Faith In Action Ready To Act

At its Feb. 5 Covenant Assembly Meeting, representatives of the 25 congregations that make up the newly organized Faith in Action (FIA), a multifaith coalition of congregations committed to working on local social justice issues, unanimously adopted the following vision and goal statements below for 2018. They represent months of research, meetings and information from our Valley partners on this issue, i.e. the Northeast Neighborhood Association (NENA), the Valley Justice Coalition, and the Fairfield Center.

FIA supports our local jail becoming a model "greenhouse" for the rehabilitation and treatment of individuals awaiting their trial or completing their sentences. We believe jail budgets and programs should reflect such priorities and that families of inmates not be burdened with costs associated with the care of their loved ones.

FIA supports reducing incarceration in our community by utilizing evidence-based alternative sanctions for low-risk offenders. We believe costly extended jail stays actually increase recidivism and reduce public safety as inmates lose positive connections to jobs and family while being exposed to a criminal environment that encourages anti-social behavior.

FIA supports seeing our criminal justice system trend toward restorative rather than punitive responses to offenders. We believe the needs of victims should be a first priority, and that those causing others harm should, when appropriate, be directly involved in repairing those harms and making restitution.

Therefore, Faith in Action and our Valley partners are committed to work with relevant policymakers and stakeholders to achieve the following in 2018:

1) Eliminate the financial burden of the $1 per day fee currently paid by family members of inmates at the Rockingham County jail.

2) Engage in a careful and open selection process for the hiring of a well-qualified community justice planner. This person would evaluate all criminal justice programs and practices, make data-driven strategic recommendations for the best allocation of resources, and coordinate the legally mandated biennial update to the Community Criminal Justice Board's Community Corrections Plan.

3) Establish protocols for all juvenile justice cases to be screened for a restorative justice process. We will support transparent and community-based steps in implementing restorative justice alternatives.

The first of the three goals reflects concerns about one of many financial burdens imposed on family members of inmates, based on results of a recently completed survey of 85 persons visiting at the local jail, and conducted by the Family Support Committee of the local Re-entry Council.

The second goal grows out of a recent meeting held at the County Administration Center with the criminal justice planner from Charlottesville, who gave an impressive account of what that office has been doing to create a more cost efficient and effective criminal justice system.

The third reflects growing support for restorative justice. We know success is being achieved with restorative justice in our local schools, universities, agencies, and with individuals. Our goal is to highlight and build on these successes.

Cheryl L. Tharp, secretary of Faith in Action, lives in McGaheysville.