Christian Living

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Larry Lilly's Letter Tuesday May 23, 2006

The latest numbers on Prison Population in the United States reflects some troubling trends and affirms some old truths.

A troubling trend is the increasing rate of incarceration for women. The number of women being put in jail or prison is growing at a faster rate than that of men, with certain Western States putting women in prison at near astronomical rates. Could it be the girls are losing their charm?

Concerning local jails the population is increasingly unconvicted, meaning that judges are more unwilling to release arrestees on reasonable bail due to the fear that the person will commit another crime. How can they tell who will and who won’t. The indicators used for many years have become near worthless as predictors. Nearly 1000 people per week are placed into some kind of 'behind bars' custody.

The question always arises as to why?

Complex answers to be sure. The old standbys of poverty, drugs, and greed are still factors, but for the most part the greediest are released on their own recognizance as they are white collar suspects and usually harmless.

Marc Mauer, executive director of The Sentencing Project, which supports alternatives to prison said: "If we want to see the prison population reduced, we need a much more comprehensive approach to sentencing and drug policy."

The majority of prisoners in county/city jails, state or federal prisons are made of men and women involved in some form of drug violation, manufacturing, distributing, or using, in many cases all of the above. Does prison help? Statistically, only a minute number for as a rule prison only changes the place where you do drugs.

Why is this?

The answer is both simple and profoundly complicated.

People are involved in the drug culture due to a pervading sense of hopelessness. This deep seated hopelessness is expressed in several ways, a few of them in manufacturing and distributing in order to make more money than is paid at McDonalds or to buy your own. This reflects the belief that if I have more money my life will change. Of course if you make a lot money your surroundings will change, but not your inner hopelessness. And if you have a mountain of cocaine at your side, you are still the otherwise empty soul that you were prior to the high.

The point of the above is simple: Hopelessness is curable by Christ alone.

Larry Lilly Copyright © 2006 Use with credit.

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