National Council of Churches of Christ in the USA
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By Reverend Brenda Girton-Mitchell,
Associate
General Secretary for Justice and Advocacy
The National Council of Churches of Christ in the U.S.A., founded
in 1950, is a leading force for ecumenical cooperation among Christians
in the United States. The NCC’s 36 Protestant, Anglican and
Orthodox member denominations include almost 50 million persons in
more than 100,000 local congregations in communities across the nation.
Throughout its history, the NCC has been an advocate for justice in
our society. The NCC, policy statement, “A Christian Call to
Responsibility: Challenges to the Injustice of the Criminal Justice
System,” adopted in 1979 concludes:
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“Christians
recognize that it is an act of irresponsibility to leave untouched
those policies, practices, and structures of our criminal justice
system which jeopardize freedom, justice and order. Out of a
commitment to the struggle for human dignity in all aspects
of human relationships, Christians are compelled to express
concern about injustices within the criminal justice system
and for those victimized by them; and to seek changes that will
produce and protect a state of justice in the administration
of the criminal justice system.” |
When Congress passed
mandatory minimum sentencing laws for certain drug offenses, the
goal was to reduce the incidence of crime with the threat of incarceration.
The legislation removed the ability of judges to exercise any discretion
based on the unique facts of each case. The result has been an ineffective,
expensive, and overloaded prison system, which manifests systematic
racism and classism. Criminal justice statistics reveal:
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Our nation incarcerates more people than any other nation in
the
world.
- There are more than 2 million people incarcerated in the U.S
at a cost of more than $20,000 per person per year.
- Sixty percent of federal prisoners are drug offenders.
- Mandatory sentencing has a disproportionate impact on people
of color.
- African Americans represent 15% of drug users and nearly 75%
of those sentenced to prison for drug offenses. |
We commend
Congresswoman Maxine Waters for her courage and commitment to change
this legislation. We pledge our support in this effort because the
mandates of scripture require us to lift our voices whenever and
wherever we see injustice perpetuated in our society. We stand with
all those today who call for an end to mandatory sentences because
the practice creates egregious injustices and does not resolve the
problems it was established to address.
The NCC does not suggest that punishment is never warranted; but
punishment should fit the crime. The application of mandatory minimum
sentencing laws has resulted in great injustice. We must answer
the question of the prophet Micah—“…What does
the LORD require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness,
and to walk humbly with your God?”
Interfaith
Drug Policy
Initiative, P.O. Box 6299, Washington,
D.C. 20015
Phone: 301-933-7681 Fax:301-933-7682 |
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