NCJ Number
158915
Date Published
1984
Length
0 pages
Annotation
These four audio cassettes contain presentations that focus on the psychological needs of victims of violent crime, how to interpret suffering from a Christian perspective, the healing of violent offenders, and forgiveness for criminal offenders.
Abstract
The theme of the conference where these addresses are given is the need for Christians to direct their concern and services to both victims and offenders. Three of the presentations focus on victim reactions to crime. One presenter experienced the murder of one of her children. She discusses how her friends, church members, and even some members of her own family were incapable of understanding and responding appropriately to the psychological effects of the tragedy. Only when she shared her feelings with other parents who had experienced the murder of their children did she find the understanding and response that brought her emotional healing. Charlotte Hullinger became a co- founder of Parents of Murdered Children, a self-help group that provides group therapy for this target group. Another address related to victimization examines the Christian theology of suffering. The speaker, LeRoy Friesen, rejects the concept that a loving God is the direct agent for human suffering. He concludes there is no answer for the "why" of suffering, but there is an answer for the response to suffering, which mandates that the children of a God of love respond wisely and lovingly to those who suffer. Forgiveness as the Christian responsibility and goal of the crime victim is discussed in another address. The address that focuses on the Christian ministry to prisoners cites passages from the New Testament that document Jesus' concern for the poor and the imprisoned. Topics discussed in this presentation are the poor and minorities as the primary target for imprisonment and the mandate for Christians to bring hope and rehabilitation to the imprisoned just as they are called to bring them to their victims.