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Describe your image of a criminal. What do you think has influenced your thinking? Has it changed over time?
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This is tough for me to answer. For a long time I only had to look in the mirror.
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As a believer in Jesus Christ and a Correctional Officer for over 20 years my definition of a criminal is an incarcerated individual. It is an honor to serve Jesus in a correctional setting.
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When my wife asked me to consider joining her doing a Bible study with detainees at Cook County Jail. My first thought was why in the world would I do that? I kind of felt God tugging on my heart, but I kept saying no. In my mind I thought they were all monsters and they deserve to be locked up. What was I gonna do though? Let my wife go alone, so I reluctantly said yes I will go. God has shown me the error of my way and I now see them as my brothers in Christ, I love these men and I try to show them Christ love. And now I’m about to start volunteering as a chaplain there at Cook County Jail. I really dislike I’m driving in the city of Chicago but now I find my heart and ministry calling me to go there twice a week it could only be God.
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Often I see people who are considered criminals as people just like almost everyone else. They simply made a wrong 14 second choice and were caught. I am sure that there are others who go well beyond this and can be considered evil as seen in the media.
I respond to this as one who has had a number of opportunities to spend time in our local jail as part of a Christian team of men (through Kairos ministries) and met many who simply messed up and were caught so now spending time.
Prior to that ministry I guess that my thoughts were mainly formed by media reports and depictions. -
The image I had of a criminal was someone who had the look of crime. They were shifty looking, with a cold demeaner. IT was influenced by experiences in my neighborhood as a youth and TV. My image has changed as I have been involved in prison ministry and have grown spiritually. We are all created in the image of God thus have value. There but by the grace of God go I. As I have worked with the inmates I discovered that apart from the poor choices they have made they are just like me.