In the book More God Less Crime the author focuses on a central topic of how faith based institution and individuals can aid in reducing crime in society. The book stresses that these new faith based policies can implement a life long life style change. In our society today, there are many dangerous problems we face from false imprisonment to youth violence. Within the book in provides solutions such as rehabilitation that can eventually eradicate these problems that plague our society. By having a strong foundation of religion set in place it can help resolve unjust matter with the belief that morality is superior.
By incorporating morality in inmates life’s and other members within the system it enables them to lead a better life, by leaving their old ways behind. Furthermore, the book is divided into three sections which contain specific chapters catered to reducing crime and or explaining how it can be resolved. Firstly, the first section in the book is divided into chapters 1-4. Beginning with the first chapter it stresses how the author received his background and how he became interested in criminology. His interest in the field sparked the great passion he has for this specific field.
He also talks about being a professor for Memphis State University. However, due to his openly Christian belief, he was fired. The strain of professors openly using Christian doctrine, in the classroom made many discomfort able because it was used o aid in research. It was much more that solving a problem monetarily but also spiritually. The real cost of crime can be achieved through strong moral codes as well as monetarily. Many did not like this approach because it was different from the mass view. The mentioning of faith based programs and strategies are also presented.
If you can create policies that can change a person long term then this should be practice, rather than those that are seen in our prison system that do not help those who constantly commit crimes constantly. The second chapter focuses on a project called the Boston Miracle: This created a platform for Police partnering with African American churches to reduce youth violence in violence. This resulted in the reduction of youth violence, because it actually targeted these individuals to the core.
The Boston Miracle also howed the world that different groups could put aside their differences and come together to help eradicate youth violence in the city. Within Boston their was a stabbing of another youths at a funeral of a hit-and-run victim. The way this incident occurred created awareness, which made people act on the troubled issues to stop the violence. In addition to this platform that helps eradicate problems chapter three expresses the need for mentor who can actually serve as role models for at risk youth. When the mentor spend time with theses at risk individuals they will be able to pick up effective measure that will lead to a moral life.
In class we discussed how individuals may be surrounded by a negativity and it can result in them making bad choices. If you have a strong influence of morality it can eradicate the negativity and help you make positive choices. In this chapter churches realized that the children of prisoners, are overlooked and labeled as a statistic. They are often overlooked even though statistically they have a higher chance of engaging in delinquent behavior due to lack of role models. With a lack of role model present in their lives as well as being in a unstable environment results in their deviant behavior.
In order to combat these issues many have developed programs, such as thee Amachi Team. They developed a Big Brother/Big Sister program to give these kids mentor that they can look up to and hopefully stop making wrong choices. The last chapter in this section discusses the Center for Neighborhood Enterprise, which was a nonprofit organization that chose not to be explicitly Christian because some people did not agree with it. The Center for Neighborhood Enterprise claims traditional approaches are wrong for people because they focus more on financial needs than the needs of the people and have a bias against social enterprises.
However, the Violence Free Zone Initiative founded by Robert Woodson worked with youth to bring life skills, job training, and job placement services that could serve as new behaviors to pick up. Youth advisor that were used to teach theses students were from the same areas, which gave the kid more hope for a better lifestyle. Secondly, the second section include the chapters 5-8. The second chapter is relatively different from the first section in the sense that it directly discuses and uses more detailed examples of how the implementing of more God can help with less crime in society.
Chapter five discusses that there has ot been much research done on the relationship between religion and crime. The biggest study conducted showed there was no correlation between God and less crime. Later on many studies have both confirmed and disagreed with the study. The studies of larger groups show more inverse effects between the two than small group studies but people still deny the relationship between the two. However there is also a awareness that religion can serve as a remedy for dissolving crime and deviant behavior within society. Within chapter six an emphasis is placed on faith biased prison institutions.
In Houston, Texas the introduction of faith-based rehab to Texas prison was the first one implemented in America. Only prisoners who graduated from Prison Fellowship (PF) have much lower recidivism rate than others (going through the program and being employed and going to church for 3 months). By adhering to the guidelines mentioned above many inmates can live according to this and be able to have a productive life. Many prisoners face the problem of being released and are found committing the same problems over again, and are not receiving the help they need.
By establishing faith based institutions, especially in the prison it can correct deviant behavior and essentially help poisoners receive rehabilitation. Many prisons do not focus on rehabilitating inmates, and once this is skipped the initial problem they face s not treated. This once they are released they are likely to commit the same crime. Furthermore, in chapter seven the levels of spiritual development process that take place in Innerchange Freedom Initiative (IFI) is mentioned. Johnson is trying to explain the faith-based rehab has a strong responsibility for low recidivism.
Many prisoners claim to transform and grow spiritually, and behave differently, by living for God. Many inmates get excited about their future life and feel that they should give back to the community, in doing so they are paving the way for other in similar situations like them. Who better to help than those who were in the same situation. In addition to this faith based policy chapter 8 addresses the benefit of religion used behind bars in aiding individual to get out of their situation. It also stresses how the transformation effects the prisoners and how difficult life after prison is which makes it hard to keep their faith alive.
Inmate’s who are released into society are always judged and labeled as those who are not actually apart of society. Labels such as “they” and “those” kind of people are mentioned. Having faith help in getting through troubled times, and for these inmates receiving positive feedback they are quick to be judges. Yes, those who make the same mistakes should be watched and society should be aware of what the inmates did, but it should not dictate their life to the point that they feel more comfortable staying in prison than in the real world. Lastly, the third section of the book consists of the chapters 9-11.
Beginning with chapter nine the author explains what religion truly is and how can it have a impact on reducing crime and deviant behavior in society. There are many prejudice towards religion, by those who feel that their is no link between God and less crime which we have seen in the previous chapters. A research study was conducted and the bias toward research on religion was very controversial. The fact that studies have already proved that religion reduces delinquent behavior, is very eye opening in the sense that there are individuals in society who are not willing to acknowledge that there is more than just money can solve problems.
Within chapter ten the constant struggle of going back and forth with different groups to solve a common interest is presented. This constant disagreement resulted in the lack of progress in developing programs and policy that help inmates in the long run. Religion is relevant for prisoners to avoid re-entry, because if they have the moral and ethical code it will prevent them from making poor choices. The difficultly for faith-based programs to get federal funding is also mentioned.
When you have to different sectors who are looking to achieve different goals, it makes it hard for the overall problem to be resolves. Furthermore the real matter at hand is overlooked by the individuals interest only. Lastly, within the final chapter stresses the idea that Faith-based programs and government programs are not completely effective, because they lack some of the fundamental ingredients needed to fully achieve their goals. When these programs are applied alone they are not as successful as when they partner themselves with other groups.
However, this can be achieved by the help of intermediaries (mediators) who are needed for the success of organizations. The mediators relay messages in a more civil manner and hash out issues faced by both sides in order to reach an agreement. In conclusion the practice of more God and less crime is very effective, in the sense that it trains you to live the path that God intended you to. The use of religion in aiding those stuck in a life of crime is very effective, however there needs to be more attempts to develop more organizations that focus on rehabilitation for inmates.
If we instill moral and ethical codes as treatment for the inmates a reduction in crime and violence can be seen. Once groups get passed their individual disagreement and focus on the real problem at hand is when the presence of deviant behavior can be eradicated. However, the steps currently being made gives hope to the future. It gives hope to the youth and inmates who are to be receiving this treatment to help them achieve a better life. The practice of more God in their daily life will result in less deviant behavior ridding of high crime rates.
