New plans to put fewer drug offenders in federal prisons have received mixed reviews among Christian leaders.
Attorney general Eric Holder's announcement this week to reform mandatory prison sentences for low-level drug offenders has the Southern Baptist Convention's Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission shaking its head.
Barrett Duke, vice president for public policy, disapproves of Holder's plan, which would no longer charge "low-level, nonviolent drug offenders … with offenses that impose severe mandatory sentences." Holder has called the policies "unfair."
According to Baptist Press (BP), Duke says the policies, although severe, originally were introduced to alleviate subjectivity in the sentencing process. Once the plan is enacted, Duke told BP, "the actions will move us to a greater disparity in sentencing than currently exists as different offices weigh similar offenses differently."
By contrast, both the National Association of Evangelicals and Prison Fellowship told The Christian Post that they favor Holder's proposed reforms—especially if it comes along with a congressionally approved fair-sentencing bill.
In his announcement Monday, Holder cited unsustainable prison growth and costs, caused by escalating numbers of inmates.
One way to cut costs could be faith-based, prisoner re-entry programs, such as the InnerChange Freedom Initiative. A recent Baylor study found that this program—and possibly others like it—are a million-dollar "boon" to both society and taxpayers because it "operates without public funding and yet reduces recidivism, which in turn reduces other costs associated with crime," reports Associated Baptist Press.
CT has previously reported on ministries that attempt to reduce recidivism, including Prison Fellowship itself. Prison Fellowship and the NAE haven't always supported the Justice Deparment's prison plans: In 2011, both groups criticized the DOJ's insufficient attempts to address sexual abuse within the prison system.
