Less Law, More Order

Welcome back to think! Today we present "Less Law, More Order," a lecture on the criminal justice system. Communities of faith have very different views of justice, and especially of the criminal justice system. These views often play out as mixed messages in the public debate. But thankfully, in this area, Christians often "do" with more unity than we "think"—our deeds are better than our words, as we are bound together by the great call to love our neighbours as ourselves.

"What we have doesn’t work," Clitheroe argues. Costs and reoffense rates are high, communities are not safe, and damage is not healed. Clitheroe offers practical alternatives, incorporating restorative justice, but also making possible restoration outside of incarceration, to aid healing and growth for the victim, the community and the offender, not just punishment or vengeance causing further hurt.

Eleanor Clitheroe is the President of Prison Fellowship Canada. Previously she served as the deputy finance minister in the province of Ontario, and also the CEO of Hydro One, Ontario’s electrical utility. She has also served as Chancellor of the University of Western Ontario.