This morning I spoke in support of a friend who was up for parole. My friend has been incarcerated since 1989, when he killed a man during a robbery. My friend was 18 at the time. He has taken remarkable steps to rehabilitate himself, gaining an education and becoming a leader and peacemaker at the prison. The family of the victim also spoke in opposition to parole, noting the pain they have endured and citing a need for my friend to pay for his crime. The parole board member who presided over the hearing voted to deny parole for a year, stating that while my friend had changed in dramatic ways, the seriousness of the offense demanded that he serve more time. Apparently twenty-five years is not enough. We await the votes of the remaining six parole board members.
It seems to me our punishment-based approach to justice does us all a great disservice. The threat of punishment provides a disincentive to offenders to accept responsibility for the harm they have caused. Victims expect to gain a sense of healing and closure from the knowledge that the person who harmed them is being harmed, but I fear we are writing checks to victims that we cannot cash. The myth that violence is redemptive is a falsehood. If the church has anything to say, it is that redemption comes through confession, repentance, and forgiveness, all of which are militated against by our current retributive approach to justice.
Perhaps most importantly, our obsession with punishment, with procuring a pound of flesh from offenders, leads us to regard others as less than human. My friend is not a monster, but the family of his victim cannot see that, even after twenty-five years. They are invested in the notion that he is subhuman, no more than the worst moment of his life, with no capacity for good. These are dangerous thoughts. We must never lose sight of the humanity of even people who have committed heinous acts. After all, half of the New Testament was written by a murderer, and according to Karl Barth, the first Christian community was Jesus and two condemned criminals who were suffering the death penalty alongside Him. An approach to justice that fails to account for the image of the divine within all people, even violent criminals, is doomed to fail.
I appreciate your thoughts concerning our mutual friend. When I found out the presiding board member's decision was not in favor of parole, my heart just fell and the tears began to flow. Moments later, I thought of our friend and the strength and encouragement that he continues to show in the face of any adversity, and I wiped the tears away and said a prayer for him. This is the way he would want me to respond. I know that God will make a way and that, in time, parole will be granted. If we truly believe in our justice system and what we say we want to accomplish, the State of Tennessee parole board will have to agree that the time has come to make good on those beliefs. May God bless you and your family and let's all continue to support truth, love, and believe in redemption.
ReplyDeleteAs someone whose partner was just released from prison in Kentucky last November 1st after participating in a murder at age 17, I can heartily agree with your comments. I've never met a more sensitive, loving, caring and charming man that this so-called "murderer." The fact it that over 90% of men now incarcerated will return to society at some point. It's in all of our interest to treat them as human beings despite their mistakes. As for your comments at the parole hearing, Preston, your presence was brilliant and heartfelt. Thank you for being such an exceptional advocate for my friend, Rahim. He is incredibly lucky to have you on his side.
ReplyDeleteWhat a beautiful post. Rahim is also a friend of mine and I am glad that such a gifted and intelligent person was there to speak on his behalf. It's hard to think that racism is not at play in this decision. Our friend is one of the most spiritual people I know. There are many people in a worse prison of their own making than the one he unfortunately finds himself in.
ReplyDeleteI begin with a prayer for the family of the victim of the man who was seeking parole. May God bless them in their continuing sorrow and help them find peace. They, I believe, are the ones who ware most strongly making the case that you are eloquently describing here. Twenty five years of punishment heaped on the young soul who committed the crime has not brought them the peace they seek; neither has his own growth and spiritual maturation. In their pain, they stand as models for why a punishment-based system fails and why a retributive justice-based system is more useful, more compassionate for everyone concerned, and much more what we as people of faith are called to witness. For the one who was denied parole, who I experience as a loving and kind soul, I pray that his spirit will continue to grow even as what was hoped for is not given, that his own ministry of goodness and peace to others will continue. Thank you for this post.
ReplyDeleteWhat an incredible blow for the parole board to deny our friend parole for another year. Especially after the chairman of the parole board said he has been on the board for many years and has never seen an inmate who has done as much to rehabilitate himself as Rahim has. He read a long list of Rahim’s accomplishments including dozens of college courses he has taken - a proven deterrent to recidivism.
ReplyDeleteHe mentioned that he had asked the officials at Riverbend if Rahim needed to complete anything else and their response was a resounding “No.”
A serious line up spoke on Rahim’s behalf including the president of American Baptist College who was offering Rahim a full-ride scholarship, a former prosecuting attorney, the owner of a personal and professional development company and the chaplain at Riverbend.
Even the victim’s family members were impressed with the man Rahim has become.
When Rahim was given the opportunity to make his final statement he sounded responsible, contrite and intelligent. He has the essential ingredients for successful re-entry to society: a rehabilitated mind, a high level of education, the potential for gainful employment and a matrix of support to assist him.
The parole board chairman spent the entire time singing Rahim’s praises, seemingly preparing the opposition for his vote to let Rahim go free. Then he voted to deny his parole for a year.
None of us were expecting that, I dare say even the victim’s family members.
In my humble opinion, justice was not served on that day. Justice on that day left us out: Just us.
Thanks for your post, Preston.
ReplyDeleteAs a student at Vanderbilt University in 2011, I had the privilege of taking a SALT class with Rahim. It was a truly transformational experience, and I owe much of that to Rahim, who was the de facto class leader. He's a brilliant thinker, and our discussions profoundly affected my worldview. He never struck me as anything but a thoughtful, gentle person, who took his work and his role in the community seriously. He is, to me, the picture of a rehabilitated inmate. He deserves his freedom. I hope the parole board corrects its mistake next April.