Sunday, October 18, 2009

Radio Program Interview

Public Address

(Faith based partnerships: Capable mechanisms for crime reduction, prison reform and community empowerment)
Power 102 FM- Trinidad and Tobago, WI.
4/30/2006


Dr. Edwards what are your views on the current crime situation facing our country?
There is no use in me belabouring the point that recent times have seen an upsurge in both the heinousness as well as the rapidity with which crimes have been committed in Trinidad and Tobago. The good news is that the rapid spate of crime seems to have abated within the last few weeks. The bad news is that the lull may be just that, abatement. The good news about the bad news is that if essential and innovative steps are put in place the slow down can be sustainable.
How does your hopeful outlook square with the generally acceptable religious notion that things will only get worse in the world as a sign/omen of the end of time as we know it?
Undoubtedly, eschatology or end time themes as proffered in the bible seem to suggest a breakdown of social and natural orders in the world as time progresses to eternity. The biblical picture is one of the world travailing under the weight of sin waiting to be delivered. That does not mean however that decay and disorder of social/moral conduct ought to be courted or not prevented or preempted under the guise of inevitability. On the other hand divine injunction advises that we occupy till the end. Jesus also prayed in what is rightly the Lord’s Prayer (john 17) that His followers be not taken out of the world, but be saved from the evil therein. This suggests that people who call themselves God’s followers ought to aggressively pursue agendas that support social responsibility and moral accountability in the societies where they live.
You seem to be suggesting that there is need for a more active role by religious organizations in the quest to combat crime in our country; is that correct?
Yes, very much so! For too long religious orders have worn blinders that foster disengagement; even civic irresponsibility. Now I’m not advocating that religious bodies begin to speak and act in political ways. That’s role confusion. But, I am saying that religious organizations need to put up their hands and be counted. Put up their hands and say we want to be included at the table of discourse that seeks to redress or preempt society’s ills. It is time government and religious bodies begin to forge partnerships of serious faith based initiatives as a means to reversing crime trends in our society. At the very core, criminal behaviour of the nature and pace we are seeing is a sure indication of broken and dysfunctional human spirits and deficient and decrepit moral compasses - especially among our youths. Mere social structures, even social strictures will always be inadequate, given the nature of the problem.
   
I firmly believe the theme of pursuing values rich, faith based partnerships between government and religious orders is a capable mechanism for community empowerment and crime reduction.

Usually people are reluctant to see government and religious alliances; is there some basis for your confidence that such an alliance on crime will potentially yield good outcomes?
Yes a good place to begin our background thinking re partnered faith based initiatives between government and religious organizations re crime is to acknowledge that the concordat on education forged with denominational boards has served pretty well in delivering rich values based education that the government acting on its own is either prevented from, or is incapable of delivering.

Of course there have been hiccups along the way, and on-going debate re remodeling the concordat for maximum good. The point though is that generally the benefits have served well. The larger point today though is that there is a strong history of government and faith based partnering in delivering essential social services. As such I feel a good case can be made for embarking upon faith based partnerships as key mechanisms in the pursuit of sustainable (emphasis on sustainable) crime reduction.

Well let’s follow through and go down that road of government & faith based alliances on the issue of combating crime, what are some specific ways in which you can see that alliance bearing fruit?
I think there are 3 Critical Areas for Immediate Partnered Engagement between Government and Faith Based Organizations Re Crime Reduction:-

