Corrections_Today_September_October_2019_Vol.81_No.5

nEWS & vIEWS

Correctional Chaplain Perspectives

Chaplains and Restorative Justice Working toward healing and wholeness By Damon Wagner Fields

C haplains often hear stories of the life traumas of people who come to them in their institutions and communities. The people may have perpetrated violence or suffered at the hands of others through abuse, violence or negligence of individuals or bro- ken systems of care. Chaplains can be helpful, but an adequate overall response to these questions can be beyond the scope of their abilities, training or job descriptions in institutional settings. As they see inmates return to their com- munities, chaplains wonder where returning citizens can receive help and healing of their unresolved trauma. The correctional system, faith communities and community agen- cies are realizing that they need to work on transforming people and communities to move from trauma to healing by bringing people together and strengthening them for the welfare of all. This is restor- ative justice. Restorative justice is a theory that emphasizes repairing the

istock/tadamichi

victims to heal. 2 If chaplains are aware that such programs exist and are active in the local communi- ties, chaplains can provide referral information to those leaving prison to encourage establishing a positive connection. This will help returning citizens gain a feeling of acceptance in connecting with positive people in the community.

harm caused or revealed by criminal behavior. It is best accomplished through cooperative processes that include all stakeholders. 1 The restorative justice principles invite us to reconsider the nature of the crime and to move us away from warehousing offenders and toward a system that leads offenders to personal accountability and allows

10 — September/October 2019 Corrections Today