“I have seen firsthand that we cannot afford to ignore our fellow Americans in prison and the moral imperative to help guide them to a better life…”
When President Donald Trump ran on helping forgotten Americans, perhaps not everyone realized until his recent announcement supporting bipartisan criminal justice reform legislation that this included those who are most out of sight – people in prison. To be sure, those behind bars made poor choices. However, President Trump recognizes we all have an interest in making sure they return to society ready to be law-abiding, productive citizens.
Having organized prison ministry programs for many years, I have seen firsthand that we cannot afford to ignore our fellow Americans in prison and the moral imperative to help guide them to a better life. This does not mean naiveté about the existence of evil, including the fact that a small segment of people cannot be rehabilitated and should never be released. But just as Jesus sent his apostles to the remotest parts of the earth so the gospel might spread its light in all the world, we must act today to ensure our policies infuse hope into the darkest corners of our nation.
That’s why nearly 3,000 faith leaders have come together to support the First Step Act. The core of the legislation would help rebuild broken lives by providing incentives for federal prisoners to participate in rehabilitation programs that are proven to reduce recidivism. Just like in the real world where there is a connection between our deeds and how we are treated by others and the government, this provision of the Act will enable all but the most serious prisoners to earn time towards release to a halfway house by successfully completing treatment programs…
Partner with Pastor Paula today at:
paulawhite.org/partners
