehabilitation Journey of Offenders
Punishing criminals is not enough; they must face the consequences of their actions and their effect on others, and from there seek to make restitution. A Catholic organisation is helping them to do that, as Advocate Nathanael Siljeur explains.
The Prison Care and Support Network (PCSN) — a Catholic non-profit organisation (NPO) — provides a prison ministry service to offenders, including one-on-one or group sessions with our spiritual workers and the provision of the restorative justice course.
Many offenders who are sentenced and arrive at the prison for the first time feel depressed, anxious, and even scared. They may feel angry at God. Many think that they are not loved and feel rejected and judged. But, gradually, they adapt to the loss of their freedom and slowly begin accepting the routine of prison life.
Correctional Services offers or facilitates many programmes at the various correctional centres to rehabilitate and reintegrate offenders into society. For example, in different prisons of the Western Cape, our organisation, the Prison Care and Support Network (PCSN) — a Catholic non-profit organisation (NPO) — provides a prison ministry service to offenders, including one-on-one or group sessions with our spiritual workers and the provision of the restorative justice course.
Archbishop Stephen Brislin rightfully states in the preface to Fr Babychan Arackathara’s book Light Through the Bars that the hope that prison ministry offers to prisoners rests on offenders acknowledging, accepting, and owning the consequences of their actions.
The criminal justice system is adversarial, involuntary and retributive. It focuses on punishing the offender, not on restoring relationships. However, restorative justice views criminal actions as primarily damaging the relationship between the offender, the victim and the community.
The restorative justice course is vital because it attempts to restore the broken relationship between the offender, the victim and the community. PCSN’s restorative justice course primarily focuses on restoring the relationships with the community, which includes the family. However, other NPOs mediate a dialogue between the offender and the victim. These restorative justice interventions provide a foundation for the offender’s ongoing rehabilitation and reintegration into society.
PCSN’s restorative justice course uses a psycho-spiritual approach. The strong faith element of the course helps the participant control situations that cause helplessness and vulnerability.
During the ten-day restorative justice course, participants examine who they are, their friendships, what crime is and its consequences, values, temptation, forgiveness, and healing. The course culminates in the family and offender mediation day, where the offender and family members have the opportunity to reconcile with each other.
As a Christian community, we have a collective duty to contribute meaningfully to the offender’s rehabilitation and reintegration. We are to be an effective sign of God’s mercy and forgiveness. Luke 15:7 amplifies this point when Luke states that “there will be more joy in Heaven at the repentance of one sinner than at ninety-nine of the righteous who had no need of repentance”.
Let our faith and actions demonstrate God’s love, mercy and forgiveness to our brothers and sisters in prison.
For more information on how to support prison ministry in the Western Cape, please phone Alledene at 021 531-0550.
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