Criminal Justice
"Many early Friends were victims of an arbitrary and unreasonable criminal justice system. Knowledge of that experience has opened many later Friends to that of God in convicted persons. Friends continue to undertake work in prisons, ministering to the spiritual and material needs of inmates. Believing that the penal system often reflects structural and systemic injustice in our society, Friends seek alternatives. Friends have acted out of the conviction that redemption and restorative justice, not retribution, are the right tasks of the criminal justice system. We strongly oppose capital punishment.
"Seeking to heal the wounds of criminal actions, Friends are called to many different kinds of service in the criminal justice system. Prison visiting, victim support services, conflict resolution training for staff of correctional institutions and offenders, and work to abolish the penalty of death are typical of these services. Such service is undertaken in order to restore the victim, the offender, and the community to the greatest extent possible. The healing love, and the trust in divine leading that such disciplined service requires, can greatly assist the rebuilding of broken lives."
(Source: PYM's Faith and Practice)
Resources
"Quakers in Criminal Justice (QICJ) is an informal network of Quakers, based in the United Kingdom, who are involved in the criminal justice system. ... Members include: Quaker prison ministers, probation officers, magistrates, prison governors, prison visitors, solicitors, barristers, judges, prison psychologists, psychiatrists, ex-offenders, members of boards of visitors, police officers, victim support workers, academics and others."
Criminal Justice: Quakers and Prison Reform (booklist)
Amnesty International is a worldwide movement of people who campaign for internationally recognized human rights for all. (Not specifically Quaker)
Stop Prisoner Rape seeks to end sexual violence committed against men, women, and youth in all forms of detention. (Not specifically Quaker)
