Churches call for restorative justice as Quakers highlight healing over punishment
A new report shows that Christian organisations, including Quakers, support the failing criminal justice system by taking on roles once delivered by public services.
The Prison Advice and Care Trust (Pact) report, Picking up the Pieces (offsite link), urges the UK government to formally recognise and fund this work, calling for a justice system rooted in compassion, responsibility and repair.
Prison chaplains, family support and community reintegration programmes are all provided by Christian organisations, the report reveals.
Among those contributing to the report are Quakers in Criminal Justice (QICJ), who have long advocated for non-punitive approaches, particularly restorative justice.
The report describes faith-based groups as “picking up the pieces" of a system unable to meet the needs of victims, offenders, and families.
Pact and its partners call for three urgent reforms:
- increased support for the 200,000 children affected by parental imprisonment each year
- national investment in restorative justice programmes
- £10 million government fund for small-scale faith and community-led projects.
Grounded in Quaker values of peace, equality and truth, restorative justice brings together victims, offenders and community members to address harm, encourage accountability, and promote healing.
Evidence shows that this approach leads to lower reoffending, high satisfaction among victims, and reduced costs compared to prison.
QICJ said they were pleased to work with other churches to highlight their priorities for reforming the justice system, adding “Restorative Justice is something we have always promoted and we are very supportive of the vital work of our Prison Chaplains in nurturing faith in prisons. We urge meetings to engage."
Read more about integrating prison leavers into meetings (PDF)