Relationship is at the heart of the restorative justice philosophy — restoring an offender’s relationship with self, family and community.
The reconnection often begins in prison, through state-provided programs and/or jail and prison ministries. Then individuals need assistance to reinforce new behaviors and to return to their communities as productive citizens worthy of being trusted again.
According to the Restorative Justice Ministry Network of North America, a ministry can be classified as restorative if it leads offenders to recognize who they are and helps them realize they will be held accountable for their actions.
Restorative justice also includes ways to help offenders make restitution to the victim and to the community. Individuals, churches, and not-for-profit and other groups will find a variety of ways in which to serve.
Nancy Jobe of Eldon, Mo., became involved in restorative justice ministry almost accidentally. “I was teaching with a friend who asked if I really wanted to ‘do church,’” she explained. “She invited me to go to Tipton [Correctional Center], so I went with her a couple of times.”
The Missouri Department of Corrections allows an individual to volunteer only a few times without training. If the person wishes to continue, he or she must complete the state’s volunteer training. Then the volunteer can choose the programs he or she wishes to assist.
Jobe started by assisting with a program that taught inmates how to crochet baby afghans and make baby pajamas. She changes ministry as needs change. Sometimes the sponsoring group ends a program, or another program that could utilize her skills begins.
Outside groups start most of the programs in the Missouri system providing a product or service to the community. In Missouri, inmates make toys, school supplies such as flash cards, lap quilts, baby items and several other things that are then donated to schools, veterans hospitals, children’s hospitals and other not-for-profits.
In addition to helping inmates make restitution to victims and communities, the programs also provide new skills offenders may be able to utilize to secure a job once they have been released.
The size of the facility and the number of volunteers or staffers determine which programs can be offered.
Recently, the Missouri system allowed Wheels for the World, a ministry of Joni Eareckson Tada’s organization, to approach its institutions for inmate help to restore wheelchairs, canes and walkers to be donated to the disabled in other countries.
Inmates at the Ozark Correctional Center in Fordland, Mo., disassemble wheelchairs that cannot be restored and sort parts that can be used. Offenders at the Women’s Eastern Reception, Diagnostic and Correctional Center at Vandalia, Mo., clean canes, crutches and walkers. Inmate volunteers at the Algoa Correctional Center in Jefferson City, Mo., sew new seat covers and cushions for wheelchairs.
John Morrison of Woodville, Texas, believed God intended for the community to minister to the nearby prison unit.
“When God placed the prison in our town, the question was: Are we going to be able to embrace it? The answer was ‘yes,’ because we are our brother’s keeper,” Morrison said.
As his involvement in the prison grew, he began to share prisoner stories. That, he believes, is what continues to attract volunteers and has made new ministries possible. When the prison was built, “volunteers were raised up,” he said. “What they see in our prison is a valid church, and the world doesn’t see that.
“When they come out [from ministering], they tell about it and that’s what attracts others to the ministry.”
Enough stories were told to attract city and county attention — and donors — to open the community-based Restorative Justice Ministries Family Services Center in Woodville four years ago.
Morrison and his team recruit and train prison mentors and jail ministry volunteers. They help ex-offenders find jobs, and have a team that connects with local churches. They also minister to prison staff, law enforcement and judicial professionals. His team finds ways to minister to prisoner families, as well.
Morrison also has trained several inmates in mediation skills using Peacemakers Ministry material. The offenders — known as the “Brothers in White” — help defuse possible tense situations between inmates.
One team under the service center’s umbrella reaches out into the local schools as mentors to at-risk students.
“Many are connected by blood to those who are incarcerated,” Morrison said. While school districts usually aren’t allowed to document those students, “teachers know who those are.”
The example of one young man — Justin — helped Morrison put into perspective the need for early intervention. Every member of Justin’s family currently is serving time.
“His story made me understand how endemic this is,” Morrison said.