Capital Punishment
Constitutionality, the sanctity of life, erroneous convictions, public safety, and biblical teaching should all be considered in the contentious debates surrounding the death penalty.
Clemency and Overcoming Barriers to Reentry
The collateral consequences of convictions should protect public safety without causing unreasonable harm to people with criminal backgrounds.
Drug Policy and Mandatory Minimums
Fair sentencing practices and and effective substance abuse treatment are necessary to reduce crowded prison populations and recidivism.
Faith-Based and Community Initiatives
Faith-based and community initiatives combat the negative effects of prison culture and are a largely untapped resource pool for educational, vocational, and treatment services.
Incarceration and the Family
Prisoners need the support, accountability and encouragement that their family members can provide during incarceration and reentry.
Inmate Health
Protecting public health requires delivering effective inmate medical care.
Inmate Telephones
Prisons must charge fair telephone fees to allow inmates to maintain essential family relationships.
Juvenile Justice
Youth in the criminal justice system should have programs that address their unique needs and equip them to be healthy, productive members of society.
Mental Health in Prisons
Mentally ill prisoners must receive competent, comprehensive care in order to break cycles of recidivism.
Overcriminalization
Only behaviors that contradict moral law and have malicious intent should be criminalized.
Prison Rape
Prisons should make prevention of rape a top priority through increasing accountability for abusers.
Prison Violence
Violence amongst inmates and between inmates and staff should be eliminated through training, accountability, and adequate programs.
Prison Work Programs
Prison work programs should expand opportunities for inmates to work, learn useful skills, and earn wages while developing a good work ethic.
Prisoner Reentry
Prisons and private organizations should help prepare inmates to live healthy, productive, law-abiding lives upon their return to society.
Probation and Parole
Community supervision officials should respond to violations through swift sanctions that are determined by risk and outcome-oriented.
Protecting the Innocent
Extensive use of DNA to determine guilt and permanent storage of crime scene DNA are necessary to protect people from wrongful conviction.
Religion Behind Bars
Protection of inmates' religious freedom creates a context for them to develop the spiritual health important for their successful rehabilitation and reentry.
Sentencing Reform
Sentencing reform can reduce prison overcrowding and recidivism through redirecting resources and energy towards rehabilitating offenders.
Sex Offenders in Society
On-line registries and residency restrictions should protect communities without placing inappropriate burdens on ex-offenders attempting to reenter society.
Women in Prison
Attention to women's unique physical, psychological, and emotional needs must occur to protect this growing and vulnerable prison population.
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