Christianity boosts prison rehabilitation success

LETTTER TO THE EDITOR:
The Minister of Correctional Services, Mr Ben Skosana must be commended and supported in advocating the inclusion of religion in prisoners' rehabilitation programmes (Sowetan 26 May).

Prison Fellowship International, a Christian-based organisation operating in prisons in some 88 countries worldwide has major significant success with faith-based rehabilitation programmes. Statistics indicate that such programmes significantly reduced the rate of re-offending amongst prisoners.

The long-term benefit of reducing the rate of re-offending should encourage the government to further promote faith-based prison rehabilitation.

The ACDP agrees with the Minister's view that "the Church has a calling to visit and care for those who have gone astray, to minister to them in prison and to help them on a new path of repentance and reconciliation upon release".

The Ministers approach stands in stark contrast to that of the Minister of Education, Dr Kader Asmal, who seeks to reduce the influence of religion, and in particular the Christian faith, in schools by banning religious observances and promoting a multi-faith approach for religion education.

Steve Swart, African Christian Democratic Party MP