1. Is the area of Messaging!
  • There has been much public outcry and politicizing of crime; and in the process casting of blame on the present government as well as the last. There has even been animated activism regarding crime by various community groups.
  • But by and large there is yet to be a concerted effort by religious groups and religious leaders in particular.
  • Let’s not forget that the ghastly crimes being committed suggest not only a break down in morality and values; but also a wanton disregard for the sanctity of life. After all, religion is supposed to provide national conscience.
  • To me this puts the issue of crime at the doorstep of religious orders who are supposed to be the groomers and guardians of moral and spiritual values and societal conduct.
  • Where is the adjustment of message by our churches to speak directly to crime in communities? Where are the crusades against crime in neighbourhoods? Notice I’m not referring to national spectacles such as rallies and symposia on crime (God knows we might just have had enough of those).
  • I think there is a need and a role for religious leaders in the fight against crime. Pastors, priests, pundits, Imams and others community religious leaders must get out into neighbourhoods and streets with moral energy and accost young people with piercing questions re their disregard for the life of one another. At the same time they must be willing to invest time and energy to build spiritual capital in the lives of our broken youths.
  • I think the government should seek the cooperation of all religious groups in the various communities; but especially in high risk areas, and ask them to step up moral and spiritual awareness initiatives. With special focus on youth emphasis; and youth outreach drives.
  • I may be going out on a limb here but I’ll be willing to tinker with the idea of governmental subventions to off set the cost of some of these endeavours. Of course this is a delicate area, because one does not want to encourage gov’t funding of religious programs; but the dire need for spiritual awareness in our communities (especially among our youth) require some flexibility (even on a short term) given the crisis situation.
  • I am saying there must be a messaging blitz re spiritual awareness and spiritual awakening and this upsurge must be of equal, if not greater, intensity than the upsurge attending that of crimes. And this messaging against crime and building of spiritual awareness but be decidedly local (in every village and hamlet on every street corner, in just about every nook and cranny).
You mentioned 3 essential ways of cooperation between government and religious bodies on crime. You have covered Messaging, what are the others?
2. Partnership for Sustainable Community Empowerment: In addition to roles in spiritual awareness, allow various religious groups to act as centers for Community, Social and Economic Empowerment
  • Community reconciliation and emotional healing services
  • Techniques in mediation and conflict resolution
  • Adult learning centers
  • Formation of small business groups to redress financial and fellowship needs gang effect/bonds yields
  • Grooming of responsible community leadership and influence
  • Benefit of reduced corruption, values rich implementation and increased sustainable effect.
We have now touched 2 areas of partnership between government and religion on crime (Messaging and Community Empowerment); would you like to see faith based partnerships extending to any other area in the fight against crime?
3. Yes, that brings me to the third critical areas for partnered faith based initiatives between Government and religious bodies: and that is - Prisoner Reform
  • Its no secret that our dysfunctional prison system plays no small part in perpetuation of crime by way of turning out a very high percentage of repeat offenders (professor Deosoran and his group at UWI has been doing on-going work on recidivism among released prisoners to raise awareness re need for prison reform).
  • 2 things are important to bear in mind as we consider faith based/government partnership regarding prison and prisoner reform.
    • The high incidence of crime that takes place in prison (behind those secured walls) only serves to embolden prisoners and prepare them to commit even more daring crimes in open society. After all if they could live a life of crime behind prison bars and get by, why not in open society. It seems to me the present penal system to a great degree hones the skills of the criminal element sent there.
    • I’m not sure to what extent prisoner reform is a priority public policy. It seems to me the penal system emphasizes incarceration at the expense of reform. That is a prevailing formula for crime in perpetuity.
  • In terms of remedies I suggest 2 areas of emphasis.
    • 1. Prisoner reform must be made of equal importance as incarceration as a matter of public policy
    • Each convicted prisoner must be placed on an individualized reform program reflective of his/her particular area of challenge. Each prisoner must demit prison a healed and whole person. Not someone seeking to exact revenge on society or someone waiting to execute criminally improved skills.
  • These two agendas must be aggressively pursued if an immediate impact on crime reduction is to be realized
  •  Religious groups can be co-opted to perform integral roles both in terms of membership on a prison reform oversight board as well as direct involvement in the design and implementation of individual prisoner reform programs.
  • Usually each person in our society conscripts to one religion or the other. This means prisoners are also affiliated with some religion. Individual prisoner programs are to receive spiritual awareness training and moral/character development training in keeping with a religious affiliation of choice. This means that all religious groups are to be included in individual prisoner reform programs. Of course careful thinking through of the plan is required but I believe the long term benefits far outweigh the pains of planning.
Dr. Raymond S. Edwards
President/CEO, MOHDC
http://www.mohdc.com
Raymond Edwards, Ph.D. Organizational Psychologist & Minister of Religion: is an international development consultant and executive Leadership behavior specialist.

